Tukaram Gatha Abhanga 14 - Sundar te dhyan - सुंदर तें ध्यान उभे विटेवरी

सुंदर तें ध्यान उभे विटेवरी । कर कटावरी ठेवूनियां ॥१॥
तुळसी हार गळां कासे पीतांबर । आवडे निरंतर तें चि रूप ॥२॥
मकरकुंडलें तळपती श्रवणीं । कंठी कौस्तुभमणि विराजित ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे माझें हें चि सर्व सुख । पाहीन श्रीमुख आवडीनें ||४||

English

1. Sundar te dhyan ubhe vitewari |
   Kar katawari thevuniya ||
2. Tulasi har gala kanse pitambar |
   Aawde nirantar techi roop ||
3. Makar kundale talapati shrwani |
   Kanthi koustubhmani virajit ||
4. Tuka mhane maze he chi sarva sukha |
   Pahin shreemukh aawadine ||

Translation

This abhanga is a beautiful description of the Lord!

1. The beautiful, great pleasure to behold, i.e. the Lord Vithoba, is standing on the brick with his hands resting on the waist.
2. There is a Basil leaves' necklace in His neck and He is wearing a yellow golden silk garment around the waist. I am in perpetual love with this face of the Lord.
3. Fish shaped ear rings are shining in His ears and the well known 'Koustubh' precious stone is glistening in His neck.
4. Tukaram says, I will keep looking ceaselessly at the holy face of the God with love; this is my complete happiness.
   
   

Here, dhyan is a sweet description of the Lord in Marathi. I have tried to translate it as 'beautiful.... great pleasure to behold'.

The description of Vithoba with basil garland, yellow garment, fish shaped ear rings and koustubh gem stone in the necklace, confirms that He is the Lord Vishnu Himself who has come as Vithoba. 
When you love someone with all your heart and ask your soul, you find the appearance of your lover very very beautiful and feel like looking at the person again and again. That is what has happened to Saint Tukaram!

This is the abhanga with which Varkaris start their bhajan or kirtan.
It's audio is also available on Youtube. It's a sheer pleasure to listen to Lata Mangeshkar singing 'Sundar te dhyan..."
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEeqxdmIbg0

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