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Tuka Mhane: A Transcreation

Tuka mhane:
आम्हां घरी धन शब्दांचीच रत्नें | शब्दांचीच शस्त्रें यत्न करुं ||
शब्द चि आमुच्या जीवांचे जीवन | शब्दें वांटूं धन जनलोकां ||
तुका म्हणे पाहा शब्द चि हा देव | शब्द चि गौरव पूजा करुं ||

Translation (by Dilip Chitre, the renowned Marathi poet):

Words are the only Jewels I possess
Words are the only Clothes that I wear
Words are the only food That sustains my life
Words are the only wealth I distribute among people
Says Tuka Witness the Word He is God
I worship Him With my words


My own transcreation:

If you open my jewel-box, you will only find words
If you raid my castle, only my words will defend me
All I need to live upon, is the magic of words
All my charity is done through my words
Behold The Word: The Word is my only God
Worship It: it is the beginning, it is the end

Comments

Anonymous said…
what a beautiful abhanga Maharaj wrote!
3 June 2008 at 12:00 am
Anonymous said…
your translation is certainly better. thanks.

if you get a chance, read my blog...

http://ruhanimehfil.blogspot.com/
11 March 2009 at 8:43 am
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