What does "that" mean in Marathi, in "that house," "the boy that came" or "I know that he is here"?
English uses the one word "that" for three different jobs. Marathi has a separate word for each.
- Pointing: तो, ती, ते (to, tī, te). "That house," "that girl," "what is that?" This "that" agrees with its noun in gender and number: तो मुलगा (to mulagā), "that boy"; ती मुलगी (tī mulagī), "that girl"; ते घर (te ghar), "that house." - Joining a description to a noun: जो … तो (jo … to). "The boy that came yesterday." Marathi has no word that sits after the noun like English "that" or "who." It uses a pair of words instead: जो मुलगा काल आला, तो माझा मित्र आहे (jo mulagā kāl ālā, to mājhā mitra āhe), literally "which boy came yesterday, that one is my friend." - Joining a statement: की (kī). "I know that…," "she said that…." मला माहीत आहे की तो येणार आहे (malā māhīt āhe kī to yeṇār āhe), "I know that he is going to come."
You have met the pointing word already. In Lesson 10, ते (te) meant "it": ते is also "that" for a neuter noun, and in fact the same word. मला ते आवडते (malā te āvaḍate) can mean "I like it" or "I like that." तो and ती are also "he" and "she." Marathi does not distinguish "he" from "that man": both are तो.
"That" is the far word. Its partner for "this" is हा, ही, हे (hā, hī, he): हे पुस्तक (he pustak), "this book," ते पुस्तक (te pustak), "that book." The two sets match letter for letter: ह- for near, त- for far.
The forms. Singular: तो (masculine), ती (feminine), ते (neuter). Plural: ते (masculine), त्या (feminine), ती (neuter). Before a noun in any other case, with a postposition after it, all of these become त्या (tyā): त्या घरात (tyā gharāt), "in that house"; त्या मुलीला (tyā mulīlā), "to that girl."
The relative words follow the same pattern with ज- instead of त-: जो, जी, जे (jo, jī, je); before a postposition, ज्या (jyā). So every जो has its तो, every ज्या its त्या. The same pairing makes "when … then," जेव्हा … तेव्हा (jevhā … tevhā), and "where … there," जिथे … तिथे (jithe … tithe).
On the origin of the words. तो and its forms come from the Sanskrit demonstrative stem ta- (as in tat, "that"), and जो from the Sanskrit relative stem ya- (as in yat, "which"). Sanskrit already joined the two in pairs, yaḥ … saḥ, "who … he," and Marathi has kept the habit. की is a later word; it is usually traced to Persian ke, and Hindi has it too as कि (ki).
A note on the script. त (ta) is a dental t, with the tongue against the teeth; it is not the retroflex ट (ṭa). In त्या the त is a half-letter with the virama (्), joined to य: त् + य = त्य. In the same way ज् + य = ज्य, in ज्या.
- "That" pointing: तो (m.), ती (f.), ते (n.); plural ते, त्या, ती - Before a postposition all forms become त्या: त्या घरात, "in that house" - "This" is the matching near set: हा, ही, हे - "The … that …": a pair, जो … तो, जी … ती, जे … ते; the जो clause comes first - "Say/know that …": की, after the verb of saying or knowing - तो, ती, ते are also "he," "she," "it"; ते is also "they" and the respectful "he"
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13.1a तो that मुलगा boy हुशार clever आहे is
13.1b to (TO) that-M.SG mulagā (MUL-gaa) boy-M.SG huśār (hu-SHAAR) clever āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.2a ती that मुलगी girl कोण who आहे is
13.2b tī (TEE) that-F.SG mulagī (MUL-gee) girl-F.SG koṇ (KON) who āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.3a ते that घर house मोठे big आहे is
13.3b te (TE) that-N.SG ghar (GHAR) house-N.SG moṭhe (MO-the) big-N.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.4a ते that काय what आहे is
13.4b te (TE) that-N.SG kāy (KAAY) what āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.5a हे this माझे mine आहे is ते that तुझे yours आहे is
13.5b he (HE) this-N.SG mājhe (MAA-jhe) my-N.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG te (TE) that-N.SG tujhe (TU-jhe) your-SG.N.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.6a त्या that झाडावर on-tree एक a पक्षी bird बसला sat आहे is
13.6b tyā (TYAA) that-OBL jhāḍāvar (JHAA-daa-var) tree-OBL-on ek (EK) one pakṣī (PAK-shee) bird-M.SG basalā (BAS-laa) sit-PAST.M.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG.AUX
13.7a मी I त्या that दुकानातून from-shop दूध milk आणले brought
