II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

राम म्हणे वाट चाली I
यज्ञ पाउला पाउली II
धन्य धन्य ते शरीर I
तीर्थाव्रतांचे माहेर II
राम म्हणे करिता धंदा I
सुख समाधि त्या सदा II
राम म्हणे ग्रासोग्रासी I
तोचि जेविला उपवासी II
राम म्हणे भोगी त्यागी I
कर्म न लिंपे त्या आंगी II
ऐसा राम जपे नित्य I
तुका म्हणे तो जीवन्मुक्त II

In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram. He says, One must understand, comprehend and realise the Holy Ram Nam. When One begins to hear the sound of this internal recital of Holy Ram Nam and starts enjoying it, the path of immortality begins to unfold slowly. Every footstep immersed in Holy Ram Nam is just like offering the little Self to the Supreme Self.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the Holy Ram Nam is the fountainhead of Heaven's Light. While walking or sitting, waking or asleep, One who is attuned with the Holy Ram Nam remains in Eternal Bliss and thus crosses over the sea of life. He becomes the pilgrimage himself. His meditation of the Name Worship grants him the merits of all devotional exercises and disciplines.
One who meditates the Holy Ram Nam day and night and drinks it's ambrosia gets benefit of all virtuous deeds and yogic exercises. A whole hearted devotion to the Supreme Lord Shri Ram saves One from all pangs and sorrows.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One who recites Holy Ram Nam while having food should be treated as One as starving despite having savoured his food hungrily.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that if One recites Holy Ram Nam after every action, trivial it may be, then every aspect of it, positive or negative, gets absorbed in Holy Ram Nam and the unending accumulation of Karma is halted.
To attain a blessed state of जीवन्मुक्त , the Living Liberated, One must recover his Divine identity as Pure Consciousness through incessant recital of Holy Ram Nam. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

ILश्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

रामभजन सब सार मिठाई I
हरि संताप जनमदुख राई II
दूतभात घृत सकरपारे I
हरते भूक नहि अंत तारे II
खावते जुग सब चलि जावे I
खटामिठा फिर पचतावे II
कहे तुका रामरस जो पिवे I
बहुरी फेरा वो कबहु न खावे II

It is said that,
" The Holy Ram Nam, a Word of God, is ever sweet. It is the True Knowledge and True Meditation. Rare is the soul that may taste it's Divine sweetness. "
In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj sings glory of the Holy Ram Nam. He says,
A true pilgrimage for the soul is the Holy Ram Nam which is replete with Wisdom of Supreme Self. The scintillating Wisdom shades lustre within, dispelling all darkness born of ignorance.
The ambrosia of Holy Ram Nam is supremely sweet. One drinks of it by the Will of the Supreme Lord Shri Ram. It is the elixir of life and is panacea for all the ills of the world.
The Holy Ram Nam, the Word of God, is pure ambrosia, a draught of it quenches all thirst.
The treasure of His Name is the Water of Life, Amrit. It has an ambrosial effect. It lulls both the body and mind to a quiet repose.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says, give the body it's due, neither pampering nor abusing nor torturing it and then forget the body. As the inner consciousness becomes spiritualized through the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram, the material demands of the body gradually diminish, spontaneously.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj urges to become attuned to the Higher taste of the Holy Ram Nam, else there is all likelihood of getting affected by the sense gratification that will slow down One's Spiritual Unfoldment. A rare soul who drinks the cup of Divine Vintage remains untouched by unending cycles of deaths and rebirths."

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

लये लये लखोटा I
मूळबंदी कासोटा I
भावा केले साहे I
आता माझे पाहे II
हातोहाती गुंतली I
जीवपणा मुकली I
धीर माझा निका I
सांडी बोल फिका II
अंगिकारी हरि I
नको पड़ो फेरी I
लाज धरी भांडे I
जग झोडी रांडे II
बैस भावापाठी I
ऐक माझी गोष्टी I
केला सांडी गोहो I
धरी येथे मोहो II
पाठमोरा डोल I
आवरी ते बोल I
पांगलीस बाळा I
पुढे अवकाळा II
आता अभी ठायीं I
उभाउभी पाही I
नको होऊ डुकरी I
पुढे गाढव कुतरी II
नाम केले खरे I
आपुले म्यां बरे I
तुका म्हणे येरी I
पांगविल्या पोरी II

" It is said that in the state of Samadhi, it is not a condition of inertia, forgetfulness or annihilation. It is Absolute Consciousness which baffles all attempts of description. It is the final goal of all. The gateway of Liberation. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj has illustrated it as a dialogue between One who is enjoying the Supreme Bliss Of Samadhi, a Transcended Soul, with her friend, who is in firm grip of worldly attachments. She says, through Yoga practice of Mul bandha (मूळ बंध)
she has attained Oneness with Supreme Consciousness by immersing in incessant Name  Worship of Supreme Lord Shr Ram, thus taming down the whirlpool of thought waves (वृत्ति) emanating from the mind ocean. She compares her Becoming One with sealing of an envelope by Lacquer which is fullproof and thorough.
मूळ बंध associates with मूलाधार चक्र , the lowest of the energy centres along the spine.  मूळ बंध is a practice of yoga for stabilizIng and calming the mind. It enhances the energy of concentration. Just like a Lacquer being highly inflammable consumes everything in its wake, the Holy Ram Nam consumes material consciousness. She says, her Self Becoming One with Supreme Self has transcended her from embodied soul to the state of Liberation, beyond the realm of endless cycles of deaths and rebirths. She earnestly urges her friend that considering the ephemeral nature of worldly existence, One needs to proceed consciously to rise above the worldly glitter and strive for the Higher State of Liberation. She suggests her friend to renounce her marriage with her body centric thinking while insists her to yearn for the Eternal Indweller residing within. A conscious effort of arresting the outward tendencies of mind will allow the mind to look inward, towards the Illuminated Self. She cautions her friend to beware of body consciousness which will writhe havoc if thought waves of mind are not controlled consciously. Unless desperate and deliberate efforts for Liberation are not done, the gruelling repetition of births will ensue forever. The human birth is rarest of rare opportunity to attain Self Realisation. However if it's paramount importance is not realised at the right time then all goes in vain, because in any other birth but human, there is no way out.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
We are what we are looking for. It is all within, " here " and " now ". To know that Reality, no outside help or knowledge is needed. Everything converges and emanates from the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram, the Secondless and Eternal Truth. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

झेला रे झेला I
वरचेवरी झेला I
हातीचे गमावी तो पाठीसी खाय टोला II
त्रिगुणांचा चेंडू हातें झुगारी निराळा I
वरिलिया मुखे मन लावी तेथे डोळा II
आगळा होउनि धरि वरचिया वरी I
चपळ तो जिंके गांड्या ठके येरझारी II
हाती सापडले उभे बैसों नेदी कोणी I
सोरिमागे सोरी घेती ओणवे करनी II
डाई पडलिया सोसि दुःखाचे डोंगर I
पाठीवरी भार भोंवताही उभा फेर II
तुका म्हणे सुख पाहे तयाचें आगळे I
जिंकितो हरिसी कोणी एका तरी काळे II

" It is said that three primary qualities (त्रिगुण)  create the essential aspect of all nature.These three inclinations of mind as Sattva, Raja and Tama are always present in all beings. We, humans, have the unique ability to consciously alter the levels of these three inclinations in our bodies and minds. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj elucidates the paramount importance of this human body as a conduit on the journey of Self Realisation. He says,
Just like a ship with holes is bound to sink so is the body with holes of impure senses is bound to doom. Meditating the Holy Ram Nam is the only way to plug these holes, else there is no way to rid of the unending cycles of deaths and rebirths.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj envisages the journey of Self Realisation as a ball game and our human body laden of three basic inclinations as a ball in itself. He says that One must make a conscious effort to catch it without letting it fall to the ground. Falling to the ground in a way speaks about body getting entangled with worldly attachments. However if the ball is caught in air, then it is nothing but using the human body as a vehicle to Self Realisation through the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram. This ball game is all about how we handle this human body to transcend from body consciousness to Supreme Consciousness.
This rarest of rare human birth is a unique opportunity to become One with the Supreme Self. Only the  courage of conviction will open the door of liberation for the seeker who makes a conscious effort to know the Self as separate from the bodily cloak. On the other hand if the ball is allowed to fall down then the body in its earthly essence of five basic elements will forever remain in the bondage of three Karmas, Sanchit (accumulated deeds), Prarabdha (fructifying deeds) and  Kriyaman (current deeds)  which will not allow it to rest and the ball game will continue forever with unending innings of deaths and rebirths.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says so long as we take refuge in the worldly mind, we suffer. The moment One transcends the erroneous ideas created by egotism, he knows that his Supreme Self is eternally free of any kind of pleasures or sufferings. Only when the Self is rediscovered, there is Liberation to the Abode of Supreme Bliss. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

फळ देठीहुन झड़े I
मग मागुते न जोड़े II
म्हणऊनि तातड़ी खोटी I
कारण उचिताचि पोटी II
पुढे चढ़े हात I
त्याग मागिला उचित II
तुका म्हणे रणी I
नये पाहो परतोनि II

