Nature of God, each thing keeps its kind
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
काळा च सारिखीं वाहाती क्षेत्रें । करितां दुसरें फळ नाहीं ॥1॥
ऐसें करत्यानें ठेविलें करून । भरिलें भरून माप नेमें॥ध्रु.॥
शीतउष्णकाळीं मेघ वरुषावे । वरुषतां वाव होय शीण॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे विष अमृताचे किडे । पालट न घडे जीणें तया ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Fields produce according to their season, and forcing a second crop yields no result. The Creator has arranged it so, filling each measure with its due allotment. Clouds rain in their own season; rain at the wrong time brings only weariness. Says Tuka, the worms of poison and nectar alike cannot change their nature.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Fields bear according to their season. Force a second crop and there is no fruit. The Maker has set it up this way. Each measure is filled full, by His rule. Clouds rain in their own time. Rain at the wrong time only brings weariness. Tuka says: the worm of poison and the worm of nectar cannot change what they are.
What it means
Tukaram is pointing to an order that the Creator has fixed into things, and to the futility of fighting it. A field yields in its own season and not on demand; rain comes in its time, and rain out of season is wasted toil. Each thing has been given its own measure and its own nature, full and exact. The closing image is the sharpest: a creature born of poison and one born of nectar each lives by its own kind and cannot trade natures. So the abhanga asks for acceptance of God's appointed order rather than the strain of forcing what is not yours to force.
The Nature of God
Explorations of God's character, power, grace, and relationship to the world.
More in this theme →