The saints, goodness reveals itself
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
न लगे चंदना सांगावा परिमळ । वनस्पतिमेळ हाकारुनी ॥१॥
अंतरीचें धांवे स्वभावें बाहेरी । धरितां ही परी आवरे ना ॥ध्रु.॥
सूर्य नाहीं जागें करीत या जना । प्रकाश किरणा कर म्हुन ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे मेघ नाचवी मयूरें । लपवितां खरें येत नाहीं ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Sandalwood need not announce its fragrance by summoning all the plants of the forest. What is within naturally flows outward; even if one tries, it cannot be contained. The sun does not go about waking each person; its light simply radiates through its rays. Says Tuka, the clouds make the peacock dance. What is true can never be hidden.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Sandalwood need not call the forest to announce its scent. What is inside flows out on its own; try to hold it, and it will not be held. The sun does not go around waking each person; its rays simply shine. Tuka says: the cloud sets the peacock dancing. What is true cannot be hidden.
What it means
Tukaram says real virtue does not advertise; it shows itself by its nature. Sandalwood does not summon the forest to smell it, the sun does not knock on each sleeper to wake him, and the cloud does not instruct the peacock to dance; each simply gives off what it is. So with a true saint: what lives inside flows out on its own, and the effort to contain it fails. The closing line is the whole point, that what is genuine cannot stay concealed, which means goodness needs no announcement and pretense will not pass for it.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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