Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
भHीवीण जिणें जळो लाजिरवाणें । संसार भोगणें दुःखमूळ ॥1॥
वीसलक्ष योनि वृक्षामाजी घ्याव्या । जलचरीं भोगाव्या नवलक्ष ॥ध्रु.॥
अकरालक्ष योनि किडएांमाजी घ्याव्या । दशलक्ष भोगाव्या पIयांमध्ये ॥2॥
तीसलक्ष योनि पशूंचीये घरीं । मानवाभीतरीं चारलक्ष ॥3॥
एकएक योनि कोटिकोटि फेरा । मनुष्यदेहाचा वारा मग लागे ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे तेव्हां नरदेह नरा । तयाचा मातेरा केला मूढें ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Life without devotion is shameful and fit to be burned. Enduring worldly existence is the root of all suffering. Twenty lakh forms of life must be endured among trees; nine lakh among water creatures. Eleven lakh forms among insects and worms; ten lakh among birds. Thirty lakh forms among animals, and four lakh in the human species. Each form must be passed through crores and crores of times before the breeze of a human birth reaches one. Says Tuka, when at last the human body is obtained, the fool squanders it to ruin.
This translation is auto-generated and may contain errors. We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram’s original Marathi.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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