Exhortation, do not flatter mortals
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ऐका पंडितजन । तुमचे वंदितों चरण ॥1॥
नका करूं नरस्तुति । माझी परिसा हे विनंती ॥ध्रु.॥
अन्न आच्छादन । हें तों प्रारब्धा अधीन ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे वाणी । सुखें वेचा नारायणीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Listen, O learned ones, I bow at your feet. Do not engage in the praise of mere mortals; hear my humble request. Food and clothing are governed by destiny. Says Tuka, spend your precious speech joyfully in the service of Narayana.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Listen, learned ones, I bow at your feet. Do not sing the praises of mere men. Hear this request of mine. Food and clothing rest in the hands of destiny. Tuka says: spend your speech gladly on Narayana.
What it means
Tukaram addresses the scholars with respect and then asks one thing of them: do not waste their gift of speech flattering powerful men. His reason is plain and freeing: food and clothing, the things people court patrons to secure, are already settled by destiny, so praising mortals buys nothing real. The voice and learning that could be poured out on patrons should instead be spent, gladly, on Narayana. He is redirecting the same energy of praise from a worthless object to a worthy one. The bow at the start keeps the correction humble, an appeal rather than an attack.
Appeals and Exhortations
Direct calls to action: wake up, seek God, do not waste this human birth.
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