Tukaram’s Pointers For Ideal Life
Tukaram’s Pointers For An Ideal Life:
This topic as well as the writings of Tukaram on the subject is so vast that it took me some time to get organized. It is also best to divide it into 3 parts due to the sheer size of the contents.
Part 1:
Most people have heard the 15th century Gujarathi saint Narsi Mehta’s famous poem Vaishnava Jana To Teney Kahiye je that describes how should a Vaishnav ( Devotee of Vishnu ) be .
English Translation of Vaishnav Jana
Only he is a man of God
who understands the pain of others
one who does good to others
without letting pride enter his mind.
One who finds good around the world
without finding faults in anyone
Who keeps his words, thoughts and actions pure
his mother is blessed
One who sees equally, gives up greed
respects women like his mother
one who tirelessly speaks the truth
and does not eye else's property
One who gives up attachments
whose mind renounciates
The name of Raam is on his lips
whose pilgrimage is within
One who is not greedy or deceitful,
and is free of lust and anger
O Narsi, in the company of such a person,
the entire family gets salvation
Tukaram in his inimitable style expresses the same virtues and some more. The words are sometimes soft, other times stern, occasionally with a lament about people’s disregard for devotion or a tearful plea to God for mercy, sometimes tinged with humor and at other times taking a tone of serious warning or reprimand. Yet underlying any of these moods is the unmistakable compassion for all and an unswerving devotion to Panduranga.
Through his abhangas Tukaram has sketched the picture of ideal living that would bring meaningfulness and happiness for one and all. His words are steeped in wisdom that could be of value in navigating not just one’s spiritual journey but equally useful to thrive in the worldly affairs.
Though it appears simple on the surface, in reality it is very difficult to meet these expectations. We could keep trying our best from day to day.
Envy nobody
God exists in every person. If we can see this we will not hate or be jealous of anyone. We are part of one Supreme Being. The same person feels pain irrespective of which body part hurts because it is one body.
Konahi jeevaachaa na ghado matsar
Varm sarveshwar poojanaache
Tuka mhane ekaa dehaache avayava
Sukh dukkha jeev bhog paave
Non discrimination
A true devotee sees God in equal measure in all creation and thus treats everyone with equal love and respect.
Tukaram decries discrimination as inappropriate and delusional.
Vishnumay jag vaishnavaanchaa dharm
Bedabhed bhram amangal
If we want to buy jaggery and the neighborhood grocer has it in stock we should be happy. Why should we care for the grocer’s creed,lineage or caste?
A tulsi plant growing near garbage carries the same medicinal values as another growing in a sheltered place. Why then should we throw it away?
A cow sometimes feeds on thrown waste. Yet her milk is pure. Should we decline that milk ?
A jackfruit has thick ragged outer covering. We need to keep that aside and simply enjoy the fleshy fruit inside.
In summary, care for the qualities in a person. Not his race, religion, caste, or appearance.
Aspanaa laagey kaam vaanyaaghari gula
Tyaachey yaati kula kaay keejey
Ukardyaavari vaadhali tulasi
Taakaavi tey kaisi thaayaa guney
Gaayichaa jo bhaksha amangal khaay
Tichey doodh kaay sevu naye
Tuka mhane kaay saalpataasi kaaj
Phansaatil beej kaadhuni ghyaavey
Practice Simplicity and Self Control
Stay vigilant always and control your mind from diverting to undesirable avenues. Each day be ready to welcome a new awakening. Spend time in meditation, introspection, solitude and prayer.
Keep food intake, enjoyments, sleep, speech to a bare minimum. Practice modesty. Spit out praise and criticism that is showered on you. A devotee must often endure a lot of hardship to reach his goal and rise above the forces that tend to pull him down. Spiritual wealth is what has real value. With above disciplines and a devoted service to God it is possible to obtain this wealth. Trust your life to God and live a carefree and happy life.
Tuka mhane manaa paahije ankush
Nitya navaa dees jaagrutichaa
Kaal saaraavaa chintane
Ekaantvaasi Gangaasnaane
Devaache pujan
pradakshanaa tulsichyaa
Yukta aahaar vihaar
Nem indriyaanchaa saar
Nasaavi baasar
Nidraa bahu bhaashan
Parmaarth mahaa dhan
Jodi devaache charan
Vhaavayaa jatan
Hey upaay laabhaache
Deha samarpeeje devaa
Bhaar kaahich na ghyaavaa
Hoyil aaghavaa
Tuka mhane aanand
Nirvaahaa puratey anna aachhaadan
Aashramaasi sthaan kopi guha
Mastaki sahaavey thaankiyaasi jaana
Tevhaa devapana bhogaavey gaa
Aapuliye stuti nindaa athavaa maana
Taakaavaa thunkona pailikadey
Sadguru sevana techi amrutapaana
Karuni praashana baisaavey gaa
Aapulyaa mastaki padota dongara
Sukhaachey maahera taaku naye
Tuka mhane aataa saangu tulaa kiti
Jinyaachi phajiti karu naye
Keep a pure mind
A pure heart is a basic necessity for a happy life. No outside means can clean your inner sanctum.
