Social criticism, birth versus conduct
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जातीची शिंदळी । तिला कोण वंशावळी ॥1॥
आपघर ना बापघर । चित्तीं मनीं व्यभिचार ॥ध्रु.॥
सेजे असोनियां धणी । परद्वार मना आणी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे असील जाती । जातीसाठीं खाती माती ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
One born of promiscuity has no lineage to speak of, no father's house nor mother's house, only adultery ruling chitta and mind. Even when the rightful husband is at her side in bed, her mind wanders to another's door. Says Tuka, if you claim noble birth, then know that those who stake everything on caste alone end up eating dirt.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
A woman born of a loose line has no lineage to name, no house of her own and no father's house, only adultery in her chitta and her mind. Even with her rightful husband beside her in bed, her mind goes to another man's door. Tuka says: if you boast of high birth, know this: those who stake everything on caste alone end up eating dirt.
What it means
Tukaram uses a stark image of an unfaithful woman to attack pride in birth and caste. Her wandering desire, present even when the husband lies beside her, stands for a heart that betrays its true bond no matter its claimed origins. He then turns the knife on the proud of caste: lineage means nothing if conduct is rotten, and those who rest on bloodline alone are brought low, eating dirt. The point is the pattern, not contempt for any person: worth is decided by what the heart actually does, not by the name one is born under, and the boaster should look first at his own faithfulness.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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