Social criticism, beggar-gods and the true Lord
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
सेंदरीं हें देवी दैवतें । कोण तीं पुजी भुतेंकेतें । आपुल्या पोटा जीं रडतें । मागती शितें अवदान ॥1॥
आपुले इच्छे आणिकां पीडी । काय तें देईल बराडी । कळों ही आली तयाची जोडी । अल्प रोकडी बुिद्ध अधरा ॥ध्रु.॥
दासीचा पाहुनरउखतें। धणी देईल आपुल्या हातें । करुणाभाषणउचितें । हें तों रितें सतंत शक्तिहीन ॥2॥
काय तें थिल्लरीचें पाणी । ओठ न भिजे फिटे धणी । सीण तरीं आदीं आवसानीं । क्षोभे पुरश्चरणीं दिलें फळ ॥3॥
विलेपनें बुजविती तोंड । भार खोल वाहाती उदंड । करविती आपणयां दंड। ऐसियास भांड ह्मणे देव तो ॥4॥
तैसा नव्हे नारायण । जगव्यापक जनादननष । तुका ह्मणे त्याचें करा चिंतन । वंदूं चरण येती सकळें ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
These vermilion-smeared village deities and spirits, who worships them? They themselves cry for their own bellies and beg for scraps of food as offerings. They torment others to fulfill their own desires. What can such beggars ever give? Their wealth is now known: a petty, shallow, short-lived intelligence. Can a slave's guest expect anything? The master gives with his own hand, with kind and proper words. But these are empty, always powerless. What is that puddle-water? It cannot even wet the lips, yet the thirst remains. They labor from start to finish, and anger alone is the fruit of their rituals. They daub faces with paste, carry heavy loads in abundance, and inflict punishment upon themselves. God calls such ones charlatans. Not so is Narayana, who pervades the world, Janardana. Says Tuka, contemplate Him, and all beings will come to bow at His feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
These vermilion-smeared village goddesses and godlings, who worships such spirits and ghosts? They themselves cry for their own bellies. They beg for scraps of food as offerings. To get what they want, they torment others. What can such beggars give you? Their worth is known now: a small, ready, low cunning. Does a servant's guest get fed? It is the master who gives with his own hand, with kind and fitting words. These are empty, always weak and powerless. What is this puddle water? It will not wet the lips, and the thirst stays. You labor from start to finish, and the only fruit of the ritual is more anger. They smear paste to cover the face. They carry deep, heavy loads beyond measure. They bring punishment down on themselves. God calls such a one a fraud. Narayana is not like that, the all-pervading one, Janardana. Tuka says: meditate on him. All beings come to bow at his feet.
What it means
Tukaram attacks a whole economy of fear-worship: the smeared village godlings and spirits that people propitiate. His argument is hard-headed, not contemptuous of the worshippers but exposing the bargain, since these objects of worship are themselves beggars crying for their own bellies, all they can dispense is a petty cunning, and they extort by tormenting. He uses the homely image of puddle water that will not even wet the lips: such worship costs constant labor and pays back only frustration and self-inflicted punishment. The point lands as a warning to examine where one places one's devotion. Set against the beggar-gods is Narayana, the Lord who actually pervades everything and gives like a master with his own hand; turn there, Tukaram says, and all beings find a place to bow.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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