Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कां रे दास होसी संसाराचा खर । दुःखाचे डोंगर भोगावया ॥1॥
मिष्टान्नाची गोडी जिव्हेच्या अगरीं । मसक भरल्यावरी स्वाद नेणे ॥ध्रु.॥
आणीक ही भोग आणिकां इंिद्रयांचे। नाहीं ऐसे साचे जवळी कांहीं ॥2॥
रूप दृिष्ट धाय पाहातां पाहातां। न घडे सर्वथा आणि तृष्णा ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे कां रे नाशिवंतासाटीं। देवासवें तुटी करितोसी ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Why have you become the donkey of worldly life, O man, carrying mountains of sorrow upon your back? The sweetness of fine food lingers only at the tip of the tongue. Once the leather bag is full, it knows no more taste. So too with every other pleasure of the senses: nothing real, nothing lasting, remains close at hand. The eye is never satiated, no matter how long you gaze at beauty. Craving remains. Says Tuka, why, for the sake of what is perishable, do you sever your bond with God?
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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