Social criticism, the shameless man past disgrace
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
एवढी अपकीर्ती । ऐकोनियां फजीती ॥1॥
जरि दाविल वदन । थुंका थुंका तो देखोन ॥ध्रु.॥
कािळमेचें जिणें । जीऊनियां राहे सुनें ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे गुण । दरुषणें अपशकुन॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
After such disgrace and notoriety, if he still shows his face, spit on him, spit at the very sight. His life is as dark as death itself; though alive, he exists as though already dead. Says Tuka, his qualities are an evil omen; even seeing him brings misfortune.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
After such disgrace, after hearing his own shaming, if he still shows his face, then spit on him, spit at the very sight of him. His life is dark as death; alive, he stays as if already dead. Tuka says: his only quality is an evil omen; even seeing him brings bad luck.
What it means
Tukaram describes a man so far gone that public disgrace no longer touches him. Once a person has been openly shamed and still parades himself, his shamelessness has become the offense, and Tukaram answers it with contempt sharp enough to spit. He calls such a life as dark as death: the man breathes, but lives like a corpse. The point is not hatred of a person but a warning about the deadness that sets in when a man loses all capacity for shame, until his very presence feels like a bad omen to those around him.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
More in this theme →