Social criticism, the miser exposed
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जन्मा येऊन उदार जाला । उद्धार केला वंशाचा । मेळवूनि धन मेळवी माती । सदा विपत्ती भोगीतसे ॥1॥
नाम घेतां न मिळे अन्न । नव्हे कारण देखिलिया । धर्म करितां ऐके कानीं । बांधे निजोनि डोकियासी ॥ध्रु.॥
घरा व्याही पाहुणा आला । ह्मणे त्याला बरें नाहीं । तुमचे गावीं वैद्य आहे । बैसोनि काय प्रयोजन ॥2॥
उजवूं किती होतिल पोरें । मरतां बरें ह्मणे यांसी । ह्मणऊनि देवा नवस करी । दावी घरींहुनि बोनें ॥3॥
पर्वकाळीं भट घरासी आला । बोंब घाला ह्मणे पोरां । तुमचा उणा होईल वांटा । काळ पिठासी आला ॥4॥
दाढी करितां अडका गेला । घरांत आला बाइलेपें । ह्मणे आतां उगवीं मोडी । डोई बोडीं आपुली ॥5॥
तीर्थ स्वप्नीं नेणें गंगा । पूजन लिंगा गांविंचिया । आडकुनि दार बैसे दारीं। आल्या घर ह्मणे ओस ॥6॥
तुका ह्मणे ऐसे आहेत गा हरी। या ही तारीं जीवांसी । माझ्या भय वाटे चित्तीं । नरका जाती ह्मणोनि ॥7॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The man who was born and called himself generous has only upheld his family name in word; in truth he hoards wealth like dirt and suffers endless misfortune. When it is time to chant the name, he says there is no food to be had; he sees no reason in devotion. When he hears talk of charity, he ties up his head and pretends to be asleep. When a guest or in-law arrives at his door, he says he is unwell and suggests they visit the physician in their own village. He asks how many more children there will be to feed and prays to God they would simply die, even making vows from his house to that end. When the priest comes at the holy season, he tells the children to scream that the beggar is taking their share. When a coin is spent on a shave, he runs home to his wife demanding she shave her own head to save the cost. He knows neither pilgrimage in waking nor the Ganga in dream, nor worship of the village shrine; he bolts his door and tells every caller the house is empty. Says Tuka, such men do exist, O Hari; deliver even them, for it grieves my chitta to think they are headed for hell.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
He was born and called himself generous; he says he upheld the family name. But he piles up money like dirt, and lives in endless misery. Tell him to chant the Name, and he says there is no food in the house. He sees no point in devotion. Mention charity, and he wraps his head and pretends to sleep. A guest, an in-law, comes to the door; he says he is unwell, go see the doctor in your own village. He counts his children and wishes they would die, and even makes vows to God for it. When the priest comes at the holy season, he tells the children to scream that the beggar is taking their share. A coin spent on a shave, and he runs home and tells his wife to shave her own head to save the cost. He knows no pilgrimage awake, no Ganga in his dreams, no worship at the village shrine. He bolts the door and tells every caller the house is empty. Tuka says: such men really do exist, O Hari. Save even them. It grieves my heart to think they are headed for hell.
What it means
This is a portrait of the miser, drawn detail by ugly detail, of a man who calls himself generous while hoarding money like so much dirt and suffering for it. Tukaram names the pattern: every call to the Name, to charity, to hospitality, meets a fresh excuse, until even his own children and wife become costs to cut, and a guest at the door is something to wish away. The point is not one named man but the grip of stinginess itself, which closes a person to God and to every other person at once. Yet Tukaram does not end in contempt: he turns to Hari and asks that even such men be saved, because the thought of any soul bound for hell pains him.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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