It is said that " Freedom is not in the darkness, nor in the vagueness. There is no bondage so fearful as that of anonymity. It is to escape of this anonymity that the seed struggles to sprout, the bud to blossom. In the same way our soul, in order to release itself from the mist of indistinctness and come out in the open, to seek freedom, wants to see itself, to realise itself. "
Those who have fully realised the soul are not like the weakling flower whose stemhold is so light that it drops away before attaining fruition. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj illustrates the journey of Self Realisation with a beautiful analogy of ripening of a fruit. He says,
When the fruit is not ripe, it takes a considerable effort to pluck it out of its stemhold. Similarly a seeker who has not attained Self Realisation is so much attached to his bodily existence that to raise him beyond his body consciousness seems to be a gargantuan task. However as the path of Self Realisation unfolds slowly, his worldly attachments too loosen their grip so that in the end he becomes free from their deathly clutches and attains Self Realisation. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that this state of Self Realisation is just like the ripe fruit on the tree, when it falls to the ground in its natural course, it cannot be re-attached to the branch ever again.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the seeker on his journey of Self Realisation is just like a warrior on the warfront. The field of battle is the human body with its physical, mental and Soul faculties. On this battlefield, a war is raged between the soldiers of the Soul's pure tendencies and the uncontrolled activities of the corrupt wisdom-blind mind.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj urges us to have impartial introspection and analysis of mind, to be victorious on this journey of Self Realisation, a war of nerves. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

चाले हे शरीर कोणाचिये सत्ते I
कोण बोलविते हरिविण II
देखवी ऐकवि एक नारायण I
तयाचें भजन चूको नको II
मानसाची देव चालवी अहंता I
मीचि एक कर्ता म्हणो नये II
वृक्षाचेही पान हाले त्याची सत्ता I
राहिली अहंता मग कोठे II
तुका म्हणे विठो भरला सबाह्य I
उणे काय आहे चराचरीं II

It is said that
" God alone is the Doer. If a man has the firm conviction that God alone is the Doer and he is His instrument, then he cannot do anything sinful. He who has learnt to dance correctly never makes a false step. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj has elucidated this thought. He says,
If you observe your life carefully and contemplate over it, you will find that everything is in the hand of Cosmic Choreographer, the Supreme Lord Vitthal. One needs to realise this Truth and hence surrender into His huge game.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that you have no control of your growth. You can't stop your childhood turning into teenage, a teenage into youth and a youth into old age. They will all happen without your control. And one day nobody will ask you - Would you like to die ? One day your eyes will close forever. You will go into the deepest of all sleeps, the death.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that we are all puppets in the hands of the Cosmic Strings, the Divine Lord Vitthal. So let us surrender ourselves to His Will. No matter who we are, where we are, what we are doing, let us do it in non attached manner. Only one thing is necessary - A firm faith in the Cosmic Play of the Supreme Lord Vitthal. Let the existence do what it wants. Just be in the flow. The best actions are those which are done without feeling of a doer. As pride causes One's downfall, One who becomes bloated with ego will eventually fritter away his life in pursuits that will only distance him from the Eternal Truth forever. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

जतन करा रे जतन करा I
घालू पाहे घरावरी घाला चोरटे II
अवघेचि निजो नका अवधिये ठायीं I
वेळ अवेळ तरी सांभाळावी काही II
सिंतरिली फार खाती भोंवताले फेरे I
गेले नये हाता सेकी तळमळ उरे II
तुका म्हणे आम्ही करू आपले जतन I
न लगे काही कोणा द्यावे उघड़ा रे कान II

" It is said that this life on earth is a halting place on the journey to Self Realisation. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj urges earnestly to remember that you come alone in this world and will pass away alone from this world. None will help except what you do here in this life. Your deeds will chase you out and follow you just like calves follow their mothers even in the midst of a big herd.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that life is short and there are many obstacles to get over. Hence waste no precious time but utilise every moment of this rarest of rare human birth for noblest of causes, the Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

आपणा लागे काम वाण्याघरी गुळ I
त्याचे याती कुळ काय कीजे II
उकरड्यावरी वाढली तूळसी I
टाकावी ते कैसी ठायागुणे II
गाईचा जो भक्ष अमंगळ खाय I
तिचे दूध काय सेवूं नये II
तुका म्हणे काय सलपटासी काज I
फणसांतील बीज काढूनि घ्यावे II

It is said that
" The mortal is emancipated only when all his faults are eradicated. "
In this composition Sant Tukaram urges us to share in virtue of others, not their faults or shortcomings. He says we are not here to deal with faults and weaknesses, because such negative thinking does no good to anybody. One needs to shun such negative conduct and mental habit patterns. This rarest of rare human birth is a wonderful opportunity to deal with only virtues or goodness, for only they are conducive to the Divine and Spiritual life. Self Realisation Is seeing One God in all things and knowing all beings as extension of One's own Self. In a way seeing God is seeing only the merits in everyone and everything around us. He says, an infant's mind is unconditioned, for it is not influenced by world. Just like an infant, One needs to keep the heart empty of negativity and defilement.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One needs to cultivate the ability to stand aside and observe to introspect without any prejudice so that then only he can discern the truth behind the merits of a person or a thing.
Illustrating with beautiful analogies, Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
The sweetness of jaggery (गुळ ) has nothing to do with who sells it.
The Basil Leaf (तुळस) grows wild anywhere, but it's great medicinal significance is not altered by it.
Cow's milk does not become unacceptable only because it consumes unhygienic food.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One needs to make a conscious effort to inculcate from within a habit of seeing the merits in everything and deliberately ignore the shortcomings, for this positive outlook is a step closer to Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

कौले भरियेली पेठ I
निग्रहाचे खोटे तंट II
ऐसे माता जाणे वर्म I
बाळा वाढविता धर्म II
कमाविता लोहो कसे I
तातडीने काम नासे II
तुका म्हणे खड़े I
देतां अक्षर ते जोड़े II

" In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj condemns the actions performed in mental stubborn mindedness, being very detrimental on the journey of Self Realisation. For the times of the age we live in, the Kali Yuga, the incessant recital of Holy Ram Nam is the sure way to purify the mind's negativity. It brings calm and bliss to the mind and senses. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One must choose the the form of worship by his temperament rather than by imitating the Enlightened Beings. As the Lord dwells within, it is the internal worship or intuitive devotion which is the most sublime, for it purifies the mind by destroying all ignorance completely.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that only disciplined effort and constant determination can help a spiritual aspirant to reap the rewards of Divine Grace which alone can confer the ultimate goal of Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

हालवुनि खूंट I
आधी करावा बळकट II
मग तयाच्या आधारे I
करणे ते अवघे बरे II
सुख दुःख साहे I
हर्षामर्षि भंगा नये II
तुका म्हणे जीवे I
आधी मरोनी राहावे II

" In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
Since we, the Jeeva (जीव) the individual beings, live in duality, there are two minds at work. The external mind is connected to Maya, the illusion and the internal mind connected to its root, the Supreme Self. These are the two divisions of the same and One and only One Supreme Consciousness. Although both ocean and it's waves are made of the same One water, One is called the Ocean and the other is called Wave. In the similar way we the Jeeva, are nothing but the waves in the Ocean of the Infinite Divine Consciousness. Only when the external mind does not listen to its inner voice, it behaves as a separate entity. The external mind is our Conditioned Consciousness born of the confluence of body, mind and intellect with all its worldly expressions. Sant Tukaram says that this rarest of rare human birth is the opportunity for us to make a conscious effort to merge the wandering external mind into its root which is Changeless, Invisible, Undying and Pure, the Impartial Witness within.
Repeated travelling of a cart makes grooves in a dirt road. If both wheels of the cart remain in those grooves, then the bulls and the cart don't go hither and thither. Similarly  remaining immersed in the incessant recital of Holy Ram Nam, the bull of the mind does not waver and race after Maya, the illusion.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the mind can only be reconciled by mind. The mind wanders because it is abandoned,deserted or deprived itself of the Divine Wisdom, and it will keep wandering until it gets dissolved in the Divine Wisdom like salt gets dissolved and becomes One with water. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

काय धोविले कातड़े I
कालकूट भीतरी कूड़े II
उगा राहे लोकभांडा I
चाळविल्या पोरे रांडा II
घेसी बुंथी पानवथां I
उगाच हालविसी माथा II
लावूनी बैसे टाळी I
मन इंद्रियें मोकेळी II
हालवित बैसे माळा I
विषयजप वेळोवेळा II
तुका म्हणे हा व्यापार I
नाम विठोबाचे सार II

It is said that ,
" If by immersion in water, salvation can be attained, the frogs who bathe continually would attain it surely. As the frogs, so are the mortals who fall into the womb again and again. "
When the mind is filthy, everything is filthy. By washing the body, the mind is not cleansed. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj exposes the folly of emphasis of external cleanliness as a religious ritual. He says,
For most of us the bodily cleansing tends to be misconstrued as necessary and sufficient, thus presenting a slippery slope descending us down to a point where the need for cleansing from within seems to be entirely irrelevant. Such trickery of the deluded and ego centric mind is detrimental on the journey of Self Realisation. So long the mind is in the grip of doubt, worry and scepticism which are born out of our body centric thinking, it is rendered filthy.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj cautions One of the people who take a Divine to be a play thing, who hold rosary in their hands and wear religious robes. He says that all these external body garbs, symbols and other paraphernilia are nothing but a pompous show thus elevating the false ego sense. Such an imposter, being a hypocrite to the core, creates a facade of being in deep meditation. No matter how much he pretends, the Lord knows everything and is aware of the innermost secrets so as not to fall for his tricks.
Only the incessant Name Worship of the Supreme Lord  Vitthal helps One to  merge his body consciousness into Infinite Consciousness slowly but steadily, thereby cleansing the filth of mind by the Love of Divine Name. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

झाला प्रेतरूप शरीराचा भाव I
लक्षियेला ठाव स्मशानिंचा II
रडती रात्रदिवस कामक्रोध माय I
म्हणती हाय हाय यमधर्म II
वैराग्याच्या शेणी लागल्या शरीरा I
ज्ञानाग्नि लागला ब्रह्मत्वेसी II
फिरविला घट फोडिला चरणी I
महावाक्य ध्वनी बोंब झाली II
दिली तिलांजुळी कुळनामरूपासी I
शरीर ज्याचे त्यासी समर्पिले II
तुका म्हणे रक्षा झाली आपीआप I
उजळीला दीप गुरूकृपा II

