Social criticism, devotion misplaced on petty spirits
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
हरिहर सांडूनि देव । धरिती भाव क्षुल्लकीं ॥1॥
ऐका त्यांची विटंबणा । देवपणा भक्तांची ॥ध्रु.॥
अंगीं कवडे घाली गळां । परडी कळाहीन हातीं ॥2॥
गळां गांठा हिंडें दारीं । मनुष्य परी कुतरीं तीं ॥3॥
माथां सेंदुर दांत खाती । जेंगट हातीं सटवीचें ॥4॥
पूजिती विकट दौंद । पशु सोंड गजाची ॥5॥
ऐशा छंदें चुकलीं वाटा । भाव खोटा भजन ॥6॥
तुका ह्मणे विष्णुशिवा । वांचुनि देवा भजती ती ॥7॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Abandoning Hari and Shiva, they fix their devotion on petty spirits. Hear of the degradation of such devotees. They hang cowrie shells around their necks and carry baskets, devoid of skill. They wear strings of charms and wander from door to door, appearing human but living like dogs. With vermilion on their heads and teeth stained red, they carry the implements of the she-demon. They worship grotesque images and the trunk of Ganesha merely as an animal form. By such practices they have lost their way; their worship and their devotion are false. Says Tuka, those who worship anything other than Vishnu and Shiva have gone astray.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Leaving Hari and Shiva, they fix their faith on petty spirits. Hear how these devotees disgrace themselves and call it godliness. They hang cowrie shells around their necks and carry begging baskets, with no real skill. They wear strings of charms and wander door to door; they look like people, but they live like dogs. Vermilion on their heads, teeth stained red, the she-demon's rattle in their hands. They worship grotesque, swollen images, the elephant's trunk as nothing more than a beast. By such fashions they have lost the road; their faith is false and their worship is false. Tuka says: those who worship anything but Vishnu and Shiva have gone astray.
What it means
Tukaram is grieving over devotion poured into the wrong objects. People leave Hari and Shiva and fasten their faith on petty spirits and demon-cults, taking up cowries, charms, vermilion, and rattles, and wandering door to door for alms. He says they keep the human shape but live like dogs, and even reduce a great form like Ganesha's to a mere animal trunk, worship without understanding. His verdict is that the whole bent is a false faith that has lost the road. The standard he sets is exclusive and deliberate: real worship is fixed on Vishnu and Shiva, and devotion scattered onto lesser powers leads the devotee astray. The pattern to examine is where one actually places trust, since faith aimed at petty powers degrades the one who offers it.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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