महात्मा गांधी यांनी कविश्रेष्ठ संत तुकाराम महाराज यांचे १६ अभंग येरवडा कारावासात (१५-१०-१९३० ते २८-१०-१९३०) इंग्रजीत अनुवादीत केले. गांधीजींच्या प्रार्थनेतही तुकारामांच्या अभंगाचा समावेश होता. नागपूरचे डॉ. इंदुभूषण भिंगारे व कृष्णराव देशमुख यांनी ‘श्रीसंत तुकारामांची राष्ट्रगाथा’ हा संग्रह १९४५ साली प्रकाशित केला. त्या ग्रंथास स्वत: गांधींनीच प्रस्तावना लिहिली. त्यात “तुकाराम मुझे बहुत प्रिय है.” असे त्यांनी नमूद केले आहे. एवढेच नव्हे, तर त्या संग्रहात समाविष्ट करण्यासाठी शांतिनिकेतनमधील प्रसिध्द चित्रकार नंदलाल बोस यांना खास विनंती करून गांधींनी तुकारामांचे चित्र काढून घेतले.
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१.
जे का रंजले गांजले । त्यासी म्हणे जो आपुले ॥१॥
तोचि साधु ओळखावा । देव तेथेचि जाणावा ॥धृ॥
मॄदु सबाह्य नवनीत । तैसे सज्जनाचे चित्त ॥२॥
ज्यासी आपंगिता नाही । त्यासी धरी जो हॄदयी ॥३॥
दया करणे जे पुत्रासी । तेचि दासा आणि दासी ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे सांगू किती । तोचि भगवंताची मूर्ती ॥५॥
Know him to be a true man who takes to his bosom those who are in distress. Know that God resides in the heart of such a one. His heart is saturated with gentleness through and through. He receives as his only those who are forsaken. He bestows on his man servants and maid servants the same affection he shows to his children. Tukaram says: What need is there to describe him further? He is the very incarnation of divinity
15-10-1930
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२.
पापाची वासना नको दावू डोळा । त्याहुनि अंधळा बराच मी ॥१॥
निंदेचे श्रवण नको माझे कानी । बधिर करोनि ठेवी देवा ॥२॥
अपवित्र वाणी नको माझ्या मुखा । त्याजहुनि मुका बराच मी ॥३॥
नको मज कधी परस्त्रीसंगति । जनातुन माती उठता भली ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे मज अवघ्याचा कंटाळा । तू एक गोपाळा आवडसी ॥५॥
O God, let me not be witness to desire for sin, better make me blind; let me not hear ill of anyone, better make me deaf; let not a sinful word escape my lips, better make me dumb; let me not lust after another's wife, better that I disappear from this earth. Tuka says: I am tired of everything worldly, Thee alone I like, O Gopal.
16-10-1930
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३.
पवित्र ते कुळ पावन तो देश । जेथे हरिचे दास घेती जन्म ॥१॥
कर्म धर्म त्याचे जाला नारायण । त्याचेनी पावन तिन्ही लोक ॥धृ॥
वर्ण़अभिमाने कोण जाले पावन । ऐसे द्या सांगुन मजपाशी ॥२॥
अंत्यजादि योनि तरल्या हरिभजने । तयाची पुराणे भाट जाली ॥३॥
वैश्य तुळाधार गोरा तो कुंभार । धागा हा चांभार रोहिदास ॥४॥
कबीर मोमीन लतिब मुसलमान । सेना न्हावी जाण विष्णुदास ॥५॥
कान्होपात्रा खोदु पिंजारी तो दादु । भजनी अभेदू हरिचे पायी ॥६॥
चोखामेळा बंका जातीचा माहार । त्यासी सर्वेश्वर ऐक्य करी ॥७॥
नामयाची जनी कोण तिचा भाव । जेवी पंढरीराव तियेसवे ॥८॥
मैराळा जनक कोण कुळ त्याचे । महिमान तयाचे काय सांगो ॥९॥
यातायातीधर्म नाही विष्णुदासा । निर्णय हा ऐसा वेदशास्त्री ॥१०॥
तुका म्हणे तुम्ही विचारावे ग्रंथ । तारिले पतित नेणो किती ॥११॥
Blessed is that family and that country where servants of God take birth. God becomes their work and their religion. The three worlds become holy through them. Tell me who have become purified through pride of birth? The Puranas have testified like bards without reserve that those called untouchables have attained salvation through devotion to God. Tuladhar, the Vaishya, Gora, the potter, Rohidas, a tanner, Kabir, a Momin, Latif, a Muslim, Sena, a barber, and Vishnudas, Kanhopatra, Dadu, a carder, all become one at the feet of God in the company of hymn singers. Chokhamela and Banka, both Mahars by birth, became one with God. Oh, how great was the devotion of Jani the servant girl of Namdev! Pandharinath (God) dined with her. Meral Janak's family no one knows, yet who can do justice to his greatness? For the servant of God there is no caste, no varna, so say the Vedic sages. Tuka says: I cannot count the degraded.
