Exhortation, remember death
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पडिली हे रूढि जगा परिचार । चालविती वेव्हार सत्य ह्मूण ॥1॥
मरणाची कां रे नाहीं आठवण । संचिताचा धन लोभ हेवा ॥ध्रु.॥
देहाचें भय तें काळाचें भातुकें । ग्रासूनि तें एकें ठेविलेंसे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे कांहीं उघडा रे डोळे । जाणोनि अंधळे होऊं नका ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The world runs on custom and carries out its dealings as though they were truth. Why do you have no remembrance of death, hoarding wealth in greed and envy? The fear of the body is but a plaything of time, which has devoured and set it aside. Says Tuka, open your eyes at least; do not knowingly make yourselves blind.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The world has fallen into custom and habit, and runs its dealings as if they were true. Why is there no thought of death in you, while you hoard wealth in greed and envy? The body's fear is only a plaything of time, which has already swallowed it and set it aside. Tuka says: at least open your eyes. Do not knowingly make yourselves blind.
What it means
Tukaram attacks the way people live on habit, treating worldly transactions as if they were ultimate truth. His sharp question is why they keep no memory of death while they pile up wealth out of greed and envy. He reminds them that the body, and the fear of losing it, is only a toy of time, which has already consumed it and put it aside. The closing plea is for honesty about all this: open your eyes at least, and stop choosing blindness on purpose. The verse points at willful self-deception, not at any one person.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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