Tukaram Pointers: Part 3

Live a life of service and honesty

Spend wealth wisely

Punya parupkaar, paap tey parapeedaa 

Aanik naahi jodaa dujaa yaasi 

Satya tochi dharma, asatya tey karma 

Aanik hey varma naahi duje 

Gati techi mukhi naamaache smaran 

Adhogati jaan vinmukhtaa 

Jodoniyaa dhana uttama vevhaarey 

Udaas vichaarey vench kari

Uttamachi gati to paavela 

Uttama bhogila jeeva khaani 

Para upakaari neney para nindaa

Para streeyaa sadaa bahini maayaa

Bhoota dayaa gaayi pashunchey paalan

Taanhelyaa jeevan vanaamaaji 

Shaantiroopa navhey konaachaa vaayita 

Vaadhavi mahatva vadilaanche

Tuka mhane hechi aashrama phala 

Paramapada bala vairaagyaachey 

Helping the less fortunate and those in need accumulates blessings. In contrast causing hurt or harm to others incurs sin. Honesty is true religion. Falsehood brings one’s destruction. Constant remembrance of God leads on the path of spiritual progress. Turning away from God brings one’s downfall.

As a householder it is important to use the resources and wealth wisely, not just for oneself and his/ her family but also for the community and animal life around . 

Peace, Forgiveness and Compassion are of  more value than a pilgrimage

Jaavuniyaa teerthaa kaay tuvaa keley 

Charma prakshaaliley vari vari

Tuka mhane naahi shaanti kshmaa dayaa

Tovari kaasayaa phundaa tumhi 

Any kind of pilgrimage or rituals brings only skin deep change in a person. Unless deep inside there is compassion, forgiveness for others and the mind is at peace all the superficial means of purification are worthless.

Tukaram gives the highest importance for forgiveness. A leader needs to remain vigilant about truth and have certainty about right and wrong. He must safeguard success, fame and honor with due diligence. Only then he can attain God. 

 No one can bring harm to a person who has ability to forgive even the enemy when the latter surrenders and asks for mercy. Indeed being forgiving is in the best interest of all beings.

Dili maan tari neghaavi shatruchi 

Sharana aaley tyaasi jatan jeevey 

Samarthaasi asey vichaaraachi aana 

Bhali paap punya vichaaraavey

Kaalulatisaati satyaachaa visar

Padiley antar na paahije

Tuka mhane yash keerti aani maan 

Karitaa jatan dev jodey 

Kshamaa shaastra Jayaa naraachiyaa haati

Dushta tayaa prati kaay kari

Truna naahi tethey padilaa daavaagni 

Jaay to vizoni aapasayaa 

Tuka mhane kshmaa sarvaanche swaheeta 

Dharaa akhandita sukharoopa 

Take care of elders

Maaybaapey kevala kaashi 

Teney na vajey teerthaasi

Pundalike kaay keley

Parabrahma ubhey theley 

Taisaa hoyi saavadhaan 

Hridayi dhari Naaraayana 

Tuka mhane maayabaapey 

Avaghi devaachi swaroopey 

At another place Tukaram decisively derides pilgrimage and instead extols the merits in caring for one’s elderly parents. The story of the young devotee Pundalik serves as the perfect example of how even the worship of God is secondary to the responsibility for one’s parents. Pundalik famously asked Lord Panduranga to hold on, stand still on a brick while he attends to his parents. The Lord obeyed his dutiful devotee’s orders and is found standing on that brick in Pandharpur. 

Here Tukaram reminds us of that chapter in history and asserts that parents are Gods themselves. Attending to them, serving them especially when they are old is no less than worshipping God or going on a pilgrimage. Keep the devotion to God alive in your heart while you take care of your parents and God will be pleased with you, says Tukaram.

Teaching proves meaningful when teacher and student are qualified 

Nasataa adhikaar upadeshaasi balaatkaaraa 

Tari tey keley ho chaar maakadaa aani gaarodi 

A teacher may teach a full class of dozens of students. But only those that have the intellectual capacity to absorb the teaching will learn. Conversely a student may attend several classes on a subject but only a good teacher can make him understand the subject.

A hunter is equipped with several weapons like knives, swords, arrows, firearms. A wise hunter knows which weapon to use under what circumstances. He would not use a small knife to confront a tiger

It would make no sense for a small ant to carry the load of an elephant. 

A teacher like Tukaram who realizes this practicality imparts appropriate knowledge to a student after carefully assessing the student’s capacities.

Any forced teaching without proper qualifications amounts to entertainment or punishment. It is a waste.

Bulls may carry bagfuls of sugar on their backs yet they are not privy to taste the sugar. Camels may similarly carry precious food cargo yet themselves may be subjected to eat thorns.

An ignorant man cannot avail of the knowledge to free himself from suffering in mortal life. Tukaram pleads therefore for all to purify themselves and become eligible to attain the immortal truth.

Saakarechyaa gonyaa bailaachiye paathi 

Tayaasi sevati karbaadey 

Maalaachey pai petey vaahataati unta

Tayaalaagi kaatey bhakshaavayaa

Tuka mhane hoyi re gavhaaraa

Chouryaasichaa pheraa phiro nako 

Adhikaar taisaa karu upadesh 

Saahey ozey tyaas techi dyaavey 

Mungivari bhaar gajaache paalan 

Ghaalitaa te kona kaarya siddhi

Tuka mhane phansey vaaghuraa kurhaadi

Prasangi to kaadhi paaradhi to

Understand and accept the ups and downs in life

One must realize that life is not stationary. No situation, whether good or bad, is permanent. One must adjust to the ever changing landscape of circumstances. Sometimes there are hardships and at other times we can sleep comfortably. One day we may enjoy a lavish spread of dishes on the dinner table , another day a piece of dry bread is all that may be available. One journey may happen in a luxurious vehicle , another time we may have no choice but to walk long distances. One time we may have a choice of expensive clothes and another time just rags. Wealth may be at hand one day and we may endure poverty another time. We may be blessed to have the company of saints and good people some times and at other times our paths may cross with evil people. Under any circumstances keeping a balanced approach is a sign of maturity and wisdom in Tukaram’s opinion.

