Social criticism, boasts until the test
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तोंवरि तोंवरि जंबुक करि गर्जना । जंव त्या पंचानना देखिलें नाहीं ॥1॥
तोंवरि तोवरिं सिंधु करि गर्जना । जंव त्या अगिस्तब्राह्मणा देखिलें नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
तोंवरि तोंवरि वैराग्याच्या गोष्टी। जंव सुंदर वनिता दृष्टी पडिली नाहीं ॥2॥
तोंवरि तोंवरि शूरत्वाच्या गोष्टी । जंव परमाईचा पुत्र दृष्टी देखिला नाहीं ॥3॥
तोंवरि तोंवरि माळामुद्रांचीं भूषणें । जंव तुक्याचें दर्शन जालें नाहीं॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The jackal roars only until he has not seen the lion. The ocean thunders only until it has not seen the sage Agastya. One speaks of dispassion only until a beautiful woman has not fallen in one's sight. One boasts of valor only until one has not beheld the son of the supreme Lord. One flaunts rosaries and ritual marks only until one has not had the darshan of Tuka.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The jackal roars only until he has seen the lion. The ocean thunders only until it has seen the sage Agastya. A man talks of dispassion only until a beautiful woman falls in his sight. A man boasts of valor only until he has beheld the son of the supreme Lord. A man flaunts his rosaries and his ritual marks only until he has had the darshan of Tuka.
What it means
Tukaram strings together small parables to expose how a boast lasts only until it is tested. The jackal is loud while no lion is near; the ocean roars until the sage who can drink it dry appears; the man who preaches detachment forgets his speeches the moment desire walks past. The escalation lands on the religious performer: the one who shows off his prayer beads and forehead marks goes quiet the instant he meets someone who actually knows God. The pattern to watch in yourself is the display that only thrives in the absence of the real thing, and dissolves the moment the real thing arrives.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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