" Grace is the unmerited favor of the God, which is freely bestowed on the devout seeker through the redemptive will of the God for the purpose of saving the embodied soul from the repeated births. The Divine Grace is man's enduring wealth of Self Realisation which is not to be found outside, for its ever present deep in the core of man's own heart. It can only be merited by becoming One with the Supreme Consciousness. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj has illustrated it with a beautiful analogy of funeral rites. He says,
In crematorium, when the body burns, the destruction of falsehood leads to total loss of duality. When duality is lost, there is Oneness. When there is Oneness, there is the linking with the root within. In other words, the full vision of Divine Grace within is revealed. The analogy of crematorium thus correlates with the Divine link to Supreme Self. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the grieving relatives of the deceased are nothing but the attachments of the Self to body consciousness lamenting their separation. The cow dung cakes of detachment cremate the ego laden body of the deceased by the fire of Supreme Wisdom, to transcend the Spirit to its Supreme Abode of Eternity.
As soon as the Spirit becomes free of its bodily apparel, the Spirit once again gets attuned to the Supreme Self. Thus the Creation goes from subtle to gross or from psychic to physical and then again back. The body made of Earth, Fire, Air, Water and Ether merges back into them thus leaving behind everything attached to the bodily recognition of the world.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that cremation is but a momentary halt in the unending cycle of deaths and rebirths, where the Spirit is free from bodily shackles and enjoys it's Oneness with the Divine Eternal. The sun of Grace of God is always present in its full effulgence. Once the phantom of ignorance is removed, the Grace of the Divine shines forth within. The Grace, Spirit, God are all synonymous with the Supreme Self, the ever Eternal and Immanent. Only sincere and unconditional surrender of falsehood will make One intuitively understand the Divine Grace, which will ultimately lead to the Self Realisation."

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

किती या काळाचा सोसावा वोळसा I
लागला सरिसा पाठोपाठी II
लक्ष चौऱ्याशीची करा सोडवण I
रिघा या शरण पांडुरंगा II
उपजल्या पिंडा मरण सांगाते I
मरते उपजते सवेचि ते II
तुका म्हणे माळ गुंतली राहाटी I
गाड़ग्याची सुटी फुटलिया II

" Man's life span dwindles with each passing moment and breath. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj urges not to waste this rarest of rare human birth in frivolous pursuits. The true purpose of this rare human birth is to attain the absolute cessation of the vicious cycle of repeated sufferings. Our True Nature is of Pure Consciousness and we forget this reality by ignorance. This ignorance compels us to identify ourselves with the body and not with the Spirit, which is the reason for human bondage leading to wheel of suffering. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that if we desire to set ourselves free from the painful rotation of rebirths and consequent sufferings, we must realise our True Self while living this life. We must attain Self Realisation while living in this body. This is nothing but the Supreme State of "Living Liberated". If we cannot experience this state of Freedom while living, we will not experience it after death. This is the Eternal Truth and all enveloping reality.
Illustrating this with beautiful analogy Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
Our earthly life is just like a rotating wheel used to draw water from the well. Our lives are nothing but the buckets placed over the wheel. Repetitive emptying and refilling the buckets is synonymous with the unending cycle of our deaths and rebirths. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that only if the bucket cracks, it becomes useless and gets detached from the wheel. Just like a cracked bucket, when One attains Self Realisation, the cloak of ignorance is unveiled and the Eternal Truth is realised. The only thing that can competely cut the roots of ignorance is the sword of Divine Knowledge which shines with glory through the incessant recital of Holy Ram Nam. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

दह्याचिये अंगी निघे ताक लोणी I
एका मोले दोन्ही मागो नये II
आकाशाच्या पोटी चंद्रतारांगणे I
दोहींशी समान पाहो नये II
पृथ्वीच्या पोटी हिरा गारगोटी I
दोहोंसी संसाटी करू नये II
तुका म्हणे तैसे संत आणि  जन I
दोहोंसी समान भजूं नये II

" Among all the living species, the human form is most fit to seek the  nature of Absolute Trurh, the Essence of Divinity. Self Realisation is the opposite of ignorance. It is to get rid of the ignorance that One is different from the Divine Essence.In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One must not gauge a Self Realised Soul by the parameters of Mundane life. He says that the Self Realised Soul is like the water drops which do not adhere to the Lotus leaf. His mind becomes open to everything, but remains ever detached from everything. This is so different from the perception of an ordinary being shrouded in the veil of false ego which firmly holding the idea of  "I am the body " from deep within. It is most incongruous to draw parallels between a Self Realised Soul and an ordinary being.
Illustrating with beautiful analogies Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
Both butter as well as butter milk are derived from the curd. But their worth itself makes the distinction between them. Similarly a Self Realised Soul who churns the butter of Realisation within, finds himself impervious, inwardly and outwardly, to all attachments to sense objects even when he lives amidst them.
Moon as well as lovely stars blossom in the infinite meadows of sky. But moon is moon and stars are stars. So is the Self Realised Soul different from an ordinary being.
A  diamond starts out of a coal. So are two beings born on earth. Just like a diamond whose cut and slice  makes it shine extravagantly, the Self Realised Soul through persistent conscious effort attains the Supreme Bliss of Non duality and glows forever in the essence of Supreme Self.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the Luminance of Self Realised Soul makes him unparalleled on the canvas of worldly life. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

यज्ञ भूतांचा पाळणा I
भेद कार्य कारणा I
पावावया उपासना I
ब्रम्हस्थानी प्रस्थान II
एक परि पडिलें भागी I
फळ बीजाचिये अंगी I
धन्य तोचि जगी I
आदि अंत सांभाळी II
आवश्यक तो शेवट I
येर अवघी खटपट I
चालो जाणे वाट I
ऐसा विरळा एखादा II
तुका होवोनि निराळा I
क्षरअक्षर वेगळा I
पाहे निगमकळा I
बोले विट्ठलप्रसादे II

" The purpose of religious rituals is most of the time to subdue the sense of fear lurking in the deluded mind, and to praise God for securing fulfilment of deep rooted conscious cravings as well as liberation. The ritualistic worship being an impermanent thing cannot be the source of everlasting happiness or bliss. Due to material illusion we are unable to understand the Truth, and thereby end up wasting life in exchange for worthless rituals. Inflicted with this chronic disease born of false ego, we make a big show of things like religious fasts and vows, pilgrimage. But the meek One seeks the solace only deep within. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj reminds us that the Wisdom of Self comes only from attuning to the Supreme Truth within, all else is a passing show of Maya, the worldly illusion.
He says, there is the heart, and within the heart, there is a little house. This house has a shape of a Lotus, and within it dwells that which is sought after, inquired about and realised. Though old age comes to the body, the Lotus of the heart does not grow old. At the death of the body, it does not die. The Lotus of the heart  where the Supreme Divine resides in all His glory, that and not the body, is the true seat of the Divine Bliss. The Self Realised Soul transcended beyond the realm of duality lives amidst this world of pluralities, yet he remains unaffected by it. His mind remains intuitively absorbed in his source within. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

मुळी नेणपण I
झाला तरी अभिमान II
वायां जावे हेचि खरे I
केले तेणेचि प्रकारे II
आराणूक नाही कधी।I
झाली तरी भेदबुद्धि II
अंतरली नाव I
तुका म्हणे न लगे ठाव II

" All human sufferings spring from false ego sense. It is nothing but accepting this gross body as Oneself. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the Body Consciousness or "I am the body" idea is erroneous. This error arises out of attachment to the gross body which is indicative of the false ego sense. Due to the material conditionings, the Consciousness mistakenly attaches itself to the body. Hence Sant Tukaram Maharaj insists to understand the difference between One's external body which is bound to perish as time goes by and One's Soul which is Formless and immortal.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that there is only One Reality everywhere. It's only the concoction of the conditioned or deluded mind that sees the body as separate entity and identifies the Self mistakenly with the gross body. Unless the duality of the conditioned mind is not eradicated, it cannot experience or realise the Non Dual Truth, which is the Abode of Supreme Bliss."

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

दूध दही ताक पशुचे पाळण I
त्यामध्ये कारण धृतसार II
हेचि धर्म आम्हां भाविकांचे हाती I
म्हणऊनि चित्ति धरिला राम II
लोह कफ गारा अग्निचिया काजे I
येऱ्हविं ते ओझे कोण वाहे II
तुका म्हणे खोरी पाहारा जतन I
जोंवरी हे धन हाती लागे II

" Life itself is not the goal. It is nothing but journey of realising the True nature of Self that pervades everything and everywhere equally. A 'rare' few pursue life as a great spiritual adventure, a journey within, consciously. A tree is hidden in seed. But in itself the seed is not enough. One needs to put efforts for the seed to sprout and become a tree. Similarly the seed of Supreme Self must be consciously nurtured to bloom into the all enveloping tree of Self Realisation. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj urges us to understand and appreciate the ephemeral nature of worldly existence and then proceed consciously to strive for Eternal Supreme Bliss. He says One must make a conscious effort to make most of this rarest of rare human birth, as it is the unique opportunity to our appointment with the Lord Supreme.
Illustrating with beautiful analogies he says,
The livestock is raised to produce milk. The Ghee or clarified butter is formed from it  like an essence of it. Similarly the ultimate goal of this rarest of rare Human Birth is to strive for seeking  the Divine Love of the Supreme Lord Shri Ram, the Essence of Supreme Self.
In another analogy Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that when a flirt stone is scraped on a little piece of iron, the friction creates a spark. A tiny spark is enough to flare using a tinder. Just like a Flint stone, a piece of iron and a tinder are only the means of striking a fire which is the ultimate objective, the rarest of rare Human Birth must be used as means to follow what is ultimately good for One's Spiritual Evolution.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that just passing through life and learning are two different things. True wisdom cannot be gained by just passing through life, but by looking at experiences. If we can understand the mistakes we are repeating since time immemorial, may be then we can learn from them. For the learning makes One Wise ! "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