13.7b mī (MEE) I tyā (TYAA) that-OBL dukānātūn (du-KAA-naa-toon) shop-OBL-from dūdh (DOODH) milk-N.SG āṇale (AAN-le) bring-PAST.N.SG
13.8a त्या that दिवशी on-day खूप much पाऊस rain पडला fell
13.8b tyā (TYAA) that-OBL divaśī (DIV-shee) day-LOC khūp (KHOOP) much pāūs (PAA-oos) rain-M.SG paḍalā (PAD-laa) fall-PAST.M.SG
13.9a ते those लोक people कुठून from-where आले came
13.9b te (TE) that-M.PL lok (LOK) person-M.PL kuṭhūn (KU-thoon) where-from āle (AA-le) come-PAST.M.PL
13.10a त्या those मुली girls रोज daily शाळेत to-school जातात go
13.10b tyā (TYAA) that-F.PL mulī (MU-lee) girl-F.PL roj (ROJ) daily śāḷet (SHAA-let) school-LOC jātāt (JAA-taat) go-PRES.3PL
13.11a जो which मुलगा boy काल yesterday आला came होता had तो that-one माझा my मित्र friend आहे is
13.11b jo (JO) which-REL.M.SG mulagā (MUL-gaa) boy-M.SG kāl (KAAL) yesterday ālā (AA-laa) come-PAST.M.SG hotā (HO-taa) was-M.SG.PAST to (TO) that-M.SG mājhā (MAA-jhaa) my-M.SG mitra (MI-tra) friend-M.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.12a जी which साडी sari तू you घेतलीस took ती that खूप very सुंदर beautiful आहे is
13.12b jī (JEE) which-REL.F.SG sāḍī (SAA-dee) sari-F.SG tū (TOO) you-SG ghetalīs (GHET-lees) take-PAST.F.SG.2SG tī (TEE) that-F.SG khūp (KHOOP) very sundar (SUN-dar) beautiful āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.13a मला to-me जे what हवे wanted होते was ते that मिळाले was-got
13.13b malā (MA-laa) me-DAT je (JE) which-REL.N.SG have (HA-ve) needed-N.SG hote (HO-te) was-N.SG.PAST te (TE) that-N.SG miḷāle (MI-laa-le) get-PAST.N.SG
13.14a ज्या which गावात in-village माझे my आजोबा grandfather राहतात live त्या that गावात in-village एक an जुने old मंदिर temple आहे is
13.14b jyā (JYAA) which-REL.OBL gāvāt (GAA-vaat) village-LOC mājhe (MAA-jhe) my-M.PL.HON ājobā (AA-jo-baa) grandfather-M.HON rāhatāt (RAAH-taat) live-PRES.3PL.HON tyā (TYAA) that-OBL gāvāt (GAA-vaat) village-LOC ek (EK) one june (JU-ne) old-N.SG maṃdir (MAN-dir) temple-N.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.15a आजीने grandmother सांगितले said की that ते that औषध medicine रोज daily घ्यायला to-take हवे needed
13.15b ājīne (AA-jee-ne) grandmother-ERG sāṃgitale (SAAN-git-le) tell-PAST.N.SG kī (KEE) that-COMP te (TE) that-N.SG auṣadh (AU-shadh) medicine-N.SG roj (ROJ) daily ghyāyalā (GHYAAY-laa) take-INF have (HA-ve) needed-N.SG
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13.1 तो मुलगा हुशार आहे. — to mulagā huśār āhe. — "That boy is clever."
13.2 ती मुलगी कोण आहे? — tī mulagī koṇ āhe? — "Who is that girl?"
13.3 ते घर मोठे आहे. — te ghar moṭhe āhe. — "That house is big."
13.4 ते काय आहे? — te kāy āhe? — "What is that?"
13.5 हे माझे आहे, ते तुझे आहे. — he mājhe āhe, te tujhe āhe. — "This one is mine; that one is yours."
13.6 त्या झाडावर एक पक्षी बसला आहे. — tyā jhāḍāvar ek pakṣī basalā āhe. — "A bird is sitting on that tree."
13.7 मी त्या दुकानातून दूध आणले. — mī tyā dukānātūn dūdh āṇale. — "I got the milk from that shop."
13.8 त्या दिवशी खूप पाऊस पडला. — tyā divaśī khūp pāūs paḍalā. — "It rained very hard that day."
13.9 ते लोक कुठून आले? — te lok kuṭhūn āle? — "Where did those people come from?"
13.10 त्या मुली रोज शाळेत जातात. — tyā mulī roj śāḷet jātāt. — "Those girls go to school every day."
13.11 जो मुलगा काल आला होता, तो माझा मित्र आहे. — jo mulagā kāl ālā hotā, to mājhā mitra āhe. — "The boy that came yesterday is my friend."
13.12 जी साडी तू घेतलीस, ती खूप सुंदर आहे. — jī sāḍī tū ghetalīs, tī khūp sundar āhe. — "The sari that you bought is very beautiful."
13.13 मला जे हवे होते, ते मिळाले. — malā je have hote, te miḷāle. — "I got what I wanted."
13.14 ज्या गावात माझे आजोबा राहतात, त्या गावात एक जुने मंदिर आहे. — jyā gāvāt mājhe ājobā rāhatāt, tyā gāvāt ek june maṃdir āhe. — "In the village where my grandfather lives there is an old temple."
13.15 आजीने सांगितले की ते औषध रोज घ्यायला हवे. — ājīne sāṃgitale kī te auṣadh roj ghyāyalā have. — "Grandmother said that that medicine has to be taken every day."
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13.1 तो मुलगा हुशार आहे.
13.2 ती मुलगी कोण आहे?
13.3 ते घर मोठे आहे.
13.4 ते काय आहे?
13.5 हे माझे आहे, ते तुझे आहे.
13.6 त्या झाडावर एक पक्षी बसला आहे.
13.7 मी त्या दुकानातून दूध आणले.
13.8 त्या दिवशी खूप पाऊस पडला.
13.9 ते लोक कुठून आले?
13.10 त्या मुली रोज शाळेत जातात.
13.11 जो मुलगा काल आला होता, तो माझा मित्र आहे.
