Social criticism, blaming God
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पापी तो नाठवी आपुल्या संचिता । ठेवी भगवंता वरी बोल ॥1॥
भेईना करितां पापाचे डोंगर । दुर्जन पामर दुराचारी॥ध्रु.॥
नाठवी तो खळ आपुली करणी । देवासी निंदोनि बोलतसे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे त्याच्या तोंडा लागो काटी । नाहीं जगजेठी जया चित्तीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The wrongdoer never reflects on his own accumulated deeds but lays blame upon God. He fears not though he piles up mountains of sin, that wretched and vile wrongdoer. The wicked one never recalls his own conduct; he goes on slandering God. Says Tuka, may thorns fill his mouth, for he who has no room in his chitta for the Lord of the world.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The sinner never thinks of his own gathered deeds; he puts the blame on God. He piles up mountains of sin and is not afraid, that low, wretched, evil-living man. The fool never recalls his own doing; he goes on slandering God. Tuka says: let thorns fill the mouth of the man who has no room for the Lord of the world in his heart.
What it means
Tukaram is naming the move of a man who will not own his own life. Such a person ignores the deeds he has stored up and lays the fault on God instead, heaping sin without fear. The thing Tukaram cannot bear is the slander: the same mouth that should hold the Name is used to abuse the Lord. His curse, that thorns fill that mouth, is aimed at the speech, not at damning the soul. The self-examination underneath is the question of whether we blame God for the harvest of our own choices, and whether the Lord has any room left in our heart.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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