Tukaram: biography in brief

(By Pedapati Nageswara Rao, Hyderabad)

Tukaram is most famous saint of Maharashtra. He came from peasant family but lived as trader. He took birth at about 1608. The king Sivaji came after him 20 years later. Swami Ramadas was his contemporary. All these saints and warriors unveiled golden period in the history of Maharashtra.

Tukaram after his formal education took up trade for lively hood, but did not paid to attention towords his worldly life. But achieved progress in philosophical life and poured out lyrics innumerable and rose up as a great saint in is life time. He lived at Dehu village in Poona District of Maharashtra. He became foremost popular saint of the area by virtue of is natural out burst in poetical way. He used to conduct Bhajans in corus with the orchestra provided by his disciples. As a matured saint he did not put up any show of cast creed or religion, though he maintained strong connection with the cult of vittal. Vittal is regional GOD of Maharashtra, a verity of Balakrishna worship in BHAGAVATHA Cult of all india religion.

He had great grip on all matters connected with Bhakti cult. Often he used to quote Puran ,Shastra and regional saints. People believe that he wrote Lakhs of poems (ABHANGAS) in Marati, but most of them lost and we have simply some 5000 songs collected and edited by the deciples and their descendants. He attracted disciples and friends from all walks of life and sang abhangas on all Gods adding his vittal stamp. As such he is considered as a fore most exponent of varkari pantheon in Maharashtra. “Tukarams’ songs are sung with great devotion even today.

He got deciples from all walks of life. Out of them Kondopanth lohakar, Abajitpanth Lohagaonkar, Sivaba kasara etc are famous. His grandmother’s place was Lohagaon near Poona. He used to visit that village often and spend his leisure in singing Abhangas in corus with his friends of that village, specially with the smiths of locality.
In daily prayers of vittal cult the following song is considered important and sung every day

III
“Arati Jnanararaja - mahakaivalya tejaa
Sevithi sadhu santh – Mane vedhala majha –
Arathii Lopale Jnan jagi – Hita nenati konie
Avatar panduranga – Nam thevile Jnanie
Kanakache thaat kari – ubhya gopika Narie
Narada tumburu samagayan karie
Pragata guhyabole – VISWABRAHMA chi kela
Ramaa Janaradnie – Payee mastak thevile
Arati jnanararaja – mahakaivalya Teja”

Saints like CHANGADEVA from VISWABRAHMA family are famous in vital cult. As such it is not out of place to mention the favour of Tukaram to wards Panchala cult.

The abhangas presented here are concerned with Panchala cult and their gods , Goddesses and their over all connection with vittal cult. Tukaram having deciples like Lohakar, Loha gaonkar, kasara etc, might have accepted to sing on their cult. Since Tukaram was not a saint of narrow religion, it is in tune with his saintly nature. These songs published by Sri ram tattva prakashan of Belgaon (1916) Balshastri of Poona and Pandit Saritha Jnanananda of Bangalore, are basis for this edition.