Social criticism, a corrupt age
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
हातीं होन दावी बेना । करिती लेंकीच्या धारणा ॥१॥
ऐसे धर्म जाले कळीं । पुण्य रंक पाप बळी ॥ध्रु.॥
सांडिले आचार । द्विज चाहाड जाले चोर ॥२॥
टिळे लपविती पातडीं । लेती विजारा कातडीं ॥३॥
बैसोनियां तक्तां । अन्नेंविण पिडिती लोकां ॥४॥
मुदबख लिहिणें । तेलतुपावरी जिणें ॥५॥
नीचाचे चाकर । चुकलिया खाती मार ॥६॥
राजा प्रजा पीडी । क्षेत्री दुश्चितासी तोडी ॥७॥
वैश्यशूद्रादिक । हे तों सहज नीच लोक ॥८॥
अवघे बाह्य रंग । आंत हिरवें वरी सोंग ॥९॥
तुका म्हणे देवा । काय निद्रा केली धांवा ॥१०॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
They hold gold coins in hand and bargain for a bride, making settlements over the daughter's future. Such are the ways of this dark age, where merit is impoverished and sin grows strong. The twice-born have abandoned their rituals and become informers and thieves. They hide their sacred marks in folds of cloth and wear leather trousers. Sitting upon their thrones, they torment the people without offering food. They live off writing decrees, skimming oil and ghee. They serve the lowly and, if they stumble, are beaten for it. The king oppresses his subjects, and the warrior cuts down the uncertain. As for the merchants, laborers, and all the rest, what more need be said of them? All is outward decoration; inside it is raw, with only a mask on top. Says Tuka, O God, have you fallen asleep? Wake up and come to our rescue.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
They flash gold coins in hand and bargain over the daughter, setting a price on her. Such is the dharma of this dark age: merit goes begging, sin grows strong. The twice-born have thrown off their conduct and become informers and thieves. They hide their sacred marks in the folds of their clothes and wear leather trousers. Seated on their thrones, they torment the people and keep food from them. They live by writing out decrees, getting by on skimmed oil and ghee. They serve the base, and when they slip they are beaten for it. The king oppresses his subjects; the warrior cuts down the defenseless. As for the merchants, the laborers, and the rest, they are simply low by nature. It is all outward color: raw inside, a costume on top. Tuka says: O God, have you gone to sleep? Come running.
What it means
Tukaram surveys a society he sees rotting in the Kali age, where worth is poor and wickedness is powerful. He moves down the ranks: brahmins who sell daughters and turn informer, hiding their sacred marks while taking on alien dress; officials who tax and starve the people from their seats of power; kings who crush their subjects and warriors who strike the helpless. His verdict is that the whole order has become surface, bright paint over something raw, a mask with nothing behind it. The closing line turns the criticism into a prayer, calling on a God who seems asleep to wake and come. The aim is to hold up the pattern of hollow, self-serving authority, not any single person.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
More in this theme →