The saints, the shard holds butter
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
परमार्थी तो न ह्मणावा आपुला । सलगी धाकुला हेळूं नये ॥1॥
थोडा चि स्फुलिंग बहुत दावाग्नी । वाढतां इंधनीं वाढविला ॥ध्रु.॥
पितियानें तैसा वंदावा कुमर । जयाचें अंतर देवें वसे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे शिरीं वाहावें खापर । माजी असे सार नवनीत ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A person devoted to the Supreme Goal, however young or seemingly insignificant, should never be treated lightly on account of familiarity. A tiny spark can become a great forest fire when fed with kindling. Even a father should bow before the child within whom God dwells. Says Tuka, carry the earthen shard upon your head, for inside it lies the pure butter.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Do not call a lover of God your own and treat him lightly. Do not slight one who is young or seems small just because you are close to him. A small spark becomes a great forest fire when it is fed with fuel. Even a father should bow to the child in whom God dwells. Tuka says: carry the broken clay pot on your head, for inside it is pure butter.
What it means
Tukaram warns against measuring a devotee of God by his outward size or station. Familiarity tempts us to treat a young or humble person carelessly, but he says that is a mistake: a tiny spark, given fuel, becomes a forest fire, and the God-filled person can grow the same way. He pushes the point to its sharpest edge: even a father should bow before his own child if God lives within that child, because the relation of devotion outranks the relation of birth. The closing image makes it plain. The plain clay shard looks like nothing, yet the pure butter is inside it; honor what it holds, not how it looks.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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