Moral ideal, hunger against greed
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
भूक पोटापुरती । तृष्णा भरवी वाखती । करवी फजीती । हांवें भार वाढला ॥1॥
कुिळकेसी लांस फांस । डोई दाढी बोडवी दोष । अविहितनाश । करवी वजन चुकतां ॥ध्रु.॥
विधिसेवनें विहितें । कार्यकारणापुरतें । न वाटे तो चित्तें । अधमांच्या तो त्यागी ॥2॥
आज्ञापालणें ते सेवा । भय धरोनियां जीवा । तुका ह्मणे ठेवा । ठेविला तो जतन ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Hunger asks only for enough to fill the belly, but greed makes one reach for more and brings disgrace. Greed makes one shave one's head and endure fasts, and when one slips from proper conduct, it brings ruin. What is taken in proper measure for the right purpose does not feel like deprivation; one who rejects the ways of the base is a true renunciant. Says Tuka, obedience to command is true service; hold fear within the chitta and guard the treasure that has been entrusted to you.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Hunger asks only for enough to fill the belly. Greed makes you reach for more, and brings disgrace. Greed makes you shave your head and endure fasts, and when you slip from right conduct it brings ruin. What you take in proper measure, for the right purpose, never feels like deprivation. The one who rejects the ways of the base is a true renouncer. Tuka says: obedience to the command is true service. Hold fear within the mind, and guard the treasure that has been entrusted to you.
What it means
Tukaram contrasts plain hunger, which asks only for enough, with greed, which keeps reaching and ends in shame. He notices that greed can even wear religious dress, shaving the head and keeping fasts, while inwardly it stays grasping, and one slip then turns it to ruin. The measure he offers is purpose: take what is right and needed, and nothing feels like deprivation; turning away from the cravings of the base is what real renunciation means. He closes by reframing devotion as obedience and trusteeship, keeping a wary fear in the mind and guarding what has been entrusted rather than treating it as one's own to spend.
The Moral Ideal
Purity, sincerity, truthfulness, humility, peacefulness, and service.
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