Self-defense, only God sees the heart
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आतां माझे नका वाणूं गुण दोष । करितों उपदेश याचा कांहीं ॥1॥
मानदंभासाठीं छळीतसें कोणा । आण या चरणां विठोबाची ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे हें तों ठावें पांडुरंगा । काय कळे जगा अंतरींचें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Now, do not enumerate my virtues and faults, nor say I am giving sermons to anyone. I swear by the feet of Vithoba: I do not harass anyone for the sake of honor or pretense. Says Tuka, all this is known to You, O Panduranga. What can the world know of what lies within?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Now do not count up my virtues and my faults. Do not say I am preaching at anyone. I swear by Vithoba's feet: I do not torment anyone for the sake of honor or show. Tuka says: You know this, Panduranga. What can the world know of what is inside?
What it means
Tukaram is answering people who weigh him up and accuse him of preaching out of vanity. He refuses to let them tally his good and bad points or read pride into his words, and he swears by Vithoba's feet that he harasses no one to win status or to put on a display. Then he turns away from the court of public opinion altogether: the world only sees the surface and cannot read the inside of a person. He rests his case with the one witness who can, Panduranga, who already knows what lies within.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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