Social criticism, the quarreling learned
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ज्ञानियांचे घरीं चोजवितां देव । तेथें अहंभाव पाठी लागे ॥1॥
ह्मणोनियां ऐसे सांडिले उपाय । धरियेले पाय दृढ तुझे ॥ध्रु.॥
वेदपारायण पंडित वाचक । न मिळती एक एकांमधीं ॥2॥
पाहों गेलों भाव कैसी आत्मनिष्ठा । तेथें देखें चेष्टा विपरीत ॥3॥
आपुलिया नाहीं निवाले जे अंगें । योगी करती रागें गुरगुरु ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे मज कोणांचा पांगिला । नको बा विठ्ठला करूं आतां ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
In the homes of the learned, when God is sought, the sense of I-ness follows right behind. Therefore I have abandoned all such methods and held firmly to your feet. Scholars and reciters of the Vedas cannot agree among themselves. I went to observe their steadfast abidance in the Self and found nothing but perverse behavior there. Those whose own bodies have not found coolness, those so-called yogis, growl at others in anger. Says Tuka, I have no business with any of them. Do not make me go to them, dear Vitthala.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
In the homes of the learned, when you go looking for God, the sense of I follows right behind. So I have let go of all those methods and held tight to your feet. The scholars and reciters of the Vedas cannot agree with one another. I went to see how steady they were in the Self, and I found only twisted behavior there. Those whose own selves have found no peace, those so-called yogis, growl at others in anger. Tuka says: I owe nothing to any of them. Do not make me go to them now, dear Vitthala.
What it means
Tukaram explains why he turned away from the houses of the learned and clung instead to God's feet. He noticed that wherever God is pursued through scholarship, ego comes trailing right behind, so the search feeds the very thing it should dissolve. He looked closely and found the experts contradicting each other and behaving in ways that betrayed their words; men whose own hearts had found no cooling were snapping at everyone else. The criticism is aimed at the pattern, the way knowledge curdles into pride and quarrel, not at any single person. His prayer is simple and self-protecting: keep me away from that, Vitthal; let me depend on you alone.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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