Exhortation, time devours the body
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
क्षणक्षणा हा चि करावा विचार । तरावया पार भवसिंधु ॥1॥
नाशिवंत देह जाणार सकळ । आयुष्य खातो काळ सावधान ॥ध्रु.॥
संतासमागमीं धरूनि आवडी । करावी तांतडी परमाथाअ ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे येह लोकीच्या वेव्हारें । नये डोळे धुरें भरूनि राहों ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Moment by moment, one must reflect on how to cross the ocean of worldly existence. This perishable body will surely go; Time devours the lifespan, so stay alert. With loving eagerness, seek the company of saints and pursue the spiritual path with urgency. Says Tuka, do not remain blinded by the smoke of this world's affairs.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Every moment, think on this one thing: how to cross to the far shore of the sea of worldly life. This body perishes; all of it will go. Time is eating your lifespan, so stay alert. With love and longing, keep the company of saints. Hurry toward the highest good. Tuka says: do not stand here with your eyes filled by the smoke of this world's affairs.
What it means
Tukaram presses for urgency about the one thing that matters. At every moment the mind should return to a single question: how to cross the ocean of worldly existence. The body is perishable and will certainly go, and time is steadily eating away the lifespan, so there is no room for drowsiness. The practical counsel is to seek out the company of saints with eager love and to pursue the highest good without delay. The closing image is a warning against distraction: do not let the smoke of everyday affairs blind your eyes while the time runs out.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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