Metaphor, the feast already cooked
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आइत्याची राशी । आली पाकसिद्धीपाशीं ॥1॥
आतां सांडोनि भोजन । भिके जावें वेडेपणें ॥ध्रु.॥
उसंतिली वाट । मागें परतावें फुकट ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे वाणी । वेचों बैसोन ठाकणीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A ready harvest has arrived at the kitchen, the cooking complete. Should one now abandon the feast and go begging like a madman? The road has been cleared and laid before you; to turn back now would be to go back empty. Says Tuka, let me sit and spend my words at my appointed station.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A whole harvest of ready food has arrived, the cooking already done. Should you now leave the meal and go begging like a madman? The road has been cleared and laid out before you. To turn back now is to go back for nothing. Tuka says: let me sit at my appointed place and spend my words there.
What it means
Tukaram mocks the folly of refusing what is already given. The meal is cooked and set; to walk away from it and go begging would be madness. The road is cleared and ready, so turning back gains you nothing but loss. The image points at the seeker who has been handed everything needed for the journey to God and still hesitates or wanders off. His own resolve is in the last line: he will stay at his appointed station and spend his words, his singing of God, right there, not chase elsewhere for what he already has.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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