13.12 जी साडी तू घेतलीस, ती खूप सुंदर आहे.
13.13 मला जे हवे होते, ते मिळाले.
13.14 ज्या गावात माझे आजोबा राहतात, त्या गावात एक जुने मंदिर आहे.
13.15 आजीने सांगितले की ते औषध रोज घ्यायला हवे.
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Rule 1. The pointing word agrees. तो, ती, ते take the gender and number of the noun they point at:
- Masculine singular: तो (to): तो मुलगा, "that boy" (13.1) - Feminine singular: ती (tī): ती मुलगी, "that girl" (13.2) - Neuter singular: ते (te): ते घर, "that house" (13.3) - Masculine plural: ते (te): ते लोक, "those people" (13.9) - Feminine plural: त्या (tyā): त्या मुली, "those girls" (13.10) - Neuter plural: ती (tī): ती घरे (tī ghare), "those houses"
Notice that ते and ती each do two jobs: ते is neuter singular and masculine plural, ती is feminine singular and neuter plural. The noun tells you which.
Rule 2. Before a postposition: त्या. When the noun has a postposition or case ending (-ला, -त, -वर, -तून, -शी …), the pointing word becomes त्या (tyā) in every gender and number:
- त्या झाडावर (tyā jhāḍāvar), "on that tree" (13.6) - त्या दुकानातून (tyā dukānātūn), "from that shop" (13.7) - त्या दिवशी (tyā divaśī), "on that day" (13.8) - त्या गावात (tyā gāvāt), "in that village" (13.14) - त्या मुलींना (tyā mulīṃnā), "to those girls"
Rule 3. "That" standing alone. Without a noun, तो, ती, ते mean "that one," "he," "she," "it." With a case ending they become:
- त्याला (tyālā), "to him, to it"; तिला (tilā), "to her"; त्यांना (tyāṃnā), "to them" - त्याचा (tyācā), "his, its"; तिचा (ticā), "her"; त्यांचा (tyāṃcā), "their" - त्याने (tyāne), तिने (tine), त्यांनी (tyāṃnī), "by him, by her, by them" (the ergative of the past tense)
The possessives agree with the thing possessed, like माझा, माझी, माझे: तिची किंमत, "its price" (13.25, of a sari).
Rule 4. "This" and "that." हा, ही, हे (hā, hī, he), "this," work in exactly the same way: हा मुलगा, ही मुलगी, हे घर; before a postposition, ह्या or या (hyā, yā): या घरात, "in this house." In 13.5 the two stand side by side: हे माझे, ते तुझे.
Rule 5. The relative pair. English "the boy that came" is said in Marathi with two clauses and two matching words:
- जो मुलगा काल आला होता, तो माझा मित्र आहे (13.11) - जी साडी तू घेतलीस, ती खूप सुंदर आहे (13.12) - मला जे हवे होते, ते मिळाले (13.13) - ज्या गावात माझे आजोबा राहतात, त्या गावात … (13.14)
The relative word जो, जी, जे agrees like तो, ती, ते, and becomes ज्या (jyā) before a postposition. The जो clause normally comes first; the noun usually goes inside it, after जो; and the तो clause follows, beginning with the matching त- word. Both words take whatever form their own clause needs: in 13.14 both are oblique because both stand before -त.
The other pairs are made in the same way:
- जेव्हा … तेव्हा (jevhā … tevhā), "when … then" - जिथे … तिथे (jithe … tithe), "where … there" - जसा … तसा (jasā … tasā), "as … so" - जितका … तितका (jitakā … titakā), "as much … so much"
Rule 6. की after saying and knowing. "That" which introduces what is said, known, thought or seen is की (kī). It comes straight after the verb, and the reported words follow it, as in English:
- आजीने सांगितले की … (13.15), "Grandmother said that …" - मला वाटते की … (13.22), "I think that …" - मला माहीत आहे की … (malā māhīt āhe kī …), "I know that …"
Unlike English "that," की is not left out in careful speech.
Rule 7. ते, the respectful "he," and "they." As a pronoun, ते is also "they" and the respectful "he" (for a father, a teacher, an elder), with a plural verb: ते आले (te āle), "he has come" or "they have come." Context decides.
- Wrong gender. ती घर ✗. घर is neuter: ते घर ✓. तो मुलगी ✗: ती मुलगी ✓. - तो before a postposition. तो घरात ✗, ते घरात ✗. Say त्या घरात ✓. - Using की for "the … that." मुलगा की काल आला ✗. की never joins a description to a noun. Say जो मुलगा काल आला, तो … ✓. - Leaving out the second half of the pair. जो मुलगा काल आला, माझा मित्र आहे ✗ sounds unfinished. Say … तो माझा मित्र आहे ✓. - Mismatched pair. जो साडी … ती ✗. Both halves agree with साडी: जी साडी … ती ✓. - Mixing up ते and ती. ते मुली ✗ (for "those girls"). Feminine plural is त्या: त्या मुली ✓.
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तो, ती, ते are among the commonest words in Marathi, because they are at once "that," "he," "she," "it" and "they." In conversation they are often accompanied by pointing, or by the gesture of the chin and eyes that does the same job. The relative pairs belong to every register. Speech often shortens them by leaving the noun out altogether (जी तू घेतलीस, ती सुंदर आहे, "the one you bought is lovely"), but both halves of the pair stay.
