Moral ideal, forgiveness as wealth
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
देवाचिये चाडे प्रमाण उचित । नये वांटूं चित्त निषेधासीं ॥1॥
नये राहों उभें कसमळापाशीं । भुंकतील तैसीं सांडावीं तीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे क्षमा सुखाची हे रासी । सांडूनि कां ऐसी दुःखी व्हावें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
For the sake of devotion to God, one must respect what is proper and not scatter the mind in censure. One should not stand near filth; let barking dogs be left alone. Says Tuka, forgiveness is a heap of happiness. Why abandon it and choose suffering?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
For the love of God, honor what is fitting; do not scatter your mind into faultfinding. Do not stand near filth. Let the ones that bark be left to bark, and walk on. Tuka says: forgiveness is a heap of happiness. Why throw it away and choose to be miserable?
What it means
Tukaram offers a quiet rule for keeping the heart clear. Devotion asks that we respect what is proper and not waste the mind by scattering it into censure of others. He uses a sharp image for this without cruelty: do not linger near filth, and let barking creatures bark while you move on, since arguing with them only soils you. The point is turned back on the listener: forgiveness is a whole storehouse of happiness, so abandoning it to nurse a grievance is simply choosing your own suffering.
The Moral Ideal
Purity, sincerity, truthfulness, humility, peacefulness, and service.
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