Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मणि पडिला दाढेसी मकरतोंडीं । सुखें हस्तें चि काढवेल प्रौढीं ॥1॥
परि मूर्खाचें चित्त बोधवेना । दुधें कूर्मीच्या पाळवेल सेना ॥ध्रु.॥
सकळ पृथ्वी हिंडतां कदाचित । ससीसिंगाची प्राप्त होय तेथें ॥2॥
अतिप्रयत्नें गािळतां वाळुवेतें । दिव्य तेलाची प्राप्त होय तेथें ॥3॥
अतिक्रोधें खवळला फणी पाही । धरूं येतो मस्तकीं पुष्पप्रायी ॥4॥
पहा ब्रह्मानंदें चि एकीं हेळा । महापातकी तो तुका मुH केला ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A jewel caught in the jaws of a crocodile could still be removed with a steady, daring hand. But the mind of a fool simply cannot be enlightened. An army of turtles could be nourished with milk, if one tried hard enough. If you scoured the whole earth, you might somehow find a hare's horn. If you pressed sand hard enough, you might extract rare oil. Even a furious serpent could be subdued and have a flower placed upon its head. Says Tuka, by the bliss of Brahman alone has this great wrongdoer been effortlessly set free.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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