Tukaram, Poem 3359

Man cannot change his nature to save his life; what is in him comes to the surface.
The same disposition pervades him within and without; he never grows tired of his own sentiments or gives them up.
If you strike a diamond with a hammer, it enters the substance of the hammer; it cannot renounce its own enduring hardness.
Tuka says, It is the nature of sandal to burn itself and make others cool.
If you separate the cow from the calf, each is moved by the comfort they feel in each other.
We remark the persistent folly of the man who separates them, for each pines after the other.
Hunger longs for food; in fact, food was created to provide for hunger.
Tuka says, Things move according to the disposition they feel towards each other.
Man’s likings make themselves known; his nature shows itself by outward signs.
The thoughts of the heart come to the lips; attention assists the mind.
The longings of the pregnant woman affect the unborn child; a light is reflected from a polished dish.
Tuka says, We should take the course we think proper; we should eat what we think we ought to eat.