Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
उपजला प्राणी न राहे संसारीं । बैसला सेजारी काळ उसां ॥1॥
पाहा तो उंदीर घेउनि जाय बोका । तैसा काळ लोका नेत असे ॥ध्रु.॥
खाटिकाचे घरीं अजापुत्र पाहें । कसाबाची गाय वांचे कैसी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे कांहीं करा काढाकाढी । जाती ऐसी घडी पुन्हा नये ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Every being that is born does not remain in this world forever. Death sits close by, watching for its moment. See how a cat seizes a mouse and carries it away; just so, Death carries people off. Look at the goat's kid in the butcher's house. How can the slaughterhouse cow survive? Says Tuka, do something quickly; such a moment, once gone, never returns.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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