Renunciation, God before all ties
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जेणें घडे नारायणीं अंतराय । होत बाप माय वर्जावीं तीं ॥१॥
येर प्रिया पुत्र धना कोण लेखा । करिती तीं दुःखा पात्र शत्रु ॥ध्रु.॥
प्रल्हादें जनक बिभीषणें बंधु । राज्य माता निंदु भरतें केली ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे सर्व धर्म हरिचे पाय । आणीक उपाय दुःखमूळ ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Whatever creates a barrier between you and Narayana must be shunned, even if it be your own father or mother. Beloved, children, wealth: these become the very vessels of enmity that make you a receptacle of sorrow. Prahlad renounced his father, Vibhishana his brother, and Bharata rejected the kingdom and condemned his own mother. Says Tuka, all dharma is Hari's feet; all other remedies are the root of suffering.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Whatever comes between you and Narayana must be shunned, even if it is your own father or mother. Spouse, children, wealth, what are they worth, when they so easily become the very vessels of enmity that fill you with sorrow? Prahlad set aside his father, Vibhishana his brother, and Bharata refused the kingdom and even condemned his own mother's deed. Tuka says: the whole of dharma is the feet of Hari; every other remedy is the root of suffering.
What it means
Tukaram states the absolute priority of God over every other tie. Anything that blocks the way to God, even parents, even spouse and children and wealth, must be set aside, because these attachments so readily turn into sources of conflict and grief. He summons the great scriptural examples of devotees who chose God over family: Prahlad against his demon father, Vibhishana leaving his brother Ravana, Bharata rejecting the throne and his mother's scheme. The conclusion is his creed in one line: the whole of religion is simply the feet of Hari, and every substitute for that is where suffering begins.
Renunciation
The case for letting go of worldly attachments and turning wholly to God.
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