Exhortation, trade only in the eternal
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
न करावी आतां पोटासाटीं चिंता । आहे त्या संचिता माप लावूं ॥1॥
दृिष्ट ते घालावी परमार्थाठायीं । क्षुल्लका उपायीं सिण जाला ॥ध्रु.॥
येथें तंव नाहीं घेइजेसें सवें । कांहीं नये जीवें वेचों मिथ्या ॥2॥
खंडणें चि नव्हे उद्वेग वेरझारीं । बापुडे संसारीं सदा असों ॥3॥
शेवटा पाववी नावेचें बैसनें । भुजाबळें कोणें कष्टी व्हावें ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां सकळांचें सार । करावा व्यापार तरी ऐसा ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Do not worry about the belly any longer. Let us put the measure to whatever destiny has provided. Fix your gaze upon the spiritual path; pursuing trivial schemes has only brought exhaustion. Nothing from here can be taken along; why spend your life on what is false? There is no end to the agitation and the coming and going; the poor wretch remains forever in worldly life. Sitting in the boat brings you to the far shore; why should anyone toil with the strength of their own arms? Says Tuka, this is the essence of everything: if you are going to do business, let it be of this kind.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Do not worry any longer about feeding the belly. Let us measure out whatever fate has already stored up. Turn your gaze toward the spiritual path; chasing small schemes has only worn you out. Nothing here can be carried along with you; why spend your life on what is false? The agitation never ends, this endless coming and going; the poor creature stays forever in worldly life. Sitting in the boat carries you to the far shore; why should anyone wear himself out with the strength of his own arms? Tuka says: this is the heart of it all. If you are going to do business, let it be business of this kind.
What it means
Tukaram urges a change of investment: stop straining over food and survival, since what destiny stored for you will be measured out anyway, and fix your eyes on the spiritual goal. The little schemes only exhaust you, and nothing you grasp here goes with you past death, so spending a life on the false is waste. He pictures worldly life as endless restless traffic that keeps the soul trapped. The boat is the better way: let it carry you to the far shore instead of swimming on your own strength. Devotion, the surrender that lets grace carry you, is the only trade worth doing.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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