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४.
जेथे जातो तेथे तू माझा सांगाती । चालविसी हाती धरूनिया ॥१॥
चालो वाटे आम्ही तुझाचि आधार । चालविसी भार सवे माझा ॥धृ॥
बोलो जाता बरळ करिसी ते नीट । नेली लाज धीट केलो देवा ॥२॥
अवघे जन मज जाले लोकपाळ । सोइरे सकळ प्राणसखे ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे आता खेळतो कौतुके । जाले तुझे सुख अंतर्बाही ॥४॥
Wherever I go, Thou art my companion. Having taken me by the hand Thou movest me. I go alone depending solely on Thee. Thou bearest too my burdens. If I am likely to say anything foolish, Thou makest it right. Thou hast removed my bashfulness and madest me self-confident, O Lord. All the people have become my guards, relatives and bosom friends. Tuka says: I now conduct myself without any care. I have attained divine peace within and without.
22-10-1930
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५.
न कळता काय करावा उपाय । जेणे राहे भाव तुझ्या पायी ॥१॥
येऊनिया वास करिसी हॄदयी । ऐसे घडे कई कासयाने ॥२॥
साच भावे तुझे चिंतन मानसी । राहे हे करिसी कै गा देवा ॥३॥
लटिके हे माझे करूनिया दुरी । साच तू अंतरी येउनि राहे ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे मज राखावे पतिता । आपुलिया सत्ता पांडुरंगा ॥५॥
When one does not know, what is one to do so as to have devotion to Thy sacred feet? When will it so happen that Thou wilt come and settle in my heart? O God, when wilt Thou so ordain that I may meditate on Thee with a true heart? Remove Thou my untruth and, O Truth, come and dwell Thou in my heart. Tuka says: O Panduranga, do Thou protect by Thy power sinners like me.
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६.
मुक्तिपांग नाही विष्णुचिया दासा । संसार तो कैसा न देखती ॥१॥
बैसला गोविंद जडोनिया चित्ती । आदि तेचि अंती अवसान ॥धृ॥
भोग नारायणा देऊनि निराळी । ओविया मंगळी तोचि गाती ॥२॥
बळ बुद्धि त्यांची उपकारासाटी । अमृत ते पोटी साटवले ॥३॥
दयावंत तरी देवा च सारिखी । आपुली पारखी नोळखती ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे त्यांचा जीव तोचि देव । वैकुंठ तो ठाव वसती तो ॥५॥
To the servants of Vishnu there is no yearning even for salvation; they do not want to know what the wheel of birth and death is like. Govind sits steadily settled in their hearts; for them the beginning and the end are the same. They make over happiness and misery to God and themselves remain untouched by them, the auspicious songs sing of them; their strength and their intellect are dedicated to benevolent uses; their hearts contain gentleness; they are full of mercy even like God; they know no distinction between theirs and others. Tuka says: They are even like unto God and Vaikuntha is where they live.
23-10-1930
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७.
काय वाणू आता न पुरे हे वाणी । मस्तक चरणी ठेवीतसे ॥१॥
थोरीव सांडिली आपुली परिसे । नेणे सिवो कैसे लोखंडासी ॥२॥
जगाच्या कल्याणा संतांच्या विभूति । देह कष्टविती उपकारे ॥३॥
भूतांची दया हे भांडवल संता । आपुली ममता नाही देही ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे सुख पराविया सुखे । अमृत हे मुखे स्रवतसे ॥५॥
How now shall I describe (the praises of the good); my speech is not enough (for the purpose). I therefore put my head at their feet. The magnet leaves its greatness and does not know that it may not touch iron. Even so good men's powers are for the benefit of the world. They afflict the body for the service of others. Mercy towards all is the stock-in-trade of the good. They have no attachment for their own bodies. Tuka says: Others' happiness is their happiness; nectar drops from their lips.
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८.
नाही संतपण मिळते हे हाटी । हिंडता कपाटी रानी वनी ॥१॥
नये मोल देता धनाचिया राशी । नाही ते आकाशी पाताळी ते ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे मिळे जिवाचिये साटी । नाही तरी गोष्टी बोलो नये ॥३॥
Saintliness is not to be purchased in shops nor is it to be had for wandering nor in cupboards nor in deserts nor in forests. It is not obtainable for a heap of riches. It is not in the heavens above nor in the entrails of the earth below. Tuka says: It is a life's bargain and if you will not give your life to possess it better be silent.
24-10-1930
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९.
भक्त ऐसे जाणा जे देही उदास । गेले अशापाश निवारुनी ॥१॥
विषय तो त्यांचा जाला नारायण । नावडे धन जन माता पिता ॥धृ॥
निर्वाणी गोविंद असे मागेपुढे । काही च साकडे पडो नेदी ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे सत्य कर्मा व्हावे साहे । घातलिया भये नर्का जाणे ॥३॥
He is a devotee who is indifferent about body, who has killed all desire, whose one object in life is (to find) Narayana, whom wealth or company or even parents will not distract, for whom whether in front or behind there is only God in difficulty, who will not allow any difficulty to cross his purpose. Tuka says: Truth guides such men in all their doings.
