Discernment, the inner intention
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कंथा प्रावर्ण । नव्हे भिक्षेचें तें अन्न ॥1॥
करीं यापरी स्वहित । विचारूनि धर्म नीत ॥ध्रु.॥
देऊळ नव्हे घर । प्रपंच परउपकार ॥2॥
विधिसेवन काम । नव्हे शब्द रामराम ॥3॥
हत्या क्षत्रधर्म । नव्हे निष्काम तें कर्म ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे संतीं । करूनि ठेविली आइती ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A patched blanket is not merely a garment; the food of alms is not ordinary food. Pursue your own good in this manner, weighing righteousness and duty. A temple is not a house; selfless action is not mere worldly business. Ritual performed out of desire is not the same as the words Rama, Rama. Killing in battle by a warrior's code is not the same as selfless action. Says Tuka, the saints have prepared all of this and laid it out ready for us.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A patched cloak is not just a covering; the food of alms is not ordinary food. Pursue your true good this way, weighing what is right and just. A temple is not a house; selfless service to others is not mere worldly business. Ritual done for desire is not the same as the words Rama, Rama. Killing under a warrior's code is not the same as desireless action. Tuka says: the saints have prepared all of this and laid it out ready.
What it means
Tukaram is teaching discernment: the same outward act carries a wholly different weight depending on the spirit behind it. A patched cloak, begged food, a temple, ritual, even killing in righteous battle look like ordinary clothing, eating, building, custom, or violence, but they are not, because the intention transforms them. The line to hold onto is that ritual done from desire is not the same as simply saying the Name. He is sorting the world into what merely resembles holiness and what is actually surrender. And he reassures the seeker that this discernment is not theirs to invent: the saints have already worked it out and laid the way ready to walk.
Renunciation
The case for letting go of worldly attachments and turning wholly to God.
More in this theme →