Honesty, speak the truth in time
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
सांगावें तें बरें असतें हें पोटीं । दुःख देते खोटी बुिद्ध मग ॥1॥
आपला आपण करावा वेव्हार । जिंकोनि अंतर मन ग्वाही ॥ध्रु.॥
नाहीं मागें येत बोलिलें वचन । पावावा तो सीण बरा मग ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे बहु भ्यालों खटपटे । आतां देवा खोटे शब्द पुरे ॥3॥
वाराणसीस यात्रा चालली तेव्हां स्वामींनीं भागीरथीस पत्र धाडिलें - ते अभंग ॥ 4 ॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What should be said must be said while it is still in the belly. A dishonest mind only produces suffering later. One must deal honestly with oneself, with the inner witness of the mind as the true judge. Spoken words cannot be recalled; it is better to accept the consequences early. Says Tuka, I have grown deeply wary of scheming. Enough now, O God, of false words.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
What needs saying is better said while it is still in the belly. A crooked mind only brings suffering afterward. Deal honestly with your own self; conquer your inner self, with the mind as the witness. A spoken word does not come back. It is better to bear the trouble of it early. Tuka says: I have grown very weary of scheming. Enough now, O God, of false words.
What it means
Tukaram is making the case for speaking the truth plainly and in time. Hold a word back and let a crooked mind work on it, and it only breeds suffering later, so it is better to say the needful thing while it still sits unspoken in you. He sets the inner self as both the one to be conquered and the witness who judges: honest dealing begins inside, with yourself. A word once spoken cannot be recalled, so it is wiser to bear the cost of plain speech early than to live with the rot of false words. The closing prayer is his own vow of weariness with all scheming.
The Moral Ideal
Purity, sincerity, truthfulness, humility, peacefulness, and service.
More in this theme →