The जो … तो pattern is a favourite of proverbs and of devotional poetry, because it states a rule in two balanced halves. The Pasaydan of Sant Dnyaneshwar, which you met in Lesson 3, prays जो जे वांछील तो ते लाहो (jo je vāṃchīl to te lāho), "may whoever desires whatever, obtain it": two relative words, two correlatives. Everyday sayings use the same shape:
- जे होईल ते होईल (je hoīl te hoīl), "whatever will be, will be" - जशास तसे (jaśās tase), "to each as he deserves," tit for tat
- ते काय आहे? (te kāy āhe?), "What's that?" - ती कोण? (tī koṇ?), "Who's she?" - तो बघ! (to bagh!), "Look at him! Look at that!" - त्या दिवशी (tyā divaśī), "that day, the other day" - त्या काळी (tyā kāḷī), "in those days" - मला वाटते की … (malā vāṭate kī …), "I think that …"
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The citation is from Sant Tukaram (संत तुकाराम), the seventeenth-century poet-saint of the Varkari tradition. This is perhaps his most quoted abhang, जें का रंजलें गांजलें, "Those who are afflicted and oppressed." It asks how a true saint is recognised, and its answer is built almost entirely from relative pairs: जो … तोचि, जें … त्यासि, ज्यासि … त्यासि, जें … तेचि. It is given here complete, all five verses and the refrain. The text follows santsahitya.in (abhang 204 in its arrangement). The Warkari Rojnishi edition of the Sartha Gatha (also no. 204) has the same words, without the old anusvara.
F.1a जें who का indeed रंजलें afflicted गांजलें oppressed
F.1b jeṃ (JE) which-REL.N.PL kā (KAA) indeed-PARTICLE raṃjaleṃ (RANJ-le) afflict-PTCP.N.PL gāṃjaleṃ (GAANJ-le) oppress-PTCP.N.PL
F.2a त्यासि to-them म्हणे says जो who आपुलें his-own
F.2b tyāsi (TYAA-si) that-OBL-DAT mhaṇe (MHA-ne) say-PRES.3SG jo (JO) which-REL.M.SG āpuleṃ (AA-pu-le) own-N.SG
F.3a तोचि that-one-alone साधु saint ओळखावा should-be-recognised
F.3b toci (TO-chi) that-M.SG-EMPH sādhu (SAA-dhu) saint-M.SG oḷakhāvā (OL-khaa-vaa) recognise-GERV.M.SG
F.4a देव God तेथेंचि there-alone जाणावा should-be-known
F.4b dev (DEV) God-M.SG tetheṃci (TE-the-chi) there-EMPH jāṇāvā (JAA-naa-vaa) know-GERV.M.SG
F.5a मृदु soft सबाह्य inside-and-out नवनीत fresh-butter
F.5b mṛdu (MRU-du) soft sabāhya (sa-BAAH-ya) with-outside navanīt (NAV-neet) fresh-butter-N.SG
F.6a तैसें such सज्जनाचें of-good-man चित्त heart
F.6b taiseṃ (TAI-se) such-N.SG sajjanāceṃ (SAJ-ja-naa-che) good-man-GEN.N.SG citt (CHITT) mind-N.SG
F.7a ज्यासि to-whom आपंगिता protector नाहीं is-not
F.7b jyāsi (JYAA-si) which-REL.OBL-DAT āpaṃgitā (AA-pan-gi-taa) protector-M.SG nāhīṃ (NAA-hee) is-not-3SG.NEG
F.8a त्यासि him धरी holds जो who हृदयीं in-heart
F.8b tyāsi (TYAA-si) that-OBL-DAT dharī (DHA-ree) hold-PRES.3SG jo (JO) which-REL.M.SG hṛdayīṃ (HRU-da-yee) heart-LOC
F.9a दया compassion करणें doing जें which पुत्रासी to-son
F.9b dayā (DA-yaa) compassion-F.SG karaṇeṃ (KA-ra-ne) do-INF.N jeṃ (JE) which-REL.N.SG putrāsī (PU-traa-see) son-DAT
F.10a तेचि that-same दासा to-servant आणि and दासी to-maidservant
F.10b teci (TE-chi) that-N.SG-EMPH dāsā (DAA-saa) servant-DAT āṇi (AA-ni) and dāsī (DAA-see) maidservant-DAT
F.11a तुका Tuka म्हणे says सांगूं shall-I-tell किती how-much
F.11b tukā (TU-kaa) Tuka mhaṇe (MHA-ne) say-PRES.3SG sāṃgūṃ (SAAN-goo) tell-1.SUBJ kitī (KI-tee) how-much
F.12a तोचि that-one-alone भगवंताची of-God मूर्ती image
F.12b toci (TO-chi) that-M.SG-EMPH bhagavaṃtācī (BHAG-van-taa-chee) God-GEN.F.SG mūrtī (MOOR-tee) image-F.SG
जें का रंजलें गांजलें । त्यासि म्हणे जो आपुलें ॥१॥ तोचि साधु ओळखावा । देव तेथेंचि जाणावा ॥ध्रु.॥ मृदु सबाह्य नवनीत । तैसें सज्जनाचें चित्त ॥२॥ ज्यासि आपंगिता नाहीं । त्यासि धरी जो हृदयीं ॥३॥ दया करणें जें पुत्रासी । तेचि दासा आणि दासी ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे सांगूं किती । तोचि भगवंताची मूर्ती ॥५॥
jeṃ kā raṃjaleṃ gāṃjaleṃ, tyāsi mhaṇe jo āpuleṃ. toci sādhu oḷakhāvā, dev tetheṃci jāṇāvā. mṛdu sabāhya navanīt, taiseṃ sajjanāceṃ citt. jyāsi āpaṃgitā nāhīṃ, tyāsi dharī jo hṛdayīṃ. dayā karaṇeṃ jeṃ putrāsī, teci dāsā āṇi dāsī. tukā mhaṇe sāṃgūṃ kitī, toci bhagavaṃtācī mūrtī.
