Worldly life, the world cannot be pleased
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ऐसा हा लौकिक कदा राखवेना । पतितपावना देवराया ॥१॥
संसार करितां म्हणती हा दोषी । टाकितां आळसी पोटपोसा ॥ध्रु.॥
आचार करितां म्हणती हा पसारा । न करितां नरा निंदिताती ॥२॥
संतसंग करितां म्हणती हा उपदेशी । येरा अभाग्यासि ज्ञान नाहीं ॥३॥
धन नाहीं त्यासि ठायींचा करंटा । समर्थासि ताठा लाविताती ॥४॥
भेटिसि न वजातां म्हणती हा निष्ठ । येतां जातां घर बुडविलें ॥६॥
लग्न करूं जातां म्हणती हा मातला । न करितां जाला नपुंसक ॥७॥
निपुत्रिका म्हणती पहा हो चांडाळ । पातकाचें मूळ पोरवडा ॥८॥
लोक जैसा लोक धरितां धरवे ना । अभक्ता जिरे ना संतसंग ॥९॥
तुका म्हणे आतां ऐकावें वचन । त्यजुनियां जन भक्ति करा ॥१०॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
It is impossible to satisfy the world's opinion, O Lord, Redeemer of the fallen. If you engage in worldly life, they call you sinful; if you renounce, they call you a lazy parasite. If you follow rituals, they say it is mere show; if you do not, they condemn you. If you keep the company of saints, they call you a preacher; if you do not, they say you lack wisdom. If you have no wealth, you are a born wretch; if you are prosperous, they mock your pride. If you do not visit others, they call you arrogant; if you do, they say you are a pest who ruins homes. If you marry, they say you have gone wild; if you do not, they call you impotent. If you have no children, they call you accursed; if you have many, they call them a burden of sin. The ways of the world can never be satisfied, and the company of saints cannot be digested by the faithless. Says Tuka, listen now to this counsel: abandon the world's opinion and simply practice devotion.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
This worldly opinion can never be kept satisfied, O Redeemer of the fallen, my Lord. Live a household life and they call you a sinner; give it up and they call you a lazy belly-filler. Keep the rituals and they say it is all show; drop them and they condemn you. Keep the company of saints and they call you a preacher; stay away and they say you have no wisdom. Have no wealth and you are a born wretch; be rich and they mock your pride. Stay away from people and they call you cold; come and go and they say you are ruining homes. Marry and they say you have gone wild; do not, and they call you impotent. Have no children and they call you accursed; have many and they call them a brood of sin. The world's way can never be pinned down, and the company of saints cannot be stomached by the faithless. Tuka says: now hear this counsel. Leave the world's opinion behind and simply do devotion.
What it means
Tukaram lays out the trap of living for other people's verdict: whatever you do, the opposite is held against you. He runs through the whole list, household and renunciation, ritual and no ritual, poverty and wealth, marriage and celibacy, children and none, to show there is no posture that escapes blame. The lesson is not bitterness but release: since the world can never be satisfied, trying to satisfy it is wasted life. He notes too that those without faith simply cannot digest the company of saints, so their judgment is no measure at all. The counsel that lands is plain: stop managing opinion, and put that energy into devotion.
Worldly Life
The perplexities of action, karma, and navigating life in the world.
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