तापल्यावाचून नव्हे अलंकार I
पिटूनिया सार उरलें ते II
मग कदा काळी नव्हे शुद्ध जाती I
नासे शत्रु होती मित्र तेचि II
कळी बरे भोगू द्यावे भोगा I
फासिले ते रोगा हाती सुटे II
तुका म्हणे मन करावे पाठेळ I
साहावेचि जाळ सिजेवरी II

" The material nature of world is crooked like a dog's tail, it's nature is to curl. Especially if One is pursuing the path of truth on his journey of Self Realisation, there will be plenty of insults and dishonour from others. Devotee Prahlad tolerated the insults and pain inflicted on him by his father and continued his progress with conviction and determination in spite of many hurdles. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the seeker of Supreme Self must inculcate the noble virtue of tolerance from deep within to maintain equipoise in all circumstances. The noble virtue of tolerance also translates as forgiveness. Forgiveness is a reflection of God's eternal calm, the everlasting patience, peace, mercy, forbearance, gentleness and compassion, which are very essential for contemplation and meditation. A person devoid of forgiveness is not attuned with his Godly nature.
Divine virtues and falsehood cannot coexist. Just like gold ore in its natural state must be heated to remove of its impurities, the realisation of the false beliefs clinging to our conditioned mind enables us to drop them away consciously. The root cause of evil passions thus melts away and the spiritual life dawns as there will be no anxieties or material conditionings.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the journey of Self Realisation unfolds only when One learns to be tolerant with evenmindedness amidst happiness and distress. The virtues of tolerance and forgiveness are worth pursuing, because it is the mirror of Timeless Reality. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

एक तटस्थ मानसी I
एक सहजची आळसी II
दोन्ही दिसती सारिखी I
वर्म जाणे तो पारखी II
एक ध्यानी करिती जप I
एक बैसुनि घेती झोंप II
एक सर्वस्वाचा त्याग I
एक पोटासाठी जोग II
एका भक्ति पोटासाठी I
एका देवासवे गाठी II
वर्म पोटी एका I
फळे दोन म्हणे तुका II

It is said that,
" According to the seed that's sown, One shall reap the fruit there from. Doer of good will gather good and doer of evil will reap evil. What goes around, comes around. "
This expression is nothing but immutable law of Karma, by which whatever One does always comes back to him. We reap what we sow. What we consistently cultivate in our mind determines our character formation and ultimately our destiny. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj has elucidated this thought with beautiful analogy. He says,
Two persons are sitting on a bench. Both are standstill, but for different reasons. One is immersed in the Name Worship of Divine Lord while the other is languishing in utter lethargy. Though their outer veneer gives no clue of their stock stillness, the Wise can easily discern the truth.
In another analogy he says,
One involved in the reasonless devotion of the Supreme Lord stands out distinctly from the One who assumes a facade of devotion for the sole purpose of bluffing.
Summng up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that
It's futile to close the eyes and sit stork-like with folded wings, so is to take dips in the seas of the world, gaining nothing here and hereafter. And also while reveling in sense pleasures, waste time in useless disputations.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says, they alone get to the Divine Lord who know how to love. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

चिंतिले ते मनीचे जाणे I
पुरवी खुणे अंतरींचे II
रात्री न कळे दिवस न कळे I
अंगी खेळे दैवत हे II
नवसियाचे पुरवी नवस I
भोगी त्यास भिन्न नाही II
तुका म्हणे समचि देणे I
समचरणी उभा असे II

It is said that
" Oneness exists, whether you are aware of it or not, it exists. If you are conscious, you have the joy; if you are not conscious, you miss the joy.
In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about Oneness with Supreme Consciousness. He says,
You must go deep, deep within, and find the eternal essence of being, to know the Supreme Reality in yourself. And once you have found it, you will realise that it is one single entity, the same in all others, and so where is your separate personality? Nothing is left any longer. But there is nothing separate or independent. There is only One Substance, One Force, One Consciousness, One Will, which moves in countless ways of being.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that when One awakens in the Self, he experiences Pure Consciousness that is non dual. It is. It knows. There is no subject or object, but only Oneness. The Pure Consciousness of the Awakened Self is the light of Oneness. That which is real is much more powerful than life's illusions. All we need is the taste, all we need is a simple moment of connection, a moment of being with the breath, who we are. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

अवघाची आकार ग्रासियेला काळे I
एक ते निराळे हरिचे नाम II
धरुनि राहिलो अविनाश कंठी I
जीवन हे पोटी साठविले II
शरीरसंपत्ति मृगजळभान I
जाईल नासोन खरे नव्हे II
तुका म्हणे आता उपाधिच्या नावे I
आणियेला देवे वीट मज II

In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the glory of the Holy Ram Nam. He says,
In the beginning was the Ram Nam and it was with God and it was God. It was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him is the life and life is the light of man and the light of Wisdom shines in the darkness of ignorance so that the illusion of " I am the body " crumbles forever.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that he in whom the Holy Ram Nam becomes personified is the Self Realised Soul for whom it can be said that the Holy Ram Nam was made flesh and dwelt among us. On the other hand, One who has not been able during his lifetime to establish love for the Divine Name, at the time of death quits the body like a defeated gambler who leaves gambling den with empty hands.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the Holy Ram Nam assures salvation to all, whether good or bad, learned or unlettered. As sun and fire gives warmth and light to all, so is the Holy Ram Nam, which cannot fail to produce its effect regardless of the condition in which it is recited. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

अनुहात ध्वनि वाहे सकळां पिंडी I
राम नाही तोंडी कैसा तरे II
सकळां जीवांमाजी देव आहे खरा I
देखिल्या दूसरा विण न तरे II
ज्ञान सकळांमाजी आहे हे साच I
भक्तिविण तेच ब्रम्ह नव्हे II
काय मुद्रा कळल्या कराव्या सांगतां I
दीप न लागतां उन्मनीचा II
तुका म्हणे नका पिंडाचे पाळण I
स्वापू नारायण आतुडेना II

" सोहं " is breathing process, so it is the basis of our life. The sound which springs from the confluence of our inhalation and exhalation in each and every breath reminds us of the non duality of the Supreme Consciousness, " We are not different from God ". Thus, the non dual awareness of " I am the Universal Self " is intricately connected with our breathing. Every human performs the "सोहं" in each cycle of breathing. One who does not realise this is a blind man because he lives in the darkness of worldly illusions and he will remain forever in the grip of unending cycles of death and rebirths.
In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the paramount importance of worship of God in Forum "सगुण ". He says, except for the Self Realised Soul, it is difficult or almost impossible for our intellect to grasp and understand the Eternal, all conscious and Omnipresent Divine energy expressing through        "सोहं" sound. It is much easier for us to have a Divine Incarnation as a figurehead, towards whom we are able to direct our feelings. In सगुण or Form aspect, God appears in a human form making it easier for us to come closer. Incomprehensible Supreme Divine is present everywhere and meditation on sound of Holy Ram Nam is the way to realise him.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says, the Eternal Divine cannot be found in Scriptures or in the temples. Penance, Pilgrimage, breath control takes One nowhere near Him. One can seek Him only in the Holy Ram Nam.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that a man, who in his ignorance has lost touch with his own Self can, by incessant recital of Holy Ram Nam, able to blow of or destroy his separate, illusory and perishable identity and get absorbed in the Eternal Supreme Consciousness. Such an experience is alone the direct revelation of the Self after which One abides in One's own True Self. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

विश्वव्यापी माया I
तिने झाकुळीले छाया II
सत्व गेले भोळयावरी I
अविद्येची चाली थोरी II
आपुलेचि मन I
करी आपणा बंधन II
तुका म्हणे देवा I
तुम्ही कोड़ी ही उगवा II

The word " Maya " literally means " that which is not ". It is the imagination of conditioned mind which never ends. It continually baffles humanity, and poses the greatest roadblock in the journey of Self Realisation by making mirrage like attractions of the material world which appear very real. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
Just as the film is projected on the screen, the world ensues forth from the Supreme Consciousness and appears as if it is real. It is very much like a dream of the Divine Consciousness, which lasts as long as it is projected, and disappears when it is withdrawn. Thus, the world in which we live is a mere illusion and untrue. Beings do not know it, and take it for real. However when the truth dawns on them, they transcend the unreal and become conscious of the look within. He says that a million desires engulf the mind. How can One make a room for the Divine Presence unless he vacates His domain ?
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says, the very nature of Supreme Self is pure Joy. This is never perceived because the mind is completely externalised. As long as the mind is restlessly wandering, ever fluctuating, excited, agitated and uncontrolled, this true joy cannot be realised and enjoyed. He says, may the Divine, the Supreme Indweller inspire all to attempt mind control and bestow success to them to free their mind from the crocodile grip of desires. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

गोडपणे जैसा गुळ I
तैसा देव झाला सकळ II
आता भजूं कोणे परी I
देव सबाह्य अंतरी II
उदका वेगळा I
नव्हे तरंग निराळा II
हेम अलंकार नामी I
तुका म्हणे तैसे आम्ही II

