Social criticism, the hollow teacher
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मुखें बोले ब्रम्हज्ञान । मनीं धनअभिमान ॥१॥
ऐशियाची करी सेवा । काय सुख होय जीवा ॥ध्रु.॥.
पोटासाठीं संत । झाले कलींत बहुत ॥२॥
विरळा ऐसा कोणी । तुका त्यासि लोटांगणी ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
He speaks of the knowledge of Brahman with his mouth, but his mind is swollen with the pride of wealth. What happiness can one gain by serving such a person? In this age of Kali, many have become saints merely for the sake of their bellies. Says Tuka, rare indeed is the one who is genuine; to such a one I bow in prostration.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
His mouth speaks the knowledge of Brahman. His mind is swollen with the pride of his wealth. Serve a man like that, and what happiness comes to your soul? In this age of Kali, many have turned saint just to fill their bellies. Rare is the one who is true. Tuka says: to that one I fall down in prostration.
What it means
Tukaram separates the words a man speaks from the mind behind them. A teacher can recite the highest truth, the knowledge of Brahman, while inside he is proud of his money; serving such a man feeds no one's soul. He names the cheap motive plainly: in a corrupt age many take up the saint's role only to be fed. The verse asks each listener to test the teacher, and himself, by what the mind actually wants. And it ends in worship, not contempt: the genuine one is so rare that Tuka throws himself flat before him.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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