तुकारामस्य आमलकम् - Tuakarama and the Berry

तुकारामः इति भगवद्भक्तः सप्तदशक्रैस्तशताब्दौ महाराष्ट्रप्रान्ते ख्यातनामा आसीत् | तस्य जीवने घटिताः इति कथ्यमानाः नैकाः कथाः प्रचलिताः सन्ति | तासु अन्यतमा कथा इयम् अत्र निरूप्यते |

एकदा केचन ग्रामजनाः तीर्थयात्रां कर्तुं निश्चितवन्तः | ते आशीर्वचनार्थं तुकारामस्य समीपम् आगताः | तुकारामः सुखयात्रार्थं स्वस्तिवचनम् अवदत् | सः एकम् आमलकफलं दत्त्वा अकथयत् - "आमलकम् एतत् बहु तिक्तम् | तीर्थक्षेत्रेषु अस्य अपि क्षालनं कृत्वा आनयतु | तदा तत् फलं मधुरं भवति" |

यात्रार्थिनः आमलकफलं गृहीत्वा निर्गताः | सर्वेषु तीर्थक्षेत्रेषु स्नानसमये फलस्य अपि प्रक्षालनम् अभवत् | मासानन्तरं ते ग्रामं प्रत्यागत्य तुकारामेण सह भोजनम् अकुर्वन् | भोजनसमये तुकारामः आमलकफलं खादन्तु इति अवदत् | श्रद्धया ते जनाः फलम् अखादन् | परन्तु फलं मधुरं न आसीत् | तिक्तम् एव आसीत् | ते विस्मयेन तुकारामस्य मुखम् अपश्यन् |

तुकारामः स्मयमानः अवदत् - "सज्जनाः पश्यन्तु | यथा बाह्यशुद्धीकरणात् फलस्य रुचिः न परिवर्तिता तथैव तीर्थेषु निमज्जनात् मनःशुद्धिः न संभवति | भगवद्भक्तिः सर्वथा करणीया" | आमलकदृष्टान्तेन भक्तिमाहात्म्यम् अवगतवन्तः जनाः |

English Translation

In the 17th century CE, there was a famous devotee by the name Tukarama in the Maharashtra area. There are many stories in circulation that are said to have happened in his life. One such story is presented here.

Once, some villagers decided to go on a pilgrimage. They came to Tukarama for blessing. Tukarama wished them with good words. He gave them a berry fruit and said - "This berry is very sour. In the sacred places, clean this fruit also with water and bring it back. Then that fruit will become sweet".

The travelers took the fruit and went away. In all the sacred places, during the bathing time, the fruit also got cleaned, After a month, they came back to the village and had lunch with Tukarama. During the lunch, Tukarama said to eat the fruit. Those people ate the fruit with respect. But the fruit was not sweet. It was sour only. They looked at Tukarama in surprise.

Tukarama smiling said - "Gentlemen, look. Just like the fruit's taste did not change due to the external cleansing, the mind won't be cleansed by taking dips at sacred places. Always, devotion in god should be done". By the example of the berry, the people understood the greatness of devotion.