"Those who are afflicted and oppressed: whoever calls them his own, know that man as a saint; know that God is there. Soft inside and out like fresh butter: such is the heart of the good. He who has no protector, whoever holds him to his heart; the compassion one shows a son, whoever shows that same compassion to servants, men and women: Tuka says, how much more need I say? That man is the very image of God."
— Sant Tukaram, abhang (Tukaram Gatha; santsahitya.in no. 204; Sartha Gatha, Warkari Rojnishi, no. 204), complete. Translation: Latinum Institute, kept close to the Marathi.
जें का रंजलें गांजलें । त्यासि म्हणे जो आपुलें ॥१॥ तोचि साधु ओळखावा । देव तेथेंचि जाणावा ॥ध्रु.॥ मृदु सबाह्य नवनीत । तैसें सज्जनाचें चित्त ॥२॥ ज्यासि आपंगिता नाहीं । त्यासि धरी जो हृदयीं ॥३॥ दया करणें जें पुत्रासी । तेचि दासा आणि दासी ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे सांगूं किती । तोचि भगवंताची मूर्ती ॥५॥
The abhang is a lesson in relative pairs. Each verse names a person with a ज- word and then picks him out with a त- word:
- जें … त्यासि … जो … तोचि (verse 1 and refrain). जें का रंजलें गांजलें, "those who are afflicted," is picked up by त्यासि, "to them." Then जो, "he who," calls them his own, and the refrain points back at him with तोचि, "that very one." Modern Marathi: जे दुःखी, पीडित आहेत, त्यांना जो आपले म्हणतो, तोच साधू ओळखावा. - ज्यासि … त्यासि … जो (verse 3). "Whoever has no protector, him whoever holds to his heart": two relative clauses one inside the other, as in 13.14. - जें … तेचि (verse 4). "The compassion that one shows a son, that same compassion to servants." This is the pattern of 13.13, मला जे हवे होते, ते मिळाले. - तोचि (verse 5). The poem ends on the pointing word, as the refrain did.
Other notes on the grammar:
- -चि (-ci). The old emphatic particle, "that very, only that." Modern Marathi writes -च: तोच, तेथेच, तेच. You met it in याचि in Lesson 12. - -सि, -सी (-si, -sī). The old dative ending: त्यासि, ज्यासि, पुत्रासी. Modern Marathi: त्याला/त्यास, ज्याला, पुत्राला. - ओळखावा, जाणावा (oḷakhāvā, jāṇāvā). The form in -आवा means "is to be, should be": "should be recognised," "should be known." It agrees with साधु and देव, both masculine. Modern Marathi still uses it: त्याने जावे, "he should go." - तेथें (tetheṃ). "There," the old form of तेथे/तिथे, which pairs with जेथे/जिथे, "where." - तैसें (taiseṃ). "So, such," the old form of तसे, partner of जसे: "like butter … such is the heart." - रंजलें गांजलें (raṃjaleṃ gāṃjaleṃ). Two past participles used as nouns, "the afflicted, the oppressed." Modern Marathi still uses the pair रंजले-गांजले for the poor and suffering, usually with this line in mind.
The abhang answers a question every religious tradition asks: how do you tell a true holy man from a false one? Tukaram's answer ignores dress, learning and ritual. The saint is the one who treats strangers in trouble as his own family, the masterless as his own child, and servants as his own sons. The image of fresh butter is made exact by सबाह्य, "inside and out": the good man's gentleness is not a surface; he is soft all the way through. The last line goes further than the refrain: such a man is not only where God is to be found; he is the image, the मूर्ती, of God, the word used for the statue in a temple. The verses are often quoted in speeches and essays on social service.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
13.16a मीरा Meera काका uncle ती that निळी blue साडी sari दाखवा show ना please
13.16b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera kākā (KAA-kaa) uncle-VOC tī (TEE) that-F.SG niḷī (NI-lee) blue-F.SG sāḍī (SAA-dee) sari-F.SG dākhavā (DAAKH-vaa) show-IMP.PL.HON nā (NAA) please-PARTICLE
13.17a दुकानदार shopkeeper कोणती which ती that वरची upper-one का Q
13.17b dukānadār (du-KAAN-daar) shopkeeper koṇatī (KON-tee) which-F.SG tī (TEE) that-F.SG varacī (VAR-chee) upper-F.SG kā (KAA) Q-PARTICLE
