Worldly life, the Name calls God running
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
काय शरीरापें काम । कृपा साधावया प्रेम । उचिताचे धर्म । भागा आले ते करूं ॥1॥
देईन हाक नारायणा । तें तों नाकळे बंधना । पंढरीचा राणा । आइकोन धांवेल ॥ध्रु.॥
सातांपांचांचें गोठलें । प्रारब्धें आकारलें । आतां हें संचलें । असो भोगा सांभाळीं ॥2॥
फावली ते बरवी संधि । सावधान करूं बुद्धी । तुका ह्मणे मधीं । कोठें नेघें विसावा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What need has the body to strain itself? Let the work be to win God's grace and love. Whatever duties destiny brings, let them be fulfilled. I will call out to Narayana, for that call cannot be bound. The King of Pandhari will hear it and come running. The elements and senses have gathered together, shaped by destiny. Let what has been accumulated serve the body's needs. When a good opportunity comes, let us sharpen the buddhi. Says Tuka, do not stop for rest in the middle of the journey.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
What work has the body to wear itself out with? Let the work be to win grace and love. Whatever duties fall to my share, those I will do. I will call out to Narayana, and that call cannot be bound by anything. The King of Pandhari will hear it and come running. The elements and senses have gathered, shaped by destiny; let what is gathered serve the body's needs. When a good chance comes, let me make my mind alert. Tuka says: do not stop anywhere along the way to rest.
What it means
Tukaram is dividing labor between body and soul. The body need not be driven hard; the real task is to win God's grace and love, while the ordinary duties destiny assigns get done in their turn. His one sure method is to call out the Name, because that cry cannot be held or stopped, and the King of Pandhari hears it and comes running. The body, made of elements and senses by destiny, is left to its own upkeep, while he keeps his mind awake and refuses to halt for rest before the journey is done.
Worldly Life
The perplexities of action, karma, and navigating life in the world.
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