Social criticism, the dancing pretender
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नीट पाट करूनि थाट । दावीतसे तोरा । आपणाकडे पाहो कोणी । निघाली बाजारा ॥१॥
ते सौरी नव्हे निकी । भक्तीविण फिकी ॥ध्रु.॥
चांग भांग करूनि सोंग । दावी माळा मुदी । रुक्याची आस धरूनि । हालवी ती फुदी ॥२॥
थोरे घरीं करी फेरी । तेथें नाचे बरी । जेथें निघे रुका । तेथें हालवी टिरी ॥३॥
आंत मांग बाहेर चांग । सौरी ती नव्हे तेग । तुका दास नटतसे । न करी त्याचा संग ॥४॥
चाल माझ्या राघो । डोंगरीं दिवा लागो ॥ध्रु.॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
She dresses herself neatly and parades with airs, hoping someone will notice her as she heads to the marketplace. But that minstrel-woman is not a true one; without devotion she is tasteless. She puts on a fine appearance, displays rosaries and rings, and driven by the hope of a coin she sways her hips. She makes her rounds to wealthy houses and dances well there; wherever a coin emerges, she wiggles her skirt. Outwardly she looks splendid, but inside she is base; she is no genuine minstrel but a sham. Says Tuka, the true servant dances for God and keeps no company with such pretenders.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
She dresses herself up just so, struts about, puts on airs. She wants someone to look at her as she sets out for the marketplace. That dancing-woman is no true one. Without devotion she is tasteless. She makes herself up, puts on a show, displays her rosaries and rings. Hungry for a coin, she sways her hips. She does her rounds at the houses of the rich, and there she dances well. Wherever a coin appears, she wags her behind. Foul within, fine without: she is no real dancer, only a fake. Tuka says: the true servant dances for God. Keep no company with one like her. Come, my Ragho; let a lamp be lit on the mountain.
What it means
Tukaram attacks the pattern of performed piety, picturing a dancing-woman who has all the props of devotion and none of the substance. She wears rosaries and rings, she dances well, but every move is aimed at being noticed and at the coin she can squeeze from rich houses; without real devotion the whole display is flavorless. The sharp line is foul within, fine without: the outward holiness only hides an inward greed. He sets against her the true servant, who dances for God alone and not for an audience or a payment, and warns the listener to keep clear of pretenders. The test he points us to is our own motive: are we performing for eyes and coins, or turned toward God.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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