Social criticism, the false saints
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
करिसी तें देवा करीं माझें सुखें । परी मी त्यासी मुखें न म्हणें संत ॥१॥
जया राज्य द्रव्य करणें उपार्जना । वश दंभमाना इच्छे जाले ॥ध्रु.॥
जगदेव परी निवडीन निराळे । ज्ञानाचे आंधळे भारवाही ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे भय न धरीं मानसीं । ऐसियाचे विशीं करितां दंड ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
O God, do whatever pleases you with me, but I will never call those people saints who have become slaves to wealth, status, and the desire for worldly acquisition, who are ruled by pride and ambition. Let them be revered by the world; I will sort out the truly wise from the frauds, those who are blind despite their learning, mere beasts of burden. Says Tuka, I hold no fear in my heart when it comes to condemning such pretenders.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Do with me whatever you please, God, gladly. But these people I will not call saints with my mouth. They labor to gather kingdoms and wealth. They are slaves to show and to status, ruled by their own craving. Let the world worship them. I will sort the truly wise from the frauds, the men blind despite their learning, the beasts that only carry loads. Tuka says: I hold no fear in my heart when it comes to condemning such pretenders.
What it means
Tukaram is refusing to flatter holy reputations that are hollow. He hands himself over to God's will, but draws one hard line: he will not call these men saints. He names the pattern, hunger for kingdoms and wealth, enslavement to display and status, the rule of one's own ambition, and says worldly worship of such figures changes nothing. He claims the right to separate the genuinely wise from the frauds, those learned yet blind, carrying their knowledge like pack animals carry a load. The point turns toward self-examination as much as accusation: it is the pattern of pride and acquisition that is condemned, and he says he is unafraid to call it out.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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