Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मऊ मेनाहूनि आह्मी विष्णुदास । कठिण वज्रास भेदूं ऐसे ॥1॥
मेले जित असों निजोनियां जागे । जो जो जो जें मागे तें तें देऊं ॥ध्रु.॥
भले तरि देऊं गांडीची लंगोटी । नाठएाळा चि गांठीं देऊं माथां ॥2॥
मायबापाहूनि बहू मायावंत । करूं घातपात शत्रूहूनि ॥3॥
अमृत तें काय गोड आह्मांपुढें । विष तें बापुडें कडू किती ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे आह्मी अवघे चि गोड । ज्याचें पुरे कोड त्याचेपरि ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
We Vishnu-servants are softer than wax, yet such that we can pierce the hardest diamond. Dead yet alive, asleep yet awake: whatever anyone asks of us, that we give. To the worthy we give the loincloth off our arse; to the obstinate we deal a knot on the head. More loving than mother and father, yet more capable of striking down than an enemy. What is nectar's sweetness before us? How bitter, after all, is poor wretched poison? Says Tuka, we are altogether sweet, in the manner of one whose longing is fully met.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
More in this theme →