Social criticism, counsel wasted on the proud
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अधमाचें चित्त अहंकारीं मन । उपदेश शीण तया केला ॥1॥
पापियाचें मन न करी आचार । विधवे शृंगार व्यर्थ केला ॥ध्रु.॥
अधमाचें चित्त दुिश्चत्त ऐकेना । वांयां सीण मना करूं काय ॥2॥
गर्धबासी दिली चंदनाची उटी । केशर लल्हाटीं शुकराच्या॥3॥
पतिवंचकेसी सांगतां उदंड । परि तें पाषांड तिचे मनीं ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे तैसें अभावीं सांगतां । वाउगा चि चित्ता सीण होय ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The mind of the wicked is filled with ego; teaching him is a waste of effort. The mind of a wrongdoer will not follow righteous conduct; adorning a widow is equally pointless. The mind of the wicked is restless and will not listen; why should we trouble our own minds in vain? It is like applying sandalwood paste to a donkey or saffron to a pig's forehead. No matter how much you tell an unfaithful woman, her mind remains steeped in deceit. Says Tuka, preaching to the faithless brings only needless fatigue to the chitta.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The base man's mind is full of ego; teaching him only wears you out. The sinner's mind will not keep good conduct; dressing up a widow is just as useless. The base man's mind is restless and will not listen; why wear out your own mind for nothing? It is like rubbing sandalwood paste on a donkey, or saffron on a pig's forehead. Tell an unfaithful woman all you like; her mind stays steeped in deceit. Tuka says: preaching to the faithless brings only pointless tiredness to the heart.
What it means
Tukaram warns that good counsel is wasted where there is no openness to receive it. A mind packed with ego cannot take teaching, and a heart set on wrongdoing will not keep to good conduct, so the effort exhausts the teacher for nothing. He piles on blunt images of misplaced effort: sandalwood paste on a donkey, saffron on a pig, finery on one who will not value it. However much you say, a mind steeped in deceit stays as it is. The lesson is about discernment, knowing where teaching can land, not about writing off a person; the warning is to spend your strength where the heart is willing.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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