Renunciation, leaving for God's country
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नव्हे नरनारी संवसारीं अंतरलों । निर्लज्ज निष्काम जना वेगळे चि ठेलों ॥१॥
चाल रघुरामा न आपुल्या गांवा । तुजविण आम्हां कोण सोयरा सांगाती ॥ध्रु.॥
जनवाद लोकनिंद्य पिशुनाचे चेरे । साहूं तुजसाठीं अंतरलीं सहोदरें ॥२॥
बहुता पाठीं निरोप हाटीं पाठविला तुज । तुका म्हणे आतां सांडुनि लौकिक लाज ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I am neither man nor woman in this world; I have become estranged from all, shameless and desireless, set apart from everyone. Come, Raghuram, let us go to our own homeland. Who is our companion and friend but you? We will bear the people's taunts and the slander of the malicious; for your sake even brothers and sisters have become strangers. Many times I have sent word to you through the marketplace. Says Tuka, I have now cast aside all worldly reputation and shame.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I am neither man nor woman in this world. I have grown apart from all. I am shameless now, I want nothing, I stand off by myself, away from everyone. Come, Raghuram, let us go away to our own country. Who is our friend, who is our kin, if not you? People will mock us; the spiteful will spread their slander. I will bear all of it for your sake. For you, even brothers and sisters have become strangers to me. Many times I have sent word to you through the marketplace. Tuka says: now I have thrown away my good name, and all my shame before the world.
What it means
Tukaram declares that he has stepped outside every worldly category and bond. He is no longer man or woman in the world's reckoning, no longer kin to his own family; he is shameless and free of want, deliberately set apart. The whole point is that one tie now holds everything: Raghuram is his only friend and family, and he is ready to bear public mockery and the slander of malicious people for that one bond. He has cast off reputation and shame, which is the very thing that usually keeps a person inside the world. The cost of belonging wholly to God is being willing to be nothing to everyone else.
Renunciation
The case for letting go of worldly attachments and turning wholly to God.
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