Social criticism, knowledge that is only noise
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कालवूनि विष । केला अमृताचा नास ॥1॥
ऐशा अभाग्याच्या बुिद्ध । सत्य लोपी नाहीं शुिद्ध ॥ध्रु.॥
नाक कापुनि लावी सोनें । कोण अळंकार तेणें ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे बावी । मोडूनि मदार बांधावी ॥3॥
कण भुसाच्या आधारें । परि तें निवडितां बरें ॥
काय घोंगालि पाधाणी । ताकामध्यें घाटी लोणी ॥ध्रु.॥
सुइणीपुढें चेंटा । काय लपविसी चाटा ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे ज्ञान । दिमाकाची भनभन ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Mixing poison into nectar destroys its value. Such is the intellect of the unfortunate, suppressing truth without awareness. Cutting off the nose and replacing it with gold; what kind of adornment is that? Says Tuka, one who demolishes a well to build a tomb. The grain depends on the chaff, yet when you sift, they separate. How does one churn butter from buttermilk without a churning rod? You cannot hide your tricks before a midwife. Says Tuka, such knowledge is nothing but the buzzing of arrogance.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Mix poison into nectar and you destroy it. Such is the mind of the wretched, hiding the truth and never clean. Cut off the nose and fasten on a gold one. What ornament is that? Tuka says: he is one who pulls down a well to build a tomb. The grain rests on the chaff, yet sift them and they part cleanly. How will you churn butter from buttermilk with no churning rod? You cannot hide your tricks in front of a midwife. Tuka says: such learning is only the buzzing of conceit.
What it means
Tukaram piles up images for false, stolen, ruined wisdom. To drop poison into nectar wrecks it; the corrupt mind buries the truth and stays unclean. A gold nose on a cut-off face is no ornament; tearing down a well to raise a tomb is no gain. Then he turns to what cannot be faked: chaff and grain look joined but sift apart, and you cannot churn butter out of mere buttermilk, just as a midwife sees through every concealment. The closing verdict is flat: this kind of learning is nothing but the buzzing of arrogance. The pattern to examine is the impulse to pass off appearance for substance, which any clear eye will catch.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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