Renunciation, the body betrays you
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
इच्छेचें पाहिलें । डोळीं अंतीं मोकलिलें ॥1॥
यांचा विश्वास तो काई । ऐसें विचारूनि पाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
सुगंध अभ्यंगें पािळतां । केश फिरले जाणतां ॥2॥
पिंड पािळतां ओसरे । अवघी घेऊनि मागें सरे ॥3॥
करितां उपचार । कोणां नाहीं उपकार ॥4॥
अल्प जीवन करीं । तुका ह्मणे साधीं हरी ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The eyes behold what they desire, but in the end they must let it go. What trust can be placed in such things? Consider this carefully. Hair that is pampered with fragrant oils and ointments will in time turn grey and betray you. The body, however well-fed, eventually shrivels and draws back, taking everything with it. No matter what remedies you apply, nothing yields a lasting return. Says Tuka, life is brief; use it to secure Hari.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The eyes look at what they want. In the end they have to let it go. What trust can you put in such things? Think about it carefully. Hair you pamper with sweet oils turns grey while you watch. However well you feed the body, it shrivels in the end and pulls back, taking everything with it. Whatever remedy you try, none of it pays you back. Life is short. Tuka says: use it to secure Hari.
What it means
Tukaram looks straight at the body and counts what it can promise. The eye seizes what it desires, then is forced to release it; the oiled hair greys, the well-fed flesh shrinks back at the end and drags off everything you gathered. He asks why anyone would trust such things or pour their care into them, since no remedy buys a lasting return. The one move that pays is to spend this brief life winning Hari, while there is still time.
Renunciation
The case for letting go of worldly attachments and turning wholly to God.
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