Resolve, no looking back
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
फळ देंठींहून झडे । मग मागुतें न जोडे ॥1॥
ह्मणोनि तांतडी खोटी । कारण उचिताचे पोटीं ॥ध्रु.॥
पुढें चढे हात। त्याग मागिलां उचित ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे रणीं । नये पाहों परतोनि ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Once a fruit falls from its stem, it cannot be joined back again. Therefore haste is folly; the real cause lies in proper ripening. As the hand reaches forward, the letting go of what is behind becomes natural. Says Tuka, once you have entered the battlefield, do not look back.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Once a fruit falls from its stem, it cannot be joined back on. So haste is false; the cause lies in proper ripening. As the hand reaches forward, letting go of what is behind becomes fitting. Tuka says: on the battlefield, you do not look back.
What it means
Tukaram uses three plain images to teach when to wait and when there is no turning back. A fruit torn off before its time cannot be rejoined, so impatience is folly; ripeness, not hurry, is what brings things to their proper end. But once the moment has come and the hand reaches forward, clinging to what is behind is wrong, and releasing it is the only fitting move. The final image seals it: on the battlefield you do not look back. In the spiritual life, when the time to commit has truly arrived, half-heartedness and backward glances are fatal; you go on without retreat.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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