It is said that
" You must look most intimately and discover for yourself; then it is your own, not somebody else's, not something that you have been told, because there is no teacher and no follower. "
In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the Supreme Reality, the Homogeneous Oneness. He says,
The Eternal Essence expressing through matter is the manifested entity in each one of us. The Eternal Consciousness is the Self in all individual beings. All beings are in this Self, and the Self is in all beings. All forms emerge out of this Consciousness, sustain by it, and ultimately merge back into it. Just as ocean is One, the waves on its surface exist in the ocean, spring out of it and ultimately sink themselves back into the ocean. So too is life. The matter ripples out of the Supreme Consciousness, and ultimately we all merge back into the Homogeneous Oneness.
Gold is the foundation of all ornaments made of gold. As all these ornaments are expression of gold, upon melting of the ornaments, the gold still remains as gold , nothing happens to it. Ornaments have no existence independent of gold. Similarly the countless forms of the One Supreme Divine are expressions of One Divine Cosmic power, and have no existence separate from Him.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that this outer world of plurality, cognized by our limited material vehicle of body-mind-intellect, is all a play of names and forms, upon the Infinite Consciousness. That One Homogeneous Whole is the changeless in changing phenomenon, just like the One gold in ornaments, the One ocean in waves, the One clay in pots, the One thread in pearls, the One sun in rays, the One sweetness of jaggery and the One moon in pitchers.
Thus the effects cannot remain away from their cause; for they are born of their cause, exist in their cause, and merge back to become One with their cause. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

बाहिर पडलो आपल्या कर्तव्ये I
संसारासी जीवे वेटाळीलो II
एका मधे एक नाही मिळो  येत I
ताक नवनीत निवडिले II
जाली दोन्ही नामे एकाचि भवनी I
दुसरिया गुणी वेगळाली II
तुका म्हणे दाखविल्या मुक्ताफ़ळी I
शिंपलेचि स्वस्थळी खूंटलिया II

"Just like time, all natural processes are irreversible. So is Self Realisation. A Self Realised Soul experiences state of pure consciousness, unoccupied awareness and content-free contented state of mind. Being in that state is not removal of Oneself and One's Self from worldly affairs, but transcending worldly entanglements and being engaged in worldly happenings and everyday chores of life with equanimity of mind. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the peace, bliss, silence and calmness experienced by the Self Realised Soul is a profoundly transformed, irreversible  psychological state. He says,
Just like a butter churned from the buttermilk cannot go back to its earlier state, the Self Realised Soul having merged into Oneness of Supreme Consciousness enjoys his transcendence beyond the realm of unending cycles of deaths and rebirths forever with no returning back. Just like God changes caterpillars into butterflies, sand into pearls, and coal into diamonds,  He works on the seeker of Supreme Self on his  journey of Self Realisation, the Eternally Irreversible state of Supreme Bliss. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

चित्त समाधान I
तरी विष काटे सोने II
बहु खोटा अतिशय I
जाणा भले सांगो काय II
मनाचे तळमळे I
चंदनेही अंग पोळे II
तुका म्हणे दूजा I
उपचार पीड़ा पूजा II

It is said that
" The human mind is so enigmatic to us, yet so closer, so transient and fleeting, so restless and unwieldy, yet at certain times so serene and capable of understanding the esoteric facts of life. It creates so many upheavals and disturbances, yet it is originally so pure and eternally blissful."
That which separates you from God is mind. The wall that stands between you and God is mind. Pull the wall down through devotion of Divine and you will come face to face with God. Just as waves and bubbles arise from the surface of ocean, so are the thought waves arise from the surface of the mind ocean. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that mind gets strength when these thought waves subside.
The subconscious mind is just like roots of a tree. The roots of the tree of our conscious existence must be transformed through the maturation of the crown of the tree which bears the fruits of Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

नटनाट्य अवघे संपादिले सोंग I
भेद दाऊ रंग न पालटे II
मांडियेला खेळ कौतुके बहुरूप I
आपुले स्वरूप जाणतसों II
स्फटिकाची शिळा उपाधि न मिळे I
भाव दावी पिवळे लाल संगे II
तुका म्हणे आम्ही वरु जना विरहित I
होउनि निश्चित क्रीड़ा करू II

It is said that
" No matter what circumstances or what worlds we find ourselves in, we are without any expectations or changes. We are just what we are, the natural state which is like a mirror. It is clear and empty, and yet it reflects everything, all possible existences and all possible lifetimes. But it never changes and it does not depend on anything else, it is Self Realisation.
Self Realisation is cleansing of the cloudy mirror, the same world that shows us the world of plurality, when polished by the cloth of the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram. The Self Realised Soul becomes witness to his True nature, the Self, without any emotional entanglements. He accepts everything he undergoes as due to the will of Divine Supreme with equanimity of mind. He is just like water drops which do not adhere to the lotus leaf. The mind of the Self Realised Being becomes open to everything, but remains ever detached from everything. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the mindset of a Self Realised Soul. He says,
Just as an actor is aware and conscious of the character of the play he is enacting, for a  Self Realised Soul , the truth is not a matter of personal viewpoint. The Absolute Truth isn't separate from any thing. It is everything, but not any thing, nor is it several things or even all things. The Absolute nature of Being is the source of reality and reality itself.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that in Self Realisation there is only pure observing, there will be found a lucid clarity without anyone being there who is the observer, nothing but the naked manifest awareness is present. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

हीच त्यांची पंचभूते I
जीवन भाते प्रेमाचे II
कळवळा धरिला संती I
ते निगुती कैवाड II
हाच काळ वर्तमान I
समाधान ही संपत्ती II
तुका म्हणे दिवस राती I
हेचि खाती अन्न ते II

" Mind is made of subtle essence of food. Just as in the churning of curd, it's fine particles rise up and are transformed into butter, so when the food is consumed, the subtlest part rises up and is transformed into mind. The mind of the Self Realised Soul remains intuitively absorbed in his True Self, as the unstruck melody of the Holy Ram Nam vibrates in his mind incessantly. He eats the food of Divine Knowledge. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that those who taste and are satisfied by the sublime essence of Holy Ram Nam become fearless, those who drink it in, day and night, are freed forever from the bondage of sufferings. The incessant recital of the Holy Ram Nam stimulates a nectar to flow through a hole in the palate. It dribbles and nourishes the body of the Self Realsed Soul. He can draw energy directly from his pure, irresistible will and  support the body without consuming worldly food.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that through Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram, his tongue tasting the Divine Ram Nam incessantly, the Self Realised Soul maintains his earthly body with the process of drawing enery from Cosmic energy alone for any length of time and can dispense with worldly food. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

चंदनाच्या वासे धरितील नाक I
नावड़े कनक न घड़े हे II
साकरेची गोडी सारिखी सकळा I
थोरा मोठ्यां बाळा धाकुटिया II
तुका म्हणे माझे चित्त शुद्ध होते I
तरि का निंदिते जन मज II

" Mind is like a mirror. If it is dirty, One cannot see his True Self  in it clearly. The impure mind is replete with excessive delusion and a host of thoughts. Lest this enemy of mind should spoil  in diverse ways through the enjoyments of the worldly pleasures,One needs to slay it in the hope of getting Eternal Bliss and Spiritual Illumination. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about mysteries of चित्त or subconscious mind. He says, the subconscious mind is like a calm lake and thoughts are like waves upon the surface of this lake. Just like a pebble thrown in pool of water produces a succession of concentric waves travelling far, the thoughts, good or evil, emanating from the mind, gives rise to vibrations in the mental realm which travel far and wide in all directions. Evil thoughts of all kinds befoul and infuriate the mind. If persisted, it may become veritable disease and maimings of the mind, incurable during the period of life. Just as a hand holding a bouquet made of Jasmine and Rose flowers, their rich fragrance pervades the vicinage and tickles all alike, so is the aroma of piousness emanating from the the Self Realised Soul radiates to everyone in his vicinity.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that mental energy which is dissipated and misdirected in various worthless worldly concerns needs to be well directed in proper spiritual channels. Useless thoughts impede spiritual growth and obnoxious thoughts are stumbling blocks to spiritual advancements.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says, through introspection One needs to water the garden of his mind with meditation and sublime thinking and remove the weeds of vain, useless discordant thoughts. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

फाजितखोरा मना किती तुज सांगो I
नको कोणा लागो मागेंमागें II
स्नेहवादें दुःख जडलेसे अंगी I
निष्ठुर हे जगी प्रेमसुख II
निंदास्तुती कोणी करो दयामाया I
न धरी चाड या सुखदुःखा II
योगिराज कां रे न राहती बैसोनि I
एकिये आसनी याची गुणे II
तुका म्हणे मना पाहे विचारुन I
होई रे कठिण वज्राऐसे II

It is said that
" It is a Self Realisation of the truth of reality, that you, the Consciousness, cannot be affected by anything. It is only the egoic mind that makes you believe otherwise. "
Non attachment is essentially a practice of mindfulness. It is not allowing your sense of well-being to rely upon anything other than your own presence of Awareness. It means to be in the world, but not of the world. With Non attachment, your happiness is no longer defined by anything outside of you so that you remain free. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj cautions that if you allow your sense of self to be emotionally swayed by everything that appears to you, including people, places, perceptions, thoughts, sensations, events and experiences, then your emotions will forever be riding a roller-coaster of ups and downs. You will be a pendulum that forever swings between joy and disaster.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that True freedom results from the disenthralment of the mind. Just like the reflection of moon upon the surface of turbulent ocean is not visible or perceptible, the reflection of the Self made upon the mind cannot be perceptible when the mind is not free from its turbulence.
To attain Self Realisation, One must constantly struggle with the mind for its steadiness. It is only the power of will which can control it and tame it's fluctuations. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

तेंही नव्हे जे करितां काही I
ध्याता ध्यायी तेंही नव्हे II
तेंही नव्हे जे जाणवी जना  I
वाटे मना तेंही नव्हे II
त्रास मानिजे कंटाळा I
अशुभ वाचाळ तेंही नव्हे II
तेंही नव्हे जे भोंवती भोंवे I
नागवे धांवे तेंही नव्हे II
तुका म्हणे एकचि आहे I
सहजी पाहें सहज II

