Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
भूतदयापरत्वें जया तया परी । संत नमस्कारीं सर्वभावें ॥1॥
शिकल्या बोलाचा धरीसील ताठा । तरी जासी वाटा यमपंथें ॥ध्रु.॥
हिरा परिस मोहरा आणीक पाषाण । नव्हे परी जन संतां तैसी ॥2॥
सरितां वाहाळां गंगे सागरा समान । लेखी तयाहून अधम नाहीं ॥3॥
आणीक अमुप होती तारांगणें । रविशशिमानें लेखूं नये ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे नाहीं नरमता अंगी । नव्हे तें फिरंगी कठिण लोह ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
With compassion toward all beings, in whatever way possible, bow to the saints with your whole being. If you hold fast to the arrogance of book-learning, you will travel the road to Yama. A diamond, a touchstone, a magnet, and an ordinary stone are all different; similarly, not all people are equal to the saints. Streams and rivulets should be regarded with the same respect as the Ganga and the ocean; to think less of them is the lowest of views. Innumerable stars fill the sky, but they should not be measured against the sun and the moon. Says Tuka, without softness in the body, one is like hard, unyielding iron, not the fine blade of a sword.
This translation is auto-generated and may contain errors. We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram’s original Marathi.
The Saints
The character and service of true saints: softer than butter, harder than diamond.
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