Social criticism, the man who steals credit
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आपुली बुटबुट घ्यावी । माझी परताप द्यावी ॥1॥
आपुला मंत्र नव्हे बरा । माझा बईल चुकला मोरा ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे ऐशा नरा । परिस न झोंबे खापरा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
He wants to keep his own faults to himself and have my accomplishments credited to him. His own mantra does not work, yet he says my bull missed the peacock. Says Tuka, a touchstone will not cling to a potsherd, no matter what such a man does.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
He wants to keep his own faults to himself and have my good work handed over to him. His own charm does not work, yet he says my bull missed the peacock. Tuka says: with a man like this, a touchstone will not cling to a potsherd.
What it means
Tukaram is exposing the man who hoards his own faults while claiming another's merit. He keeps his shortcomings hidden and tries to have Tukaram's accomplishments credited to himself; his own efforts come to nothing, yet he turns and blames Tukaram for missing the mark. The closing proverb names the pattern: a touchstone will not cling to a broken shard of clay. Just as a touchstone cannot turn worthless pottery into gold, no real worth will fasten onto a man of this character, however he postures. The warning is against the habit of grabbing credit and shifting blame, which leaves a person unchanged no matter what he claims.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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