Metaphor, ornaments need a true marriage
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
साजे अळंकार । तरि भोगितां भ्रतार ॥1॥
व्यभिचारा टाकमटिका । उपहास होती लोकां ॥ध्रु.॥
शूरत्वाची वाणी । रूप मिरवे मंडणीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे जिणें । शर्त्तीविण लाजिरवाणें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Ornaments befit a woman who is with her husband. On an adulteress, they are misplaced and bring ridicule from all. To speak of bravery, to display one's beauty in adornments: Says Tuka, without proper discipline, such a life is shameful.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Ornaments look right on a woman who is with her husband. On an unfaithful woman they are out of place and bring her the scorn of all. To boast of bravery, to show off your beauty in fine adornments: Tuka says: without true discipline, such a life is shameful.
What it means
Tukaram uses a marriage image to test the worth of outward show. Jewelry fits a faithful wife but looks absurd on one who has betrayed the bond, and it earns her mockery rather than admiration. He reads spiritual life the same way: parading your courage or decking yourself in fine display means nothing if the underlying fidelity is missing. The point lands on discipline and faithfulness as what gives the outward signs their value; without that inner commitment, the whole performance is a shameful pretense, an invitation to examine whether one's display rests on anything real.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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