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१०.
वेद अनंत बोलिला । अर्थ इतकाचि शोधिला ॥१॥
विठोबासी शरण जावे । निजनिष्ठा नाम गावे ॥धृ॥
सकळ शास्त्रांचा विचार । अंती इतकाचि निर्धार ॥२॥
अठरापुराणी सिद्धांत । तुका म्हणे हाचि हेत ॥३॥
The essence of the endless Vedas is this : Seek the shelter of God and repeat His name with all thy heart. The result of the cogitations of all the Shastras is also the same; Tuka says: The burden of the eighteen Puranas is also identical.
25-10-1930
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११.
आणीक दुसरे मज नाही आता । नेमिले या चित्तापासूनिया ॥१॥
पांडुरंग मनी पांडुरंग ध्यानी । जागृती स्वप्नी पांडुरंग ॥धृ॥
पडिले वळण इंद्रिया सकळा । भाव तो निराळा नाही दुजा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे नेत्री केले ओळखण । साजिरे ते ध्यान विटेवरी ॥३॥
This heart of mine is determined that for me now there is nothing else; I meditate on Panduranga, I think of Panduranga, I see Panduranga whether awake or dreaming. All the organs are so attuned that I have no other desire left. Tuka says: My eyes have recognized that image standing on that brick transfixed in meditation unmoved by anything.
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१२.
न मिळो खावया न वाढो संतान । परि हा नारायण कृपा करो ॥१॥
ऐसी माझी वाचा मज उपदेशी । आणीक लोकांसी हेचि सांगे ॥धृ॥
विटंबो शरीर होत का विपत्ति । परि राहो चित्ती नारायण ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे नासिवंत हे सकळ । आठवे गोपाळ तेचि हित ॥३॥
What though I get nothing to eat and have no progeny? It is enough for me that Narayana's grace descends upon me. My speech gives me that advice and says likewise to the other people -Let the body suffer, let adversity befall one, enough that Narayana is enthroned in my heart. Tuka says: All the above things are fleeting; my welfare consists in always remembering Gopal.
26-10-1930
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१३.
महारासी सिवे । कोपे ब्राह्मण तो नव्हे ॥१॥
तया प्रायश्चित्त काही । देहत्याग करिता नाही ॥धृ॥
नातळे चांडाळ । त्याचा अंतरी विटाळ ॥२॥
ज्याचा संग चित्ती । तुका म्हणे तो त्या याती ॥३॥
He who becomes enraged at the touch of a Mahar is no Brahmin. There is no penance for him even by giving his life. There is the taint of untouchability in him who will not touch a Chandal. Tuka says: A man becomes what he is continually thinking of.
27-10-1930
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१४.
पुण्य पऱउपकार पाप ते परपीडा । आणीक नाही जोडा दुजा यासी ॥१॥
सत्य तोचि धर्म असत्य ते कर्म । आणीक हे वर्म नाही दुजे ॥धृ॥
गति तेचि मुखी नामाचे स्मरण । अधोगति जाण विन्मुख ते ॥२॥
संतांचा संग तोचि स्वर्गवास । नर्क तो उदास अनर्गळा ॥३॥
Merit consists in doing good to others, sin in doing harm to others. There is no other pair comparable to this. Truth is the only religion (or freedom); untruth is bondage, there is no secret like this.God's name on one's lips is itself salvation, disregard (of the name)know to be perdition. Companionship of the good is the only heaven,studious indifference is hell. Tuka says: It is thus clear what is good and what is injurious, let people choose what they will.
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१५.
शेवटची विनवणी । संतजनी परिसावी ॥१॥
विसर तो न पडावा । माझा देवा तुम्हासी ॥धृ॥
पुढे फार बोलो काई । अवघे पायी विदित ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे पडिलो पाया । करा छाया कृपेची ॥३॥
This is my last prayer, O saintly people listen to it: O God, do not forget me; now what more need I say, Your holy feet know everything. Tuka says: I prostrate myself before Your feet, let the shadow of Your grace descend upon me.
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१६.
हे चि दान देगा देवा । तुझा विसर न व्हावा ॥१॥
गुण गायीन आवडी । हे चि माझी सर्व जोडी ॥धृ॥
न लगे मुक्ति आणि संपदा । संतसंग देई सदा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे गर्भवासी । सुखे घालावे आम्हासी ॥३॥
O God, grant only this boon. I may never forget Thee; and I shall prize it dearly. I desire neither salvation nor riches nor prosperity; give me always company of the good. Tuka says: On that condition Thou mayest send me to the earth again and again.
28-10-1930.
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