13.18a मीरा Meera नाही no ती that नाही not त्या that कोपऱ्यातली in-corner-one
13.18b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera nāhī (NAA-hee) no tī (TEE) that-F.SG nāhī (NAA-hee) not tyā (TYAA) that-OBL kopaṟyātalī (KO-pryaat-lee) corner-OBL-LOC-ADJ.F.SG
13.19a दुकानदार shopkeeper हो yes ती that पैठणी Paithani आहे is येवल्याची of-Yeola ही this घ्या take
13.19b dukānadār (du-KAAN-daar) shopkeeper ho (HO) yes tī (TEE) that-F.SG paiṭhaṇī (PAI-tha-nee) Paithani-F.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG yevalyācī (YEV-lyaa-chee) Yeola-GEN.F.SG hī (HEE) this-F.SG ghyā (GHYAA) take-IMP.PL.HON
13.20a मीरा Meera जी which साडी sari आईने mother लग्नात at-wedding नेसली wore होती had ती that अशीच just-like-this होती was
13.20b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera jī (JEE) which-REL.F.SG sāḍī (SAA-dee) sari-F.SG āīne (AA-ee-ne) mother-ERG lagnāt (LAG-naat) wedding-LOC nesalī (NES-lee) wear-PAST.F.SG hotī (HO-tee) was-F.SG.PAST tī (TEE) that-F.SG aśīc (A-sheech) such-F.SG-EMPH hotī (HO-tee) was-F.SG.PAST
13.21a दुकानदार shopkeeper त्या that काळी in-time लोक people सगळ्या all पैठण्या Paithanis हातमागावर on-handloom विणायचे used-to-weave
13.21b dukānadār (du-KAAN-daar) shopkeeper tyā (TYAA) that-OBL kāḷī (KAA-lee) time-LOC lok (LOK) person-M.PL sagaḷyā (SAG-lyaa) all-F.PL paiṭhaṇyā (PAI-than-yaa) Paithani-F.PL hātamāgāvar (HAAT-maa-gaa-var) handloom-on viṇāyace (vi-NAAY-che) weave-PAST.HAB.M.PL
13.22a मीरा Meera मला to-me वाटते seems की that ही this पण also हातमागावरची handloom-one आहे is
13.22b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera malā (MA-laa) me-DAT vāṭate (VAAT-te) seem-PRES.3SG kī (KEE) that-COMP hī (HEE) this-F.SG paṇ (PAN) also hātamāgāvaracī (HAAT-maa-gaa-var-chee) handloom-on-ADJ.F.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.23a दुकानदार shopkeeper हो yes जो who कारागीर craftsman ही this विणतो weaves तो he आमच्या our ओळखीचा of-acquaintance आहे is
13.23b dukānadār (du-KAAN-daar) shopkeeper ho (HO) yes jo (JO) which-REL.M.SG kārāgīr (KAA-raa-geer) craftsman-M.SG hī (HEE) this-F.SG viṇato (VIN-to) weave-PRES.3SG.M to (TO) that-M.SG āmacyā (AAM-chyaa) our-OBL oḷakhīcā (OL-khee-chaa) acquaintance-GEN.M.SG āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.24a मीरा Meera आणि and त्या that लाल red साडीची of-sari किंमत price किती how-much
13.24b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera āṇi (AA-ni) and tyā (TYAA) that-OBL lāl (LAAL) red sāḍīcī (SAA-dee-chee) sari-GEN.F.SG kiṃmat (KIM-mat) price-F.SG kitī (KI-tee) how-much
13.25a दुकानदार shopkeeper ती that थोडी a-little महाग expensive आहे is तिची its किंमत price पंधरा fifteen हजार thousand आहे is
13.25b dukānadār (du-KAAN-daar) shopkeeper tī (TEE) that-F.SG thoḍī (THO-dee) a-little-F.SG mahāg (ma-HAAG) expensive āhe (AA-he) is-3SG ticī (TI-chee) that-GEN.F.SG kiṃmat (KIM-mat) price-F.SG paṃdharā (PAN-dha-raa) fifteen hajār (ha-JAAR) thousand āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.26a मीरा Meera बापरे goodness मग then जी which स्वस्त cheap आहे is ती that दाखवा show
13.26b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera bāpare (BAAP-re) goodness-INTERJ mag (MAG) then jī (JEE) which-REL.F.SG svast (SVAST) cheap āhe (AA-he) is-3SG tī (TEE) that-F.SG dākhavā (DAAKH-vaa) show-IMP.PL.HON
13.27a दुकानदार shopkeeper मग then त्या that कपाटातल्या in-cupboard साड्या saris बघा look त्या they आठ eight हजारांपासून from-thousands आहेत are
13.27b dukānadār (du-KAAN-daar) shopkeeper mag (MAG) then tyā (TYAA) that-OBL kapāṭātalyā (ka-PAA-taat-lyaa) cupboard-LOC-ADJ.F.PL sāḍyā (SAAD-yaa) sari-F.PL baghā (BA-ghaa) look-IMP.PL.HON tyā (TYAA) that-F.PL āṭh (AATH) eight hajārāṃpāsūn (ha-JAA-raan-paa-soon) thousand-OBL.PL-from āhet (AA-het) are-3PL