" In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about सहज अवस्था, a state of spiritual consciousness, where the mind is stabilised in perfect bliss and peace. It is nothing but experiencing the Divine as all pervading, within the body and without, such that life is lived without pretense. As the divinity resounds and resonates within the devotee, the desire to become One with the Supreme Divine is fulfilled. He says the Divine is सहज. He is natural, subtler of the subtlest, simpler of the simplest, and spontaneous. He is pure awareness. In our true nature, we are that. And hence to retrace our steps back to this original state of pure being is to take the सहज parh or natural way. In सहज the worldly and ego laden mind resolves itself into the root within.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the state of सहज can be regained if we only search it within the cave of our heart, while still living in the midst of the material world and it's so called impurities. If we only attach Ourselves with the Self within, and detach from the emotional attachment to the worldliness, spiritual success will follow effortlessly.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that Real Prayer " happens ". The Real Prayer cannot be " done " as such, it just happens. When ego is defeated, prayer happens. The Self Realisation happens in the heart through the Selfless and Reasonless Love of the Divine, not through the head.
The Real Prayer happens only when One transcends duality. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

प्रारब्ध क्रियमाण I
भक्तां संचित नाही जाण II
अवघा देवाची जाला पाही I
भरोनिया अंतर्बाही II
सत्वरजतमबाधा I
 नव्हे  हरिभक्तांसी कदा II
देवभक्तपण I
तुका म्हणे नाही भिन्न II

" Mind is like a flowing stream of thoughts pertaining to past and future but seldom in the present. Our association and clinging to these thoughts influence our present moment. The sense of detachment from these invading thoughts makes the Self Realised Soul a person sitting still on the banks and just watching the river flow as a neutral witness. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the mindset of Self Realised Soul who has transcended beyond the realm of duality. He says,
Duality is the nature of mind. Mind is perpetually busy using the present moment to think either of the past or to dream of the future. Therefore, for mind, there is no present moment in a time continuum. The present moment arises only due to discontinuity between past and future. This our existence of the present moment gets affected by the state and time confluence of the mind. This gives rise to duality. The Self Realised Soul walks the middle path, the path of the present moment.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
प्रारब्ध कर्म are the latencies of past actions which are ripe and have begun to bear fruits. It's results may be either good or bad.
संचित कर्म are the latencies of actions done in this life as well as in previous life that remain stored within.
क्रियामाण कर्म corresponds to actions now being made for the future.
It is just like the bundle of arrows in the quiver on the back of a Bowman is the संचित , the arrow he has shot is प्रारब्ध ,and the arrow he is about to shoot from his bow is क्रियामाण. The Bowman has perfect control over the संचित and क्रियामाण, but प्रारब्ध is beyond his realm.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says if One remains engrossed in the incessant recital of Holy Ram Nam, all of his deeds are absorbed in tne Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram and he remains untouched by the detrimental effects of these inevitable phenomenon of actions of the past or present. The Self Realised Soul has become One with the Supreme Self and hence he remains unblemished by the adverse effects of the three basic inclinations of human psyche, Satva, Raja and Tama.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the attention of Self Realised Soul is directed  towards the formless witness indwelling within, which unwinds the veil of ignorance and he is transcended beyond duality. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

जळो तैसा प्रेमरंग I
जाय भूलोनि पतंग II
सासूसाठी रडे सून I
भाव अंतरींचा भिन्न II
मैन्द सुखींचा कोवळा I
भाव अंतरी निराळा II
जैशी वृन्दावनकांती I
उत्तम धरु नये हाती II
बक ध्यान करी I
दावी सोंग मत्स्य मारी II
तुका म्हणे सर्प डोले I
तैसा कथेमाजी खुले II

" The three subtle basic components (त्रिगुण) of Satva, Raja and Tama are the very fabric of creation. They permeate through all living and non living, tangible and intangible things.The vibrations emanating from anything depends on the predominant subtle basic component. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about a peculiar aspect of Raja dominant personality. He says,
For a Raja dominant person, the reward he may reap from his action is of paramount importance because he desires only sense gratification. Be it a spiritual or religious discourse, he regards it merely as a piece of entertainment than anything else. Sant Tukaram Maharaj Illustrates this Raja dominant state of mind with beautiful analogies. He says, the reckless passion of the Raja dominant person is like a moth who yearns for the lamps and dies in the flame of this beloved love. Bee to the blossom, moth to the flame, each to his passion ; what's in the name ?
Just like a overt display of compassion does not necessarily means the true concern from within so is the Raja dominant person who listens to the religious discourses attentively but nothing sinks deep within. He may wear the mask of goodness as a ruse, but his inner motives remain forever stay put. In another analogy he says, just like the outer appearance of bitter gourd masks its bitterness so is the facade of decency assumed by a rogue veils his malicious intentions.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that Heron bird stands motionless in shallow water as if in meditation. Despite wearing the mask of ruse, when it eyes the fish, out goes the long neck and the fish is seized.
Just like the snake moves with the music played by snake charmer, the Raja dominant person shams the involvement, but remains untouched by the moral of the religious discourse. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

देह नव्हे मी हे सरे I
उरला उरे विट्ठल II
म्हणऊनि लाहो करा I
काळ सारा चिंतने II
पाळणाची नाही चिंता I
ठाव रिता देवाचा II
तुका म्हणे जीवासाठी I
देव पोटी पडेल II

It is said that
" The fool thinks," I am the body"; the intelligent man thinks, " I am the individual soul united with the body." But the Wise man, in the greatness of his knowledge sees the Self as the only reality and thinks, " I am the Supreme Consciousness "
As the mind becomes gradually established in the Self, it gives up the desires for external objects. When all such desires are gone, there is the unobstructed realisation of the Self. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that if One knows him not as the individual but as the Supreme Self, he becomes free from fear. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

वैष्णव तो जया I
अवघी देवावरी माया II
नाही आणिक प्रमाण I
तन धन तृण जन II
पड़ता जड़ भारी I
नेमा न टळे निर्धारी II
तुका म्हणे याती I
हो का तयासी भलती II

" A true devotee is never at rest, but is constantly trying to be a little unselfish and to get the glimpse of purity, which is the foundation of every true character. Praying with whole heart and soul to become unselfish and pure is the only way to freedom. All the other ways lead to bondage. It is only when the heart is absolutely pure that the real devotion comes, the devotion thar makes One unselfish. For a true devotee, it does not matter whether body goes or remains or what others say. Worshipping the Supreme Lord with wholehearted devotion brings him the peace and happiness from within. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the reason-less and selfless devotion to Divine Supreme as the true religion. He says,
Our heart is like a mirror. As long as it is covered with the dust of impurity, it cannot reflect the True Self which dwells within all living beings. One must be bold enough to face everything is order to serve the highest Ideal. This world is no lovely flower garden. It is full of thorns. To be watchful is not only good but absolutely necessary for spiritual attainment. The true devotee remains always watchful and awake so as not to deviate from the path of devotion. He shakes off all weaknesses and comes out in the broad sunshine of truth.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that it is extremely hard to get a true devotion. He who has it and can work on steadily and quietly, without caring for praise or blame, is blessed. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

जीव जीती जीवनासंगे I
मत्स्या मरण त्या वियोगे II
जया चित्ति जैसा भाव I
तया जवळी तैसा देव II
सकळां पढिये भानु I
परि त्या कमळाचे जीवनु II
तुका म्हणे माता I
वाहे तान्हयाची चिंता II

" The heart that is humble before the Divine has no sorrow, when it comes to obeying and doing God's will. It has no sorrow when sin is forsaken and all desires turn more and more towards God. The humble heart labors that their desires become God's desires. In pain or suffering, it's desired success in life is living successfully in the will of God, for God's pleasure and glory alone matters. The humble heart grows in full acceptance that true success in God's eye is not measured by numbers and worldly wealth, but by honouring God. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj insists that love of the Divine must be absolute and unconditional, as if One's survival depends on it. Illustrating with beautiful analogies he  says,
Water is essential for all living beings but fish die when they are out of water. Except for fish the need of water is conditional. However the survival of fish is at stake with water. In the similar way a true devotee is tormented agonizingly even with a momentary lapse of his memory of God.
In another analogy Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the Sunflower cannot blossom without sunshine.Just like the Sunflower, the seeker of Supreme Self needs a constant reminder of the Supreme Divine, which is but the life force for him on his journey within.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the journey of Self Realisation unfolds only when One seeks God unconditionally just like a mother takes care of her child and with reason-less devotion. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II
अग्निमाजी गेले I
अग्नि होऊन तेच ठेले II
काय उरलें तया पण I
मागिल ते नाम गुण II
लोह लागे परिसा अंगी I
तोही भूषण जाला जगी II
सरिता ओहळा ओघा I
गंगे मिळोनि जाल्या गंगा II
चंदनाच्या वासे I
तरु चंदन जाले स्पर्शे II
तुका जडला संतापायी I
दुजेपणा ठाव नाही II

" Self Realisation is attaining Oneness with the Supreme Consciousness by the intuitive faculty of soul.
Illustrating with beautiful analogies Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
Just like the identity of a thing thrown in fire is erased completely as it becomes One with it, the seeker of Supreme Self must seek the fellowship of a Self Realised Soul and follow his footsteps on the journey within. Just like an ordinary iron transforms into precious gold as soon as it touches the Paras Stone, the fellowship of Self Realised Soul does the wonder of transforming the seeker from within until he realises that the riches of the world are all not outside but with him and within him forever.
Just like the vicinage of the Sandalwood becomes incensed with its rich fragrance, all who follow the footsteps of the Self Realised Soul savour the aroma of piousness emanated from him. In a way the fellowship of a Self Realised Soul is a journey of transcending the realm of duality to become One with Supreme Consciousness."

