Autobiography, the world's warning
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मायबाप करिती चिंता । पोर नाइके सांगतां ॥1॥
नको जाऊं देउळासी । नेतो बागुल लोकांसी ॥ध्रु.॥
कर्णद्वारें पुराणिक। भुलवी शब्दें लावी भीक ॥2॥
वैष्णवां संगती । हातीं पडलीं नेणों किती ॥3॥
आह्मां कैंचा मग । करिसी उघडियांचा संग ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे जाणें नरका । त्यांचा उपदेश आइका ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The parents worry and try to advise, but the child will not listen to a word they say. Do not go to the temple, they warn; the bogeyman will carry people off. Through the doorway of the ears the storyteller casts his spell with words and lures you into begging. Who knows how many have fallen into the company of the Vaishnavas? After that, they say, why do you keep the company of these penniless wanderers? Says Tuka, listen well to the counsel of those who would have you go to hell.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The parents fret and try to warn the child, but the child will not listen to a word. Do not go to the temple, they say; the bogeyman carries people off. Through the ears the storyteller casts his spell with words and sets you begging. Who knows how many have already fallen into the company of the Vaishnavas? After that, where are you for us? they say. Why keep company with these bare wanderers? Tuka says: listen well to the counsel of those who would send you to hell.
What it means
Tukaram reports, with a dry edge, how the worldly try to scare a young heart away from God. Parents fuss and warn the child off the temple as if the kirtan were a kidnapper; the storyteller's words are called a spell that lures the listener into beggary; the Vaishnavas are dismissed as penniless drifters who swallow people up. The bitter twist is in the last line: the people handing out this advice are the very ones leading toward hell. By voicing their warning straight, he exposes how upside down worldly counsel really is, and quietly sides with the child who would not listen.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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