Social criticism, the begging singer's shame
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ह्मणतां हरिदास कां रे नाहीं लाज । दीनास महाराज ह्मणसी हीना ॥1॥
काय ऐसें पोट न भरे तें गेलें । हालविसी कुले सभेमाजी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे पोटें केली विटंबना । दीन जाला जना कींव भाकी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Why are you not ashamed to call yourself a haridasa? You call yourself a great lord of the poor while being lowly yourself. Is your belly not filled that you must shake your lineage before the assembly? Says Tuka, for the belly's sake you have brought disgrace upon yourself, becoming pitiable before all people.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Why are you not ashamed to call yourself a haridasa? You are lowly yourself, yet you call yourself a great lord of the poor. Is your belly so empty that you must shake your pedigree before the assembly? Tuka says: for the belly's sake you have brought disgrace on yourself, made yourself pitiable before everyone.
What it means
Tukaram challenges a man who wears the title of haridasa, servant of Hari, while using it to puff himself up. He calls himself a great patron of the poor though he is hollow inside, and parades his family name in the assembly to win standing. Tukaram traces it all to hunger: the man does this for his belly, to be fed and honored, and in doing so cheapens the sacred name he claims. The result is the opposite of dignity, he becomes an object of pity. The rebuke is aimed at the impulse to trade God's name for status and a meal, a temptation any performer of devotion can fall into.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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