Soap can’t wash away the impurities that are in the mind. One must do it himself with the aid of right thinking. There can be no spiritual progress without a pure mind. Once the mind is purified God comes to reside in it.
Body consciousness ( to think that I am the body) is root cause of all evil. It invites the duality of sins and virtues to follow you. Once the body focus is thrown away like a blanket the mind can see clearly what is the truth .A wise man chooses the path to self purification. Others fall prey to the devastation of Time.
Naahi nirmal jeevan
Kaay kareel saaban
Taisi chittashuddhi naahi
Tethe bodha kareel kaayi
Kaay kaashi kariti gangaa
Bheetari chaangaa naahi to
Tuka mhane chitta karaave nirmal
Yevuni Gopaal raahe tethe
Aadhi sojwal karaavaa maraga
Chaalataa tey maga govi naahi
Aisaa chaaloniyaa aalaa shishtaachaara
Govichaa vevhaar paap punya
Palaney to palaa saanduni kaambaley
Upaadhichyaa muley laaga paavey
Tuka mhane yethey shoor to nivadey
Padiley baapudey Kaal chakri
Speech : keep it short, sweet and meaningful
Tukaram Maharaj has beautifully and precisely described how one’s speech should be.
It should be truthful and mild or soft mannered. Use just a few words but keep them meaningful and interesting. Such speech appears like a fountain of elixir ( of immortality).
More importantly speech and action must go hand in hand.
He advises control over all senses including speech and is against hanging out too long with people and carrying on empty talk. He has sternly criticized plagiarism and recitation of borrowed words without understanding the meaning or speaking without experience.
For himself he desires his speech to be devoted to continuous utterance of the praise and name of God and nobody other than God.
Saach aani mavaal
Mitaley aani rasaal
Boley jaisey kallola
Amrutaachey
Boley taisaa chaaley
Na bolo phaar baiso janaamadhi
Saavadhaan buddhi indriye dami
Arthey vina paathaantar kaasayaa karaavey
Vyarthachi maraavey ghokuniyaa
Gheyi maaze vaachey
Goda naam Vithobaachey
Discard Ego
Sevakaa Swaami saathi maan
Tyaache naam tyaache dhan
Tuka mhane jaan
Tumhi sant tadarthi
Naahi devaapaashi mokshaachey gaatholey
Indriyaanchaa jaya saadhuniyaa mana
Nirvishaya kaaran asey tethey
Aanuni niraaley dyaavey haati
Tuka mhane phala aahey moolaa paashi
Sharan devaasi jaaya vegi
Ego stands in the way of progress. God doesn’t have a ready package to hand over or a pill to swallow to get salvation. The way to achieve this goal is by surrendering the ego.
At one place Tukaram has compared the ego to a blanket or cloak. Throw away this blanket, he says, to realize God within you.
(It is a different thing to read this and quite another to realize and put into practice.)
A devotee or saint is respected because of his master, the Supreme Being. It’s HIS name and wealth that bestows these privileges upon HIS servants. Thus look upon the saints and devotees in that context. Their being devoid of ego elevates them to this revered position.
Aaliyaa sansaaraa utha vega karaa
sharan jaa udaaraa Pandurangaa
Deh hey devaache dhan Kuberaachey
Tethe manushyaachey kaay aahey
Detaa devavitaa netaa nevavitaa
Yethey yaachi sattaa kaay aahey
Nimityaachaa dhani kelaa asey praani
Maaze maaze mhanoni vyartha gelaa
Tuka mhane kaa re naashavantaasaati
Devaasave aati paaditosi
One of Tukaram Maharaj’s abhanga made popular by recording in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar is :
Khel maandiyelaa valvanti ghaai
Naachati vaishnava bhaai re
Krodh abhimaan gelaa paavatani
Eka ekaa laagatil paayi re
The true devotees see God in each other. They have discarded their ego and thus false pride and anger. When they meet they bow down to each other as a gesture of surrendering and paying respect to God.
Saree is a mul cotton with hand painted Kalamkari design from SriKalahasti in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. This technique has its GI tag. Will discuss more about Kalamkari in a later post.
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