Metaphor, the hidden must be drawn out
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
दधिमाझी लोणी जाणती सकळ । तें काढी निराळें जाणे मथन ॥1॥
अिग्न काष्ठामाजी ऐसें जाणे जन । मथिलियाविण कैसा जाळी ॥ध्रु.॥
तुका ह्मणे मुख मळीण दर्पणीं । उजिळल्यावांचूनि कैसें भासे ॥2॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Everyone knows that butter lies hidden within curd, yet only one who churns can bring it out. Everyone knows that fire dwells within wood, yet without friction it cannot blaze forth. Says Tuka, a mirror smeared with grime cannot reflect anything until it is polished clean.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Everyone knows butter lies inside the curd. Only churning draws it out. Everyone knows fire lives inside the wood. Without rubbing, how can it blaze? Tuka says: a mirror smeared with dirt shows nothing until it is wiped clean.
What it means
Tukaram answers the easy objection that since God is already within us, nothing more need be done. Knowing the butter is in the curd does not feed you; only the churning does. Knowing fire sleeps in the wood gives no warmth; only the friction does. So the indwelling presence is real, but it must be worked for through effort and through cleaning the mind, the way a grimy mirror reflects nothing until it is polished.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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