तुकाराम मराठा – इतिहासमें एक स्मरणीय तथा अलौकिक पुरुष हो गये हैं। वे अत्यन्त चतुर तथा विनोदी थे प्रपद्धोंसे वे सदा दूर रहते थे। व्यक्तिपूजा उनकी प्रकृतिके विरुद्ध बात थी। वे परम त्यागी तथा उच्चकोटिके भगवद्भक्त थे। 1629-30 के भीषण अकालमें उनके स्त्री-पुत्र रोटी-रोटी करते कालकवलित हो गये, पर उनके अडिग भगवद्विश्वासमें तनिक भी अन्तर न आया। इनका पशु-पक्षियोंपर भी अपार अनुराग था। एकबार एक किसानने उन्हें अपने खेतकी रखवालीपर नियुक्त किया। कुछ लुटेरे आये और खेतको पशुओं तथा अपने हाथोंसे उजाड़ दिया। ध्यानमग्न संत तुकाराम कुछ न बोले। किसान आया और उन्हें खेत उजाड़नेका अपराधी ठहराया। पर आश्चर्य ! जब तुकरामने उस खेतपर दृष्टि डाली तो वह खेत पूर्ववत् लहलहा उठा। इससे प्रसन्न होकर किसान उन्हें कुछ अनाज देने लगा, पर तुकारामने अस्वीकार कर दिया।
Tukaram has become a memorable and supernatural man in Maratha history. He was very clever and humorous, he always stayed away from the lamps. Personality worship was against his nature. He was the ultimate renunciate and a high-class devotee of the Lord. In the severe famine of 1629-30, his wife and son died while doing bread and butter, but there was no difference in his unshakable faith in God. He also had immense affection for animals and birds. Once a farmer appointed him to guard his field. Some robbers came and destroyed the field with their animals and with their hands. Saint Tukaram, who was engrossed in meditation, did not say anything. The farmer came and blamed him for destroying the field. But surprise ! When Tukram looked at that field, that field started moving like before. Pleased with this, the farmer started giving him some grains, but Tukaram refused.
