राम
गाथा 783Social Criticism

Social criticism, the false guru's theatre

Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram

मराठी मूळ

टंवकारूनि दृष्टी लावुनियां रंग । दावी झगमग डोळ्यांपुढें ॥1॥

ह्मणती शिष्यासी लागली समाधी । लटकी चि उपाधी झकविती ॥ध्रु.॥

दीपाचिया ज्योती कोंडियेलें तेज । उपदेश सांजरात्रीमाजी ॥2॥

रांगोिळया चौक शृंगारुनी वोजा । आवरण पूजा यंत्र करी ॥3॥

पडदा लावोनियां दीप चहूं कोनीं । बैसोनि आसनीं मुद्रा दावी ॥4॥

नैवेद्यासी ह्मणे करावें पक्वान्न । पात्रासी दिव्यान्न परवडी ॥5॥

जाला उपदेश कवळ घ्या रे मुखीं । आपोशन शेखीं बुडविलें ॥6॥

पाषांड करोनि मांडिली जीविका । बुडवी भाविकां लोकांप्रती ॥7॥

शुद्ध परमार्थ बुडविला तेणें । गुरुत्वभूषणें भोग भोगी ॥9॥

विधीचा ही लोप बुडविला वेद । शास्त्रांचा ही बोध हरविला ॥10॥

योगाची धारणा नाहीं प्राणायाम । सांडी यम नेम नित्यादिक ॥11॥

वैराग्याचा लोप हरिभजनीं विक्षेप । वाढविलें पाप मतिलंडें ॥12॥

तुका ह्मणे गेलें गुरुत्व गुखाडी । पूर्वजांसी धाडी नर्कवासा ॥13॥

Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)

English Translation

He fixes his gaze and creates a dazzling display, showing flashing lights before the eyes. They tell the disciple, "You have entered samadhi," but this is mere deception and fraud. The light of a lamp is enclosed within a container, and the initiation is conducted in the dim of twilight. He draws rangoli designs and decorates the seat with elaborate rituals, then sits displaying mudras behind a curtain with lamps in four corners. For the offering, he demands rich delicacies and sumptuous food on fine plates. He says, "The initiation is complete; now take a morsel," and drowns the whole thing in ceremony. He has built a livelihood on hypocrisy and leads the faithful astray. He has submerged genuine spiritual life under the pretense of being a guru, enjoying comforts in its name. He has destroyed the authority of the Vedas and obliterated the guidance of the scriptures. He has no yogic discipline, no breath-control, and has abandoned all rules and daily observances. He has ruined the path of renunciation and created obstacles in the worship of Hari, increasing sin through his cunning mind. Says Tuka, the status of the guru has gone to ruin, and he sends his own ancestors to hell.

We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.

In Plain Words

He fixes his stare and works the mood. He makes a dazzling display, flashing lights before the eyes. They tell the disciple: you have entered samadhi. It is a lie, a trick that cheats him. A lamp's flame is shut inside a box. The initiation is done in the dark of twilight. He draws rangoli, decorates the seat with care, sets up the ritual diagram and the offerings. He hangs a curtain, puts lamps in the four corners, sits on his seat, and shows off his mudras. For the offering he demands rich sweets, fine food on fine plates. He says: the initiation is finished, now take a morsel; and drowns the whole thing in ceremony. He has built a living out of fakery and leads the faithful astray. He has sunk true spiritual life under the guru's costume, and lives in comfort on its name. He has wiped out the authority of the Vedas and lost the teaching of the scriptures. He has no yogic discipline, no breath-control. He throws away the rules and the daily duties. He has ruined renunciation and thrown obstacles into the worship of Hari. With his cunning mind he piles up sin. Tuka says: the dignity of the guru has gone to ruin; he sends his own ancestors to hell.

What it means

Tukaram is dissecting the machinery of a fraudulent guru point by point. The hypnotic stare, the flashing lights, the curtain and lamps and mudras, the twilight initiation, the demand for rich food: every step is staging, designed to make a disciple believe he has reached samadhi when nothing has happened. The charge is that this man has turned a sacred office into a paying trade, set genuine practice aside, and discarded the Vedas, the scriptures, yoga, and daily discipline while living in comfort on the guru's reputation. The harm runs both ways: he obstructs real devotion to Hari and degrades the very dignity of the teacher's seat. The test the poem leaves for the reader is plain: a guru is known by discipline and self-emptying, not by spectacle and fees, and any teaching aimed at comfort and effect should be suspected.

समाज टीका

Social Criticism

Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.

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