Social criticism, the envious coward
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
दुबळें सदैवा । ह्मणे नागवेल केव्हां ॥1॥
आपणासारिखें त्या पाहे । स्वभावासी करिल काये ॥ध्रु.॥
मूढ सभे आंत । इच्छी पंडिताचा घात ॥2॥
गांढें देखुनि शूरा । उगें करितें बुरबुरा ॥3॥
आणिकांचा हेवा । न करीं शरण जाई देवा ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे किती । करूं दुष्टाची फजिती ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A poor wretch wonders when he can strip the fortunate one bare, seeing everyone as being like himself; what can he do against another's nature? A fool in an assembly plots the downfall of the learned. A coward, seeing a warrior, merely grumbles under his breath. Says Tuka, do not envy others; instead, surrender to God. How much more can I expose the wicked?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The poor wretch wonders when he can strip the fortunate man bare. He sees everyone as being like himself; but what can he do against another's true nature? A fool in the assembly wants the learned man brought down. A coward, seeing a warrior, only grumbles under his breath. Do not envy others; go and take refuge in God. Tuka says: how much more of the wicked man's disgrace shall I lay bare?
What it means
Tukaram exposes the pattern of envy that wants to pull others down rather than rise. The small-souled man assumes everyone is as grasping as he is and schemes to strip the fortunate, the fool plots against the learned, the coward only mutters at the brave; all of them are powerless against a nature better than their own. The cure he names is not more scorn but surrender: stop envying and take refuge in God. He stops short on purpose, saying the wicked man's own conduct already shames him, so there is little need to go on cataloguing it; the work for the listener is to check the envy in oneself.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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