Teaching, rain that does not choose
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
बोलावें तें आतां आह्मी अबोलणे । एका चि वचनें सकळांसी ॥1॥
मेघदृिष्ट कांहीं न विचारी ठाव । जैसा ज्याचा भाव त्यासी फळो ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे नाहीं समाधानें चाड । आपणा ही नाड पुढिलांसीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The speech I shall now speak is silence itself, one single word addressed to all. Like the rain cloud that does not choose where it falls, let each receive the fruit of his own devotion. Says Tuka, one who lacks inner peace misleads not only himself but others as well.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
What I am about to speak is itself silence. One word, spoken to everyone alike. The rain cloud does not pick out a place to fall. Let each one's fruit match the faith he brings. Tuka says: a person with no peace inside misleads himself, and misleads the people who come after him.
What it means
Tukaram describes how he teaches and warns about who teaches. His words are offered the way a cloud rains, without choosing where they land; one saying goes out to all, and what each listener receives is set by his own devotion, not by favoritism. The image guards both sides: the teacher gives freely, and the result depends on the heart that receives. Then the sharp turn at the end points at a danger to examine in oneself: anyone still without inner peace who sets up as a guide does not just stumble alone, he pulls his followers off the road with him.
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