Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
नव्हती ते संत करितां कवित्व । संताचे ते आप्त नव्हती संत ॥1॥
येथें नाहीं वेश सरतें आडनांवें । निवडे घावडाव व्हावा अंगीं ॥ध्रु.॥
नव्हती ते संत धरितां भोंपळा । करितां वाकळा प्रावरण ॥2॥
नव्हती ते संत करितां कीर्तन । सांगतां पुराणें नव्हती संत ॥3॥
नव्हती ते संत वेदाच्या पठणें । कर्म आचरणें नव्हती संत ॥4॥
नव्हती संत करितां तप तीर्थाटणें । सेविलिया वन नव्हती संत ॥5॥
नव्हती संत माळामुद्रांच्या भूषणें । भस्म उधळणें नव्हती संत ॥6॥
तुका ह्मणे नाहीं निरसला देहे । तों अवघे हे सांसारिक ॥7॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Those who compose poetry are not saints thereby. The relatives of saints are not saints either. Here, outward appearance and borrowed titles do not suffice; one must bear the mark of transformation in one's own being. Those who carry a gourd are not saints by that; those who wrap themselves in a blanket are not saints. Those who perform kirtan are not saints on that account; those who recite Puranas are not saints. Those who chant the Vedas are not saints; those who perform rituals are not saints. Those who practice austerities and pilgrimage are not saints; those who live in forests are not saints. Those who adorn themselves with rosaries and sacred marks are not saints; those who smear themselves with ash are not saints. Says Tuka, so long as the body-sense has not been transcended, all such people are merely worldly.
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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