Exhortation, seize the human birth
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
लाभ जाला बहुतां दिसीं । लाहो करा पुढें नासी । मनुष्यदेहा ऐसी । उत्तमजोडी जोडिली ॥1॥
घेई हरिनाम सादरें । भरा सुखाचीं भांडारें । जालिया व्यापारें । लाहो हेवा जोडीचा॥ध्रु.॥
घेउनि माप हातीं । काळ मोवी दिवस राती । चोर लाग घेती । पुढें तैसें पळावें ॥2॥
हित सावकासें । ह्मणे करीन तें पिसें । हातीं काय ऐसें । तुका ह्मणे नेणसी ॥3॥ ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
After a long time, a great gain has come; seize the profit before it perishes. A human body is the supreme fortune one can attain. Take the name of Hari with reverence; fill the storehouse of happiness. Through this trade, gain the profit and the joy of true investment. Time is measuring out your days and nights with its own yardstick; thieves are giving chase, so you must run ahead. Says Tuka, the fool who says he will attend to his welfare later does not know what is truly in his hands.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
After a long time a great profit has come. Take it quickly, before it spoils. A human body is the finest fortune you can ever gain. Take Hari's name with care. Fill your storehouses with happiness. Make the trade, and win the profit, win the gain of a lifetime. Time holds the measuring-cup in its hand. It measures out your days and nights. Thieves are after you. So run on ahead. Tuka says: the fool who says he will see to his good later does not know what he is holding in his hand.
What it means
Tukaram talks the language of trade and urgency. The human birth is a rare windfall that has finally come round, and like fresh goods it will spoil if you sit on it. The profitable trade is taking Hari's name and stocking the storehouse of happiness with it. He sharpens the pressure with two images: Time standing there ladling out your days with a measuring-cup, and thieves chasing you so you must keep moving. The closing scorn is aimed at procrastination itself, the man who promises to attend to his soul later and has no idea what treasure is already in his grip.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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