Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कपट कांहीं एक । नेणें भुलवायाचें लोक ॥१॥
तुमचें करितों कीर्त्तन । गातों उत्तम ते गुण ॥ध्रु.॥
दाऊं नेणें जडीबुटी । चमत्कार उठाउठी ॥२॥
नाहीं शिष्यशाखा । सांगों अयाचित लोकां ॥३॥
नव्हें मठपति । नाहीं चाहुरांची वृत्ति ॥४॥
नाहीं देवार्चन । असे मांडिलें दुकान ॥५॥
नाहीं वेताळ प्रसन्न । कांहीं सांगों खाण खुण ॥६॥
नव्हें पुराणिक । करणें सांगणें आणीक ॥७॥
नेणें वाद घटा पटा । करितां पंडित करंटा ॥८॥
नाहीं जाळीत भणदीं । उदो म्हणोनि आनंदी ॥९॥
नाहीं हालवीत माळा । भोंवतें मेळवुनि गबाळा ॥१०॥
आगमीचें कुडें नेणें । स्तंभन मोहन उच्चाटणें ॥११॥
नव्हें यांच्या ऐसा । तुका निरयवासी पिसा ॥१२॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I know no deceit or trickery to delude people. I simply perform your kirtan and sing your excellent qualities. I cannot display herbs or roots or perform sudden miracles. I have no lineage of disciples; I speak freely to all who come. I am not the head of any monastery, nor do I live on the offerings of followers. I have not set up a shop of worship or a deity to collect revenue. I have no spirit or demon at my command to reveal secrets. I am not a professional reciter who says one thing and does another. I do not know the pot-and-cloth arguments that make a pedantic scholar into a pauper. I do not go about beating drums with crowds shouting praises. I do not turn a rosary surrounded by a throng of idle followers. I know nothing of tantric tricks, of binding, enchanting, or banishing. Says Tuka, I am none of these; I am just a hell-dwelling madman.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
More in this theme →