Hinduism

Tukaram, Poem 2196

They say “We are complete”; I am amazed
to hear them; listen to me, I have no
patience with you. When your hands and teeth
touch cooked food, they testify to it; how can
your tongue fail to taste it? The Havana sandal-
oil recognizes boiling oil; one drop will cool it.
A good judge recognizes the inner qualities of a
thing; the foolish prefer to ascribe false powers
to it. Gold shows itself on the touchstone, says
Tuka, whether it be pure, impure or quite
base.

Source The Poems of Tukârâma, trad. J. Nelson Fraser et K. B. Marathe, 3 vol., 1909-1915, archive.org · Contents