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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