Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पुण्यविकरा तें मातेचें गमन । भाडी ऐसें धन विटाळ तो ॥1॥
आत्महत्यारा हा विषयांचा लोभी । ह्मणावें तें नाभी करवी दंड ॥ध्रु.॥
नागवला अल्प लोभाचिये साटीं । घेऊनि कांचवटि परिस दिला ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे हात झाडिले परत्रीं । श्रम तो चि श्रोत्रीं वेठी केली ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Selling merit is like trafficking one's own mother. Such wealth earned by hire is a defilement. He who is greedy for sense-pleasures is a self-murderer; his punishment cannot even be properly named. The foolish one is cheated for a trifle, giving up the philosopher's stone for glass beads. Says Tuka, he has shaken off all claims to the next world. The very effort meant for scripture has been turned into forced labor.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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