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

देवाचे निर्माल्य कोण शिवे हाती I
संकल्पासी होती विकल्प ते II
वाहिले देह हे देवा एकसरे I
होईल ते बरे तेणे द्वारे II
होता भार त्याची निवारली खंती I
येथे आता रिती साठवण II
तुका म्हणे इच्छे पावविले कष्ट I
म्हणऊनि नष्ट दुरावली II

" There is a difference between giving and offering. When we give, we expect the others to receive. When we offer something, it can be accepted or rejected. The offer stands on its own and does not depend on acceptance to be relevant or generous. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that he offers his bodily Self to the Supreme Divine by withdrawing into inner world and performing an internal sacrifice in the form of meditation and self absorption. He says, the human body seems like a cumbersome baggage that suffers from ailments, pain, aging, disease and such unpleasant stuff affecting it everyday. It can be imagined that there would be no more complications from carnal lust or primeval urges if we simply existed as some kind of pure soul.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that when the pain of holding is worse than the pain of letting go, it is time to let go. He says that letting go of the desire ridden bodily Self is a blessing on his journey of Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

आले भरा येच पेठे I
पुढे मागुते न भेटे II
नाही कोणाचा सांगात I
दुःख भोगिता आघात II
होसी फजित वरपडा I
लक्ष चौऱ्यांसीचा वेढा II
एका पाउलाची वाट I
कोणा सांगावा बोभाट II
जुंतिजेसी घाणा I
नाही मागिलया करुणा II
तुका म्हणे हित पाहे I
जोंवरि हे हाती आहे II

" As a human being, we have a greatest potential of all creatures on earth to realise the Supreme Self. Life comes to its inevitable end all too soon. The activities of a lifetime are just like raindrops falling on a pool of water, they make a few ripples and then disappear. At the end of our lives we are going to wonder about, if we could truly take advantage of this rare and precious human birth to cultivate wisdom and compassion, ultimately to become One with Supreme Consciousness. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj earnestly implores to realise the unique opportunity that being born human offers, to seek Self Realisation.
Illustrating with a beautiful analogy he says, just like a depository which stores the goods, the warehouse of human body needs to be packed with a merchandise of Holy Ram Nam. It holds the key to unlock the Truth of the Self which never gets old nor rusty. All creation and all devotion is a noisy game without the saving grace of Holy Ram Nam.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that a human birth is just like a bull driving the oil mill. Rounds made by the bull are like unending cycle of death and rebirth. As the bull gets tired it slows down and is then duly punished. Similarly in human birth, One lives a mundane life without realising the true purpose of this rarest of rare human birth which ceases all of a sudden and a wonderful opportunity of this precious human birth is lost forever.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One must make a conscious effort to make the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram as a way of life, as it is the only way to make most of this rarest of rare human birth and hence to attain the Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II
.

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

चित्त ग्वाही तेथे लौकिकाचे काई I
स्वहित ते ठायीं आपणापें II
मनासी विचार तोचि सार भाव I
व्यापक हा देव अंतर्बाही II
शुद्ध भावा न लगे सुचावा परिहार I
उमटे साचार आणिके ठायीं II
भोगित्यासी काज अंतरींचे गोड़ I
बाहिरल्या चाड नाही रंगे II
तुका म्हणे भाव शुद्ध हे कारण I
भाट नारायण होईल त्यांचा II

It is said that
" Two birds living together, each the friend of the other, perch upon the same tree. Of these two, one eats the sweet fruit of the tree, but the other simply looks on without eating. "
While it may be easy to assume that the enigmatic combination of body and mind makes us who we are as individuals, the truth is that we all have an eternally unchanging part of ourselves that is who we are at the very core of our beings. It is only by unveiling the curtain of ignorance and ego that we can realise our true Self as the Silent Witness within. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One never becomes Self because he is already the Self. The journey of Self Realisation is a look within. The Infinite silence is You, to the heart it is the greatest liberation while to the ego, it is the signal of its mortality, fragility and impermanence. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that You are that which sees all this in the play of Consciousness. The Silent Witness. One needs to be still and experience that You are that.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the great truth in the quest of Self Realisation is " what you are looking for, you are looking with. "
The Self is the space, like witnessing Consciousness. It is the knower of all, but itself cannot be known as an object. It will be like tying to see your own eyes. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

आठवे देव तो करावा उपाय I
येर त्यजी वाव खटपटा II
होई बा जागा होई बा जागा I
वाउगा कां सिणसील II
जाणिवेच्या भारे भवाचिये डोही I
बुडसी तो कही निघेसि ना II
तुका म्हणे देवा पावसील भावे I
जाणता ते ठावे कांही नव्हे II

It is said that
" Superficial knowledge breeds arrogance ; true knowledge induces humility. "
The worldly knowledge is nothing but gathering of information. It pertains to the world and all objects of knowledge are present in the world. However there is a certain quality of knowing which is not same as the knowledge. It is Realisation that is causeless and proofless and yet certain. The worldly knowledge however is relative and stands on doubt and uncertainty. The journey of Self Realisation unfolds when  there is love of Divine from deep within in perfect confluence with reason-less devotion which makes the seeker free from the bondage of worldly knowledge. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj differentiates between the worldly knowledge and the Wisdom of Supreme Self. He says,
The worldly knowledge is a two edged sword. Either it can lead to man's downfall and destruction or if  harnessed for moral ends, it can bring maximum benefit and happiness to mankind. It breeds arrogance while Wisdom of Supreme Self is born from the ashes of arrogance. Only when the seeker casts away his intellectual slavery to blind faiths, superstitions and dogmas, his Individual Consciousness can expand to Supreme Consciousness and the Self Realisation dawns.
SummIng up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that reason-less devotion of the Divine is the only prerequisite to attain the pinnacle of Supreme Bliss, the Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

रवि रश्मिकळा I
नये कादिता निराळा II
तैसा आम्हा झाला भाव I
अंगी जडोनि केला देव II
गोडी साखरेपासुनी I
कैसी निवडते दोन्ही II
तुका म्हणे नाद उठी I
निरोनी जाय नाभापोटी II

It is said that
" Just like a Sunbeam can't separate itself from the Sun, and wave can't separate itself from the ocean, the Self Realised Soul has transcended from duality to non duality and enjoys Oneness with the vast sea of love, one indivisible Divine mind. "
It is in man's Self knowledge that man realises his Conscious Oneness  with God. The meaning of man's existence is God's Delight. The meaning of God's existence is in man's realisation of the Absolute. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about Oneness with Supreme Consciousness of the Self Realised Soul . He says,
Just like the sweetness cannot be separated from sugar so are humility and compassion, which are inherent in the Self Realised Soul. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
The basic element Ether, the space, means One without the body. It originates from the sound in its primordial and unmanifested form. The subtle Ether is omnipresent, is beyond the grasp of senses and without form or boundaries. The limitless Ether in every aspect resembles the all pervading and all encompassing Supreme Divine. The undisturbed mind is the expression of the essence of Ether.
Just like the Supreme Consciousness, the Ether is mysterious, formless, boundless and infinite. It envelopes everything and exists in them too. It is smaller than the smallest and larger than the largest. Symbolically, the Supreme Lord Vishnu, a preserver and Supreme Lord of the universe is depicted as blue in colour, which is the colour of the sky. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

युक्ताहार न लगे आणिका साधने I
अल्प नारायणे दाखविले II
कलियुगामाजी करावे कीर्तन I
तेणे नारायण देईल भेटी II
न लगे लौकिक सांडावा वेव्हार I
घ्यावे वनांतर भस्म दंड II
तुका म्हणे मज आणिक उपाय I
दिसती ने वाव नामेंविण II

" All endeavors of various types, including deeds of charity for name and fame, the rosary, the penances, the study of scriptures and performances of rites and rituals and more still, do not come up to the merit of the Holy Ram Nam. He, the Divine, expressed Himself and made the Holy Ram Nam. It is  both the creator and the sustainer of the universe.The Holy Ram Nam is the kernel in every shell. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that to seek Divine One must immerse in the Name worship Of Supreme Lord Shri Ram. With the incessant recital of Holy Ram Nam, the ripples cease to float on the lake of the mind. All the oscillations of the mind cease and it gets pacified of itself. Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that there is absolutely no need to renounce our worldly duties or to become a hermit. He says that the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram is so natural and so easy that One can take to it as a matter of routine. It involves no intricacies and mysterious practices and One can safely go ahead on the path with ease and comfort. Sleeping or awake, sitting or standing, One needs to remain attuned from within to the Holy Ram Nam. Day and night, an unceasing bliss descends, when One recites the Holy Ram Nam incessantly. Then only the journey of Self Realisation slowly unfolds and the seeker experiences supreme ecstasy forever. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

आहे ते सकळ कृष्णासी अर्पण I
न कळता मन दूजे भावी II
म्हणउनी पाठी लागतील भूते I
येती गिवसित पांच जणे II
ज्याचे तया वंचले आठव न होतां I
दंड या निमित्ताकारणे हा II
तुका म्हणे काळे चेपीयेला गळा I
मी मी वेळोवेळा करितसे II

" It is said that just as a lotus leaf is in the water but it remains untouched by water, everything that happens is by will of Supreme Lord Krishna .One needs to perform duties without being attached to the results and offer the results to Him. In this way, One will not incur sins and bad reactions.
The duality is the root cause of sorrow. There is no better remedy except Self Realisation that all that is visible is unreal and I am the One, pure, blissful Supreme Consciousness.
From the absolute perspective, there is nothing other than the Self. It is all and the only reality without a second. From the relative perspective, the Self is a passive witness while the worldliness we experience in the embodied state arises from the perceptions of our mind. We do not experience that Oneness because of the senses which create an illusory distinction between the object and subject and hence perpetuate it through attraction, aversion and attachments. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the sense of duality as a major obstacle on the journey of Self Realisation. He says,
The Self is universal, eternal, one and without divisions. When the universal Self is covered with the impurities of delusion and ignorance it develops this limited view of itself as a separate entity, which we recognize as ego. The ego makes us believe that we are the doers of our actions and responsible for them. Because of that we engage in desire ridden actions and desire for their fruit, whereby we incur Karma and remain bound to the mortal world. The Vedic Scriptures say that if you think " I am the Eternal Universal Self," and live accordingly, your actions do not bind you. However if you think, " I am the body " and perform the actions with the selfish and limited notion, they will bind you.
In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj cautions the seeker of Supreme Self to make a conscious effort to avoid falling into the trap of delusion
When One develops the discernment between the True Self and the projected Self, the ego takes the back seat and let's the Self become the centre of One's life. This is the state of egolessness as well as the pure state of spiritual Self Awareness."

