Exhortation, go to Pandhari now
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पुराणींचा इतिहास । गोड रस सेविला ॥1॥
नव्हती हे आहाच बोल । मोकळें फोल कवित्व ॥ध्रु.॥
भावें घ्या रे भावें घ्या रे । येगदा जा रे पंढरिये ॥2॥
भाग्यें आलेति मनुष्यदेहा । तो हा पाहा विठ्ठल ॥3॥
पापपुण्या करील झाडा । जाइल पीडा जन्माची ॥4 ॥
घ्यावी हातीं टाळदिंडी । गावे तोंडीं गुणवाद ॥5॥
तुका ह्मणे घटापटा । न लगे वाटा शोधाव्या ॥6॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I have savored the sweet essence of the histories told in the Puranas. These are not hollow, empty words or loose and pointless poetry. Take it with devotion, take it with devotion, and go at least once to Pandhari. By good fortune you have obtained a human body; behold Vitthala. He will settle the account of sin and merit and end the suffering of birth. Take the cymbals and the dindi-flag in hand and sing His praises with your mouth. Says Tuka, you need not search for remote paths or philosophies.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I have tasted the sweet essence of the old stories the Puranas tell. These are not idle words. This is not loose, empty poetry. Take it with faith, take it with faith, and go just once to Pandhari. By good fortune you have come into a human body. Now look: here is Vitthal. He will settle the account of your sin and merit. He will end the suffering of birth. Take cymbals and the dindi flag in hand, and sing his praises aloud. Tuka says: you need not go searching for far paths or clever philosophies.
What it means
Tukaram is pressing the listener toward one simple act before the human body is wasted. He insists his words are not poetry for its own sake; they carry the tested essence of the Puranas, so they should be received with faith, not weighed as literature. The chance is rare: a human birth is the one form in which you can stand before Vitthal at Pandhari, and that meeting settles the whole ledger of sin and merit and ends the round of birth. The method he names is plain and bodily, cymbals, the pilgrim flag, the Name sung aloud, not subtle argument. The point is that the high road of abstract philosophy is unnecessary when the direct road of devotion is open to anyone.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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