Social criticism, the hollow renunciant
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अडचणीचें दार । बाहेर माजी पैस फार ॥1॥
काय करावें तें मौन्य । दाही दिशा हिंडे मन ॥ध्रु.॥
बाहेर दावी वेश । माजी वासनेचे लेश ॥2॥
नाहीं इंिद्रयां दमन । काय मांडिला दुकान ॥3॥
सारविलें निकें । वरि माजी अवघें फिकें ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे अंतीं । कांहीं न लगे चि हातीं ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The entrance is narrow, but inside, the space is vast. What use is outward silence when the mind wanders in all ten directions? The appearance outside is of a renunciant, but inside lurk the traces of desire. Without mastery of the senses, what is the point of setting up a shop? The surface is polished clean, but inside everything is hollow. Says Tuka, in the end, nothing remains in hand.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The doorway is narrow, but inside there is a great deal of room. What use is this outward silence, while the mind wanders in all ten directions? Outside he shows the dress of a renouncer; inside lie the traces of desire. With no mastery over the senses, why has he set up shop? The surface is polished and fine, but inside it is all empty. Tuka says: in the end, nothing comes into the hand.
What it means
Tukaram exposes the gap between religious appearance and inner reality. A man keeps an outward vow of silence, yet his mind roams in every direction; he wears the robe of a renouncer while desire still lives inside him. Putting on the costume of holiness without conquering the senses is like opening a shop with no real goods to sell. The outside is buffed clean and impressive, but it is hollow within. And what is hollow yields nothing at the end: nothing real comes into the hand. The question to ask is of one's own inside, not the display.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
More in this theme →