Kai vaahaavey jeevan

Kai palangi shayan 

Kai bhojya naanaapari 

Kai koradyaa bhaakari 

Kai basaavey vaahani

Kai paayi anhvaani 

Kai uttama praavarney 

Kai vasaney to jeerney 

Kai sakala sampatti

Kai bhoganey vipatti 

Kai sajjanaapaashi sanga

Kai doorjanaashi yoga

Tuka mhane jaana 

Sukha dukkha tey saman

Practice dispassion

In our lives each day we encounter temptations. Illicit  sexual attraction and excessive wealth are two most common causes of a man’s downfall.

Unless we develop a detachment from these we are in constant danger of losing our way from righteousness. 

Undue hopes for wealth, fame and power can be cause for unhappiness, hurt and disappointment. Thus it is best to avoid such expectations.

Saadhakaachi dashaa udaas asaavi 

Upaadhi nasaavi antarbaahi

Lolupataa kaay nidretey jinaavey

Bhojana karaavey parimita

Streeyaa dhan baa hey khotey 

Naagavaley mothey mothey

Mhanoni saandaa doni 

Sukha paavaal nidaani 

Sarva dukkhaasi kaarana 

Hich donhichi pramaana 

Aashaa sarvasvi saandaavi 

Teney nija padvi paavaavi 

Deh lobhey naadalaa 

Ghaalaa Yamaachaa padalaa 

Tuka mhane niraapekshaa 

Kaahi na dharaavi apekshaa 

Tukaram prays to God to give him the wisdom to stay away from evil thoughts, hearing gossip and bad mouthing of others, foul language , or company of a woman other than his wife. He would rather prefer to be blind, deaf or dumb than allow his senses to indulge in these evils. I have no interest in these things, he says; all I want and care about is Gopaal , my sweet Lord Panduranga.

Paapaachi vaasanaa nako daavu dolaa 

Tyaahuni aandhalaa baraach mi

Nindechey shravan nako maazey kaani 

Badhir karoni thevi devaa

Apavitra vaani nako maazyaa mukhaa 

Tyaajahuni mukaa baraach mi

Nako maja kadhi parastree sangati 

Janaatun maati uthataa bhali 

Tuka mhane maja avaghyaachaa kaantaalaa 

Tu eka Gopaalaa aawadasi 

Narastuti aani kathechaa vikaraa 

Hey nako daataaraa ghado devu 

Aisiye krupechi bhaakito karunaa 

aahesi tu raanaa udaaraachaa

Paraaviyaa naari aani paradhanaa 

Nako devu manaa vari yevu 

Bhootaanchaa matsar aani sant nindaa 

Hey nako Govindaa ghado devu 

Deh abhimaan nako devu shariri 

Chadho kaahi pari eka devu 

Tuka mhane tujhyaa paayaanchaa visar 

Nako vaaramvaar pado devu 

Keep good company, good habits 

Bhalyaachey darshan

 tethey shubhachi vachan

Bolaavi hey dharma neeta 

Kshobhey hota naahi hita 

Maryaadaa tey bari 

Vela jaanaavi chaturi 

Tuka mhane bahu 

Laagey aisey barey maoo 

Basataa choraapaashi taisi hoya buddhi 

Dekhataachi chindhi mana dhaavey 

Vyabhichaaryaapaasi baisataa kshanabhari 

Dekhataanchi naari mana dhaavey 

Prapanchaachaa chhanda taakuniyaa govaa

Dharaavey Keshavaa hridayaat 

Saanduniyaa deyi sansaaraachi bedi 

Keertanaachi godi dharaavi gaa 

Tuka mhane tula saangato mi eka 

Rukmininaayak mukhi gaavaa 

When you meet a saintly man you will experience auspiciousness. Likewise, if you practice moderation, act appropriately in every situation and follow a path of righteousness you will have good things happen to you in your life.

In contrast, living in the company of a thief will provoke tendencies of theft in you. Even a small object will bring thought of hoarding. Sight of an attractive woman will tempt you to cheat on your wife.

Therefore cultivate good thoughts , good company, love for God and self control always.

Turn your life into the service of God:

Thus over and over again Tukaram Maharaj pleads to the common man to rise, control his senses, and turn the mind away from worldly things and instead take it towards spiritual awakening. 

Hita tey karaave devaache  chintan 

Karuniyaa mana ekavidh

Tuka mhane laabha hoya to vyaapaar 

Karaa Kaay phaar shikavaave 

Taise jaage kari chitta 

kaahi aapuliyaa hitaa 

Nako nako manaa guntu maayaajaali

Kaal alaa javali graasaavayaa

Tuka mhane tulaa sodavinaa koni 

Ekaa chakrapaani vaachuniyaa

Aataa tari pudhe haachi upadesh

Nakaa karu naash aayushyaachaa 

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This concludes my attempt to summarize Sant Tukaram’s teachings about how to lead life while balancing worldly duties and spiritual quest. 

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Saree is a cotton handloom weave from the state of Tamil Nadu. The peridot green body  with rather large motifs is complemented by turquoise in the pallu , borders and matching blouse.