Social criticism, guru and disciple for hire
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जळोजळो तें गुरुपण । जळोजळो तें चेलेपण ॥1॥
गुरु आला वेशीद्वारीं । शिष्य पळतों खिंडोरीं ॥ध्रु.॥
काशासाटीं जालें येणें । त्याचें आलें वर्षासन ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे चेला । गुरू दोघे हि नरकाला ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Cursed be such guruhood, cursed be such discipleship. When the guru arrives at the village gate, the disciple runs away by the back lane. Why did this guru come? Only because his annual stipend was due. Says Tuka, both disciple and guru are headed for hell.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Burn such guruhood; burn such discipleship. The guru comes to the village gate, and the disciple runs off down the back lane. What did this coming amount to? His yearly stipend had fallen due. Tuka says: disciple and guru, both of them, are bound for hell.
What it means
Tukaram is attacking a teaching that runs on money instead of truth. The guru arrives, and the disciple, who should be running toward him, slips away by the back alley; the warmth is gone. The visit was never for the soul: the guru showed up because his annual payment was owed, so the bond is a transaction wearing holy clothes. Tukaram sends both to hell to mark how empty it is when the teacher comes for his fee and the student dodges the debt. The verse points at the hollow pattern of a relationship without devotion, asking us to test our own teaching and following, not to despise any one teacher.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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