Metaphor, the boaster and the true saint
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
वरिवरि बोले युद्धाचिया गोष्टी । परसैन्या भेटी नाहीं जाली ॥1॥
पराव्याचे भार पाहुनियां दृष्टी । कांपतसे पोटीं थरथरां ॥ध्रु.॥
मनाचा उदार रायांचा जुंझार । फिरंगीचा मार मारीतसे॥2॥
धन्य त्याची माय धन्य त्याचा बाप । अंगीं अनुताप हरिनामें ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे साधु बोले खर्गधार । खोचती अंतरें दुर्जनाचें ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
On the surface he talks of war, but he has never actually faced the enemy's army. At the sight of the opposing forces, he trembles within. He is generous only in his mind, a warrior only in his own imagination, wielding an imaginary sword. Blessed is the mother and father of the one whose body truly burns with remorse for Hari's sake. Says Tuka, the words of a true saint cut like a sword's edge, piercing the inner darkness of the wicked.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
On the surface he talks of battle, but he has never met the enemy's army. The moment he sees the opposing ranks, his belly trembles. He is generous only in his mind, a warrior only in his thoughts, swinging a sword that is not there. Blessed is the mother, blessed is the father, of the one whose body truly burns with longing for Hari's Name. Tuka says: the words of a true saint cut like the edge of a sword; they pierce the inner dark of the wicked.
What it means
Tukaram contrasts the empty boaster with the genuine devotee. The boaster speaks loudly of war but has never faced an enemy; at the first sight of real ranks he shakes inside, generous and brave only in his own imagination, swinging an imaginary sword. Against him stands the one whose whole body burns with longing for Hari's Name, and Tukaram calls even that person's parents blessed for having brought him into the world. The closing turn redefines courage: the true saint's weapon is speech, words sharp as a sword's edge that cut straight through the inner darkness of the wicked. Real valor is not noise about battle but the burning sincerity that lets plain words pierce. The listener is asked which kind of warrior they are.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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