Reckoning, the watchman's due
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
येऊं द्या जी कांहीं वेसकरास । आंतून बाहेर वोजेचा घास ॥१॥
जों यावें तों हात चि रिता नाहीं । कधीं तरीं कांहीं द्यावें घ्यावें ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे उद्यां लावीन म्हनेरा । जे हे दारोदारांभोंवतीं फिरा ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Let whatever comes be given to the watchman. A share of every load passing in and out is his due. Whoever enters must not come empty-handed. Something given, something taken, every single time. Says Tuka, tomorrow I will levy the fine on all of you who wander door to door.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Let the watchman be given his share, a mouthful from every load that passes in or out. Whoever comes through must not arrive empty-handed; something given, something taken, every single time. Tuka says: tomorrow I will levy the fine on all of you who go wandering from door to door.
What it means
Tukaram stays in the watchman's voice. The watchman's customary due, a share of everything that moves through the village gate, becomes an image of the toll that life and death exact on all our comings and goings. No one passes free; every transaction carries its levy. And the closing line keeps the threat of the reckoning hanging over those who drift from door to door, busy with the world. Under the homely custom is the same teaching as the verse before it: an account is being kept, and a fine will be paid, on everything you do.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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