Social criticism, the accomplice
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
याचा कोणी करी पक्ष । तो ही त्याशी समतुल्य ॥१॥
फुकासाठीं पावे दुःखाचा विभाग । पूर्वजांसि लाग निरयदंडीं ॥ध्रु.॥
ऐके राजा न करी दंड । जरि या लंड दुष्टासि ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे त्याचें अन्न । मद्यपाना समान ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Whoever takes the side of such a person is equal to him in guilt. For nothing, he earns a share of suffering, and his ancestors are cast into the torments of hell. If the king hears of this and does not punish such a wicked scoundrel, then even the king's food is as impure as liquor. Says Tuka, associating with such evil makes one equally corrupt.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Whoever takes this man's side is just as guilty as he is. For nothing, he earns his share of the suffering, and his ancestors are dragged into the torments of hell. Listen: if the king hears of it and does not punish such a vile scoundrel, then even the king's food is as foul as liquor. Tuka says: to keep company with such evil is to become just as corrupt.
What it means
Following the rebuke of the daughter-seller, Tukaram turns to everyone around him. To defend such a man is to share his guilt fully and to gain nothing but a portion of his suffering, dragging even one's forebears down. He then raises the stakes to those in power: a king who learns of the wrong and refuses to punish it is himself defiled, his very food made impure. The closing line states the principle plainly: corruption spreads by association, so silence and shelter are not neutral. The poem points the listener toward self-examination about whom they enable and excuse.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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