Hypocrisy, the show of false devotion
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जळो प्रेमा तैसा रंग । जाय भुलोनि पतंग ॥1॥
सासूसाटीं रडे सून । भाव अंतरींचा भिन्न ॥ध्रु.॥
मैंद मुखींचा कोंवळा। भाव अंतरीं निराळा ॥2॥
जैसी वृंदावनकