Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
कांहीं नित्यनेमाविण । अन्न खाय तो श्वान ॥ वांयां मनुष्यपण । भार वाहे तो वृषभ ॥१॥
त्याचा होय भूमी भार । नेणे यातीचा आचार ॥ जाला दावेदार । भोगवी अघोर पितरांसि ॥ध्रु.॥
अखंड अशुभ वाणी । खरें न बोले स्वप्नीं ॥ पापी तयाहुनी । आणीक नाहीं दुसरा ॥२॥
पोट पोसी एकला । भूतीं दया नाहीं ज्याला ॥ पाठीं लागे आल्या । अतिताचे दाराशीं ॥३॥
कांहीं संतांचे पूजन । न घडे तीर्थांचें भ्रमण ॥ यमाचा आंदण । सीण थोर पावेल ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे त्यांनीं । मनुष्यपणा केली हानी ॥ देवा विसरूनी । गेलीं म्हणतां मी माझें ॥५॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
One who eats without any daily discipline is no better than a dog. One who wastes his human birth carrying burdens is like an ox. Such a person is a burden on the earth, ignorant of the proper conduct of his station; having become heir to the family, he sends his ancestors to terrible suffering. One whose speech is forever inauspicious, who cannot speak truth even in a dream, is the greatest sinner; there is no one worse. One who feeds only his own belly, who has no compassion for any living being, and who turns away a guest at the door. One who never worships the saints or undertakes any pilgrimage will suffer greatly in the grip of Yama, the lord of death. Says Tuka, such people have squandered the gift of human birth. Forgetting God, they have lost everything by clinging to 'I' and 'mine.'
This translation is auto-generated and may contain errors. We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram’s original Marathi.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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