Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
नाहीं निर्मळ जीवन । काय करील साबण ॥1॥
तैसी चित्तशुिद्ध नाहीं । तेथें बोध करील काइऩ ॥ध्रु.॥
वृक्ष न धरी पुष्पफळ । काय करील वसंतकाळ ॥2॥
वांजे न होती लेकरें । काय करावें भ्रतारें ॥3॥
नपुंसका पुरुषासी । काय करील बाइल त्यासी ॥4॥
प्राण गेलिया शरीर । काय करील वेव्हार ॥5॥
तुका ह्मणे जीवनेंविण । पीक नव्हे नव्हे जाण ॥6॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
If the water is not clean, what can soap do? Likewise, if the heart is not pure, what can any teaching accomplish? If a tree bears no flowers or fruit, what can the spring season do? If a barren woman has no children, what is the use of a husband? What can a wife do for an impotent man? When the life-breath has departed, what dealings can the body conduct? Says Tuka, know that without the water of devotion, no crop can grow.
This translation is auto-generated and may contain errors. We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram’s original Marathi.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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