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

मान अपमान गोवें I
अवघे गुंडूनी ठेवावे II
हेचि देवाचे दर्शन I
सदा राहे समाधान II
शांतीची वसती I
खूंटे काळगती II
आली उर्मी साहे I
तुका म्हणे थोड़े आहे II

" It is said that the seeker on the journey of Self Realisation must not allow the lower propensities and impulses to rise and overpower him. Self control is indispensable on the path of Spiritual Quest. By controlling his crude and raw impulses and emotions, One develops reason and by controlling reason, he develops intuition, which is purified form of reason. The sublimation of urges and desires and not their repression is paramount on the journey of Self Realisation. Sublimation is spiritualizing all our urges and desires by channelling them towards the attainment of True Wisdom of Self, in which all desires and urges find their supreme fulfilment. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the paramount importance of controlling mind impulses on the journey of Self Realisation. He says,
A slave of passion follows only the dictates of his urges and impulses. The contentment and inner peace is found in our letting go of the need to be in control and resting in the faith that God is in control.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says, just as waves and bubbles arise from the surface of the ocean, so are the वृत्ति, the thought waves arise from the surface of mind ocean. The secret of contentment from within lies in making a conscious effort to arrest the outgoing tendencies of the mind and turning the mind inward to experience Supreme Eternal Bliss forever. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

माकडे मुठीसी धरिले फुटाणे I
गुंतले ते नेणे हात तेथे II
काय तो तयाचा लेखावा अन्याय I
हित नेणे काय आपुले ते II
शुके नळीकेशी गोवियेले पाय I
विसरोनि जाय पक्ष दोन्ही II
तुका म्हणे एक ऐसे पशु जीव I
न चले उपाय काही तेथे II

" The rarest of rare human birth offers One an opportunity to strive for and attain liberation from the seemingly endless round of birth and death. What greater fool can there be than the man who has obtained this rare human birth together with bodily and mental strength and yet fails, through delusion, to realise his own highest good. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that to be born as a human being is no small privilege. This life on earth is a halting place on the journey of Self Realisation. One comes in this world alone and will pass away alone from this world. None will help except what is done here in this life. One's deeds search and follow him, as calves follow their mothers even in the midst of big herd. The life is short and there are many obstacles to get over. Therefore One needs to exert with earnestness and hence must not waste time, but utilise every moment for the noblest of causes. Illustrating with beautiful analogies Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
For trapping monkeys the hunter uses a vessel having an opening just large enough for a monkey's open paw to go through and then places a sweet treat inside it. An unsuspecting monkey smells the treat inside the vessel and reaches in to collect it. However the opening which is just large enough for critter's (an animal) open paw to go in, is too small to allow it's clenched paw to pass back through. No matter how much the monkey yanks, it cannot escape as long as it tries to hang on to the treat. Desperately yanking and hauling, the monkey trys to pull free but still clutches that handful of food as the hunter approaches closer and closer. The trap works because the monkey is focussed on obtaining the food inside and doesn't understand that the price of trying to obtain that particular morsel will be it's own freedom, it's own survival. It's not that the monkey is stupid, it's just that letting go seldom occurs to it. The monkey is caught by its own rigid values, not by the physical structure of the trap.Just like the monkey trap which dooms the monkey, the trap of this illusory world can snare us if we aren't careful. Just like monkey we must be beware of short term thinking which is the inability to place immediate events into the context of what is in our long term interest. One must make a conscious effort to make most of this rarest of rare human birth fruitful, by evading the trap of attachment to worldly desires before the death hunter swallows it's bait.
A Fowler sets a tube trap to catch a parrot. The hollow tube has a thread in it. The parrot is attracted by the bait. As soon as it sets it's feet on the tube, the tube turns along with the parrot by its weight. Seeing the sky below it's feet, the parrot is insinuated with fear of falling into the abyss of this bottomless pit. Haunted by this delusion, the parrot forgets to wing off this traumatic experience and hence evade this trap.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that just like the parrot and monkey, the illusion of worldly attachments snares One in the trap of unending cycle of deaths and rebirths. One must make a conscious effort to become free of this bondage and let go of the temptation to hold onto the worldly attachments. Only then the journey of Self Realisation may culminate to fruition. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

हरिच्या जागरणा I
जातां का रे नये मना II
कोठे पाहसील तूटी I
आयुष्य वेचि फुकासाठी II
ज्यासी तुज गुंती I
ते तो मोकलिती अंती II
तुका म्हणे बरा I
लाभ कोणा तो विचारा II

" It is said that " The grass withers, the flower fades, but the the Holy Ram Nam will stand forever." The Name of Supreme Lord Shri Ram is lively, powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the glory of the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram. He says,
Our earthly life is a fleeting existence dwindling with every passing moment. While worldly riches come and go, the riches of Holy Ram Nam are eternal and everlasting. This treasure can neither be stolen nor destroyed and remains unaffected by ravages of time.
The worldly relations connect the body with the outside world because unfortunately individual is identified by his body. However the body inevitably will perish over the time so are the worldly relations, which have significance only till One lives.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj earnestly implores the seeker that to make most of this rarest of rare human birth, One must make a conscious effort to recite the Holy Ram Nam incessantly as it is the slow but sure way to attain Self Realisation. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

निंदी कोणी मारी I
वंदी कोणी पूजा करी II
मज हेही नाही तेही नाही I
वेगळा दोहींपासुनी II
देहभोग भोगे घड़े I
जे जे जोड़े ते ते बरे II
अवघे पावे नारायणी I
जनार्दनी तुकयाचे II

" Subtler than the subtlest, greater than the greatest, the Self is hidden in the heart of all creatures. The Self Realised Soul knows and understands the Spirit as the powerhouse of creativity which creates subtle waves of nobility, love and harmony. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj talks about the state of Self Realisation. He says,
The Realisation of his Self, distinct from his body makes the Self Realised Soul transcend beyond the body centric thinking  into the realm of transcendence. He knows that Self occupies his body. The Self is not the eyes, but the One in the eyes who sees. His Self is not the body but the indweller who resides within forever. His Self participates in the processes of life, but they do not taint him just as a dreamer fast asleep is not tainted by his dreams, because he remains unattached.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the Self Realised Soul observes the sufferings of his body as an alien and believes that these bodily sufferings merge into the Infinite Divine and the Self remains untainted as forever.
Summing up Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that Self Realisation is knowing without the mind, but without losing the mind. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

सावध झालो सावध झालो I
हरिच्या आलो जगरणा II
पळोनिया गेली झोप I
होते पाप आड़ ते II
तेथे वैष्णवांचे भार I
जयजयकार गर्जतसे II
तुका म्हणे तया ठाया I
ओळे छाया कृपेची II

Consciousness is our connection to that which is Divine in us. However if this channel is not open or if our consciousness is asleep then mortal sins like pride, fear, jealousy, envy get an upperhand which yields only suffering. It is aptly said that
" Many of them that sleep in the dust of earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting suffering. "
The Consciousness needs to be awakened. If it is awakened positively we can become an angel and awakened negatively we become a demon. The seed of Consciousness needs to be nurtured positively for the seeker on the journey of Self Realisation. In this composition Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram holds in itself the seed of awakening of Supreme Self. He says,
Awakening is the perception of actual reality. It is an intuitive perception of what tuly is. This has nothing to do with belief.
Our mortal seed which is corrupted, must become uncorrupted. We have to treat it with that which is incorruptible to change and Eternal, the Holy Ram Nam.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One experiences Divine Providence being with the congregation of seekers immersed in the Name Worship of Supreme Lord Shri Ram which instills an everlasting Supreme Bliss from within. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

अवगुणांचे हाती I
आहे अवघीच फजीती II
नाही पात्रासवे चाड I
प्रमाण ते फिके गोड II
विष तांब्या वाटी I
भरली लांवू नये होटी II
तुका म्हणे भाव I
शुद्ध बरा सोंग वाव II

It is said that
" Your inner beauty never needs makeup. It is the beauty of your inner self, the unfading beauty of the gentle and calm Spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. "
In this composition of Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that the true task is to seek and find all the barriers within Self that have been built against it. The self imposed barriers which prevent One to be true to Self must be consciously and wilfully eradicated. He says , to seek God is to be true to Self because beauty is not in the face, but it is a light in the heart. There is nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realise that you have been missing the entire perspective of the ocean.
Illustrating with meaningful analogy Sant Tukaram Maharaj says,
Poison is served in a vessel of precious metal. The grave and lethal effect of poison cannot be undermined regadless of the preciousness of the metal vessel in which it is served.This is just like seeking God with pompous rituals but without being true to Inner Self. It is the purity of mind that in itself is Divine which merges with the Divine.
Sant Tukaram Maharaj says that One must guard  his heart above all else, for it determines the fervour with which he seeks the Supreme Divine. "

II श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम II

II श्रीसद्गुरुचरणार्पणमस्तु II