Defiance, done with pleasing people
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जालों जीवासी उदार । त्यासी काय भीडभार ॥1॥
करीन आडक्या घोंगडें । उभें बाजारीं उघडें ॥ध्रु.॥
जोंजों धरिली भीड । तोंतों बहु केली चीड ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे मूळ । तुझें उच्चारीन कुळ ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I have become generous with my very life. What care I for courtesy? I shall lay it all bare in the open marketplace for everyone to see. The more I showed restraint, the more they caused me grief. Says Tuka, I shall proclaim your lineage from the root.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I have become generous with my very life. What do I care now for politeness? I will spread it all open in the marketplace for everyone to see. The more I held back out of deference, the more they vexed me. Tuka says: I will proclaim Your lineage from the root.
What it means
Tukaram has stopped guarding his words to spare anyone's feelings; having staked his own life, he has nothing left to protect. He will say everything plainly, out in the open square, hiding nothing. He learned this the hard way: every time he showed deference, people only troubled him more. So he turns fully to God, vowing to declare the whole truth of God's glory openly, from its very source.
Autobiography
Tukaram's own account of his life, struggles, awakening, and mission.
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