Confession, the empty outward show
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
गातों भाव नाहीं अंगीं । भूषण करावया जगीं ॥१॥
परि तूं पतितपावन । करीं साच हें वचन ॥ध्रु.॥.
मुखें म्हणवितों दास । चित्तीं माया लोभ आस ॥५॥
तुका म्हणे दावीं वेश । तैसा अंतरीं नाहीं लेश ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I sing, yet there is no true devotion in my being; I do it merely to adorn myself before the world. But you are the Redeemer of the fallen; make this promise of yours come true. I call myself a servant with my mouth, yet my heart is full of greed, worldly longing, and desire. Says Tuka, the garb I display on the outside has not the slightest trace within.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I sing, but there is no real feeling in me; I do it to dress myself up before the world. Yet you are the saver of the fallen: make this word of yours come true. With my mouth I call myself your servant, while my heart is full of illusion, greed, and longing. Tuka says: the costume I show outside has not a trace of it within.
What it means
Tukaram turns the harsh light on himself rather than on anyone else. He admits his singing has no inward feeling; it is a costume he wears to look pious before the world. With his mouth he calls himself God's servant, but his heart is crowded with illusion, greed, and craving, and he refuses to pretend otherwise. Yet the confession is also a plea: because God is the one who lifts the fallen, Tukaram asks him to make that title true in his case. The abhanga is an example of honest self-examination, naming the gap between outward show and inner state and handing it to the only one who can close it.
Confession and Sin
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