Autobiography, hard words for the common good
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नका धरूं कोणी । राग वचनाचा मनीं ॥1॥
येथें बहुतांचें हित । शुद्ध करोनि राखा चित्त ॥ध्रु.॥
नाहीं केली निंदा । आह्मीं दुसिलेंसे भेदा ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे मज । येणें विण काय काज॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Let no one hold anger in the chitta at these words. The good of many is at stake here; keep your mind pure and clear. I have not slandered anyone; I have only pierced the veil of false distinctions. Says Tuka, without doing this, what purpose does anything serve?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Let no one hold anger in the heart at these words. The good of many rests here; keep your mind clean and clear. I have not slandered anyone. I have only torn the veil off false distinctions. Tuka says: without doing this, what use is anything I do?
What it means
Tukaram answers those stung by his sharp speech by naming his intent. He asks them not to take the words as personal injury, because what is at stake is the good of many, not his own grievance. He draws the line carefully: he has not slandered any person; he has only exposed the false distinctions that divide people. The harshness, he says, is pointed at the lie, not at the human being holding it. The closing line states the stakes of his whole work: if he kept silent and let the false stand, nothing else he does would have any purpose at all.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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