Exhortation, say Rama amid work
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कामांमध्यें काम । कांहीं ह्मणा रामराम । जाइल भवश्रम । सुख होईल दुःखाचें ॥1॥
कळों येईल अंतकाळीं । प्राणप्रयाणाचे वेळीं । राहाती निराळीं । रांडापोरें सकळ ॥ध्रु.॥
जीतां जीसी जैसा तैसा । पुढें आहे रे वोळसा । उगवुनि फांसा । काय करणें तें करीं ॥2॥
केलें होतें या चि जन्में । अवघें विठोबाच्या नामें । तुका ह्मणे कर्म । जाळोनियां तरसी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Amidst all your work, say Rama, Rama at least a little. The weariness of worldly existence will vanish and sorrow will turn to joy. You will understand at the final hour, when life departs the body, that wife and children all stand apart from you. While alive, be as you are, but know that ahead lies a passage through darkness; free yourself from that snare and do what must be done. Says Tuka, everything accomplished in this very birth through Vithoba's name burns away all karma and carries you across.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
In the middle of all your work, say at least a little: Rama, Rama. The weariness of this world will go, and the sorrow will turn to joy. You will understand at the last hour, when the breath is leaving, that wife and children all stand apart from you. While you live, be as you are; but ahead lies a dark passage. Loosen the noose, and do what must be done. Whatever is done in this very birth, all of it through Vithoba's name, Tuka says, burns up your karma and carries you across.
What it means
Tukaram asks for something small and immediate: not retreat from the world, but the Name slipped in among ordinary work. Even a little Rama, Rama lightens the weariness of living and turns sorrow toward joy. He sharpens it with the deathbed view, when wife and children are seen to stand apart and a dark passage waits ahead, so you should loosen the noose now and do what truly matters while you can. The promise is that the work done in this very life, all of it carried on Vithoba's name, burns away the karma that binds and ferries you across.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
More in this theme →