13.28a मीरा Meera त्या they खरंच really सुंदर beautiful आहेत are मला to-me ती that हिरवी green आवडली was-liked
13.28b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera tyā (TYAA) that-F.PL kharaṃc (KHA-ranch) really sundar (SUN-dar) beautiful āhet (AA-het) are-3PL malā (MA-laa) me-DAT tī (TEE) that-F.SG hiravī (HIR-vee) green-F.SG āvaḍalī (AA-vad-lee) like-PAST.F.SG
13.29a दुकानदार shopkeeper तुम्ही you जी which निवडाल will-choose ती that मी I नीट neatly बांधून having-wrapped देतो give
13.29b dukānadār (du-KAAN-daar) shopkeeper tumhī (TUM-hee) you-PL.HON jī (JEE) which-REL.F.SG nivaḍāl (NIV-daal) choose-FUT.2PL tī (TEE) that-F.SG mī (MEE) I nīṭ (NEET) properly bāṃdhūn (BAAN-dhoon) tie-CONJ.PTCP deto (DE-to) give-PRES.1SG.M
13.30a मीरा Meera ठीक fine आहे is मी I ती that हिरवी green घेते take आईला to-mother सांगेन will-tell की that ही this तिच्या her साडीसारखीच just-like-sari आहे is
13.30b mīrā (MEE-raa) Meera ṭhīk (THEEK) fine āhe (AA-he) is-3SG mī (MEE) I tī (TEE) that-F.SG hiravī (HIR-vee) green-F.SG ghete (GHE-te) take-PRES.1SG.F āīlā (AA-ee-laa) mother-DAT sāṃgen (SAAN-gen) tell-FUT.1SG kī (KEE) that-COMP hī (HEE) this-F.SG ticyā (TICH-yaa) her-OBL sāḍīsārakhīc (SAA-dee-saar-kheech) sari-like-F.SG-EMPH āhe (AA-he) is-3SG
13.16 मीरा: काका, ती निळी साडी दाखवा ना. — mīrā: kākā, tī niḷī sāḍī dākhavā nā. — "Meera: Kaka, would you show me that blue sari, please?"
13.17 दुकानदार: कोणती? ती वरची का? — dukānadār: koṇatī? tī varacī kā? — "Shopkeeper: Which one? That one at the top?"
13.18 मीरा: नाही, ती नाही; त्या कोपऱ्यातली. — mīrā: nāhī, tī nāhī; tyā kopaṟyātalī. — "Meera: No, not that one; the one in that corner."
13.19 दुकानदार: हो, ती पैठणी आहे, येवल्याची. ही घ्या. — dukānadār: ho, tī paiṭhaṇī āhe, yevalyācī. hī ghyā. — "Shopkeeper: Yes, that's a Paithani, from Yeola. Here you are."
13.20 मीरा: जी साडी आईने लग्नात नेसली होती, ती अशीच होती. — mīrā: jī sāḍī āīne lagnāt nesalī hotī, tī aśīc hotī. — "Meera: The sari my mother wore at her wedding was just like this."
13.21 दुकानदार: त्या काळी लोक सगळ्या पैठण्या हातमागावर विणायचे. — dukānadār: tyā kāḷī lok sagaḷyā paiṭhaṇyā hātamāgāvar viṇāyace. — "Shopkeeper: In those days every Paithani was woven on a handloom."
13.22 मीरा: मला वाटते की ही पण हातमागावरची आहे. — mīrā: malā vāṭate kī hī paṇ hātamāgāvaracī āhe. — "Meera: I think this one is handwoven too."
13.23 दुकानदार: हो. जो कारागीर ही विणतो, तो आमच्या ओळखीचा आहे. — dukānadār: ho. jo kārāgīr hī viṇato, to āmacyā oḷakhīcā āhe. — "Shopkeeper: Yes. The weaver who makes this one is someone we know."
13.24 मीरा: आणि त्या लाल साडीची किंमत किती? — mīrā: āṇi tyā lāl sāḍīcī kiṃmat kitī? — "Meera: And how much is that red sari?"
13.25 दुकानदार: ती थोडी महाग आहे; तिची किंमत पंधरा हजार आहे. — dukānadār: tī thoḍī mahāg āhe; ticī kiṃmat paṃdharā hajār āhe. — "Shopkeeper: That one is a bit expensive; it costs fifteen thousand."
13.26 मीरा: बापरे! मग जी स्वस्त आहे, ती दाखवा. — mīrā: bāpare! mag jī svast āhe, tī dākhavā. — "Meera: Goodness! Then show me one that's cheaper."
13.27 दुकानदार: मग त्या कपाटातल्या साड्या बघा; त्या आठ हजारांपासून आहेत. — dukānadār: mag tyā kapāṭātalyā sāḍyā baghā; tyā āṭh hajārāṃpāsūn āhet. — "Shopkeeper: Then look at the saris in that cupboard; they start at eight thousand."
13.28 मीरा: त्या खरंच सुंदर आहेत. मला ती हिरवी आवडली. — mīrā: tyā kharaṃc sundar āhet. malā tī hiravī āvaḍalī. — "Meera: They really are lovely. I like that green one."
13.29 दुकानदार: तुम्ही जी निवडाल, ती मी नीट बांधून देतो. — dukānadār: tumhī jī nivaḍāl, tī mī nīṭ bāṃdhūn deto. — "Shopkeeper: Whichever you choose, I'll wrap it up nicely for you."
13.30 मीरा: ठीक आहे, मी ती हिरवी घेते. आईला सांगेन की ही तिच्या साडीसारखीच आहे. — mīrā: ṭhīk āhe, mī tī hiravī ghete. āīlā sāṃgen kī hī ticyā sāḍīsārakhīc āhe. — "Meera: All right, I'll take the green one. I'll tell Mum that it's just like her sari."
