Metaphor, the worthless vessel
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अवगुणांचे हातीं । आहे अवघी फजीती ॥१॥
नाहीं पात्रासवें चाड । प्रमाण तें फिकें गोड ॥ध्रु.॥
विष तांब्या वाटी । भरली लावूं नये होटीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे भाव । शुद्ध बरा सोंग वाव ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
When faults hold the reins, all ends in disgrace. Where the vessel has no worth, even sweetness turns insipid by that measure. Poison filled in a copper cup: do not let it touch the lips. Tuka says: let feeling be pure. Pretense is empty wind.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
When your faults hold the reins, everything ends in disgrace. If the vessel itself is worthless, even sweet food tastes flat, judged by that. Poison poured into a fine copper cup is still poison: do not bring it to your lips. Tuka says: let the feeling inside be pure. Show and pretense are only empty wind.
What it means
A short teaching on inner worth over outward form. If your character is faulty, no amount of appearance will save you from disgrace; a worthless vessel spoils even sweet food. The copper cup is the sharp image: a beautiful container does not make poison safe to drink. So the test is never the container but the contents, never the show but the heart. Tukaram's standard, here as everywhere, is purity of feeling. Everything done for effect is just wind.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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