13.16 मीरा: काका, ती निळी साडी दाखवा ना.
13.17 दुकानदार: कोणती? ती वरची का?
13.18 मीरा: नाही, ती नाही; त्या कोपऱ्यातली.
13.19 दुकानदार: हो, ती पैठणी आहे, येवल्याची. ही घ्या.
13.20 मीरा: जी साडी आईने लग्नात नेसली होती, ती अशीच होती.
13.21 दुकानदार: त्या काळी लोक सगळ्या पैठण्या हातमागावर विणायचे.
13.22 मीरा: मला वाटते की ही पण हातमागावरची आहे.
13.23 दुकानदार: हो. जो कारागीर ही विणतो, तो आमच्या ओळखीचा आहे.
13.24 मीरा: आणि त्या लाल साडीची किंमत किती?
13.25 दुकानदार: ती थोडी महाग आहे; तिची किंमत पंधरा हजार आहे.
13.26 मीरा: बापरे! मग जी स्वस्त आहे, ती दाखवा.
13.27 दुकानदार: मग त्या कपाटातल्या साड्या बघा; त्या आठ हजारांपासून आहेत.
13.28 मीरा: त्या खरंच सुंदर आहेत. मला ती हिरवी आवडली.
13.29 दुकानदार: तुम्ही जी निवडाल, ती मी नीट बांधून देतो.
13.30 मीरा: ठीक आहे, मी ती हिरवी घेते. आईला सांगेन की ही तिच्या साडीसारखीच आहे.
- Pointing in a shop. A sari shop is a place for "this one" and "that one." Every sari is feminine (साडी), so the pointing word is ती for a sari over there and ही for the one in hand (13.19, 13.22, 13.30); when Meera points at the cupboard full of them, it becomes plural त्या (13.27, 13.28), the same form as the oblique त्या of त्या कोपऱ्यातली and त्या कपाटातल्या. - The noun left out. ती वरची (13.17), "that upper (one)"; ती हिरवी (13.28, 13.30), "that green (one)." Marathi drops the noun when it is clear, and the adjective agrees with the noun that is understood. - -तला, -तली, -तल्या: "the one in." कोपऱ्यातली (13.18), "the one in the corner," and कपाटातल्या (13.27), "(those) in the cupboard," add -तला to the locative to make an adjective, which agrees like माझा: -तला, -तली, -तले, plural -तल्या. - Three kinds of "that" in one conversation. Pointing: ती निळी साडी (13.16). Relative: जी साडी … ती (13.20), जो कारागीर … तो (13.23), जी स्वस्त आहे, ती (13.26), जी निवडाल, ती (13.29). Statement: मला वाटते की (13.22), सांगेन की (13.30). - The future in a relative clause (13.29). तुम्ही जी निवडाल, ती: "which you will choose, that." English uses the present, "whichever you choose"; Marathi uses the future, because the choosing is still to come. - The habitual past (13.21). विणायचे, "used to weave." The ending -आयचा, -आयची, -आयचे is the spoken habitual past, built on the same stem as -ायला in Lesson 12. - Politeness. Meera calls the older shopkeeper काका, "uncle," as is usual in Maharashtra, and uses the polite plural imperative दाखवा (13.16, 13.26). The particle ना softens the request: "do show me." The shopkeeper answers with the polite तुम्ही and घ्या, बघा. - The places and things. The Paithani is the traditional silk sari of Maharashtra, with a woven border and end-piece (पदर) in gold thread; it takes its name from Paithan, and Yeola, in Nashik district, is its main weaving centre today. A Paithani is a common wedding sari, which is why Meera remembers her mother's.
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- तो [t̪oː]: TO. ती [t̪iː]: TEE. ते [t̪eː]: TE. The त is dental: the tip of the tongue touches the back of the upper teeth, as in French or Spanish t. English t is too far back. - त्या [t̪jaː]: TYAA, one syllable. The half-letter त् is said together with य, never ti-yaa. - Keep the vowels apart: तो (o), ती (ī), ते (e). They are the only difference between "he," "she" and "it."
- जो [d͡zoː]: JO. Before o in this native word, ज is usually "dz," as in जायला (Lesson 12). - जी [d͡ʒiː], ज्या [d͡ʒjaː]: JEE, JYAA. Before ī and y, ज is the English "j."
- की [kiː]: KEE, with a long ī. It is said lightly, bound to the verb before it: सांगितले की, SAAN-git-le-kee.
- ठ and ट. मोठे [moːʈʰe], कुठून [kuʈʰuːn]: retroflex, with the tongue curled back. Compare the dental त of तो. - ळ (ḷ). शाळेत, मिळाले, निळी, ओळखावा: the retroflex l, with the tongue curled back. - ऱ्य in कोपऱ्यात. The "eyelash" ऱ (ṟ) before य is a light r, said together with y: KO-pryaat. - ऋ (ṛ). In मृदु and हृदयीं, ऋ is said "ru": MRU-du, HRU-da-yee. - ज्ज in सज्जन. A doubled consonant is held: saj-jan. - Anusvara in old verse. The final ं of जें, आपुलें, नाहीं, हृदयीं is not pronounced today, or only as a light nasal: JE, AA-pu-le. - Intonation. In a relative pair the voice rises at the end of the जो clause and falls at the end of the तो clause: जो मुलगा काल आला होता ↗, तो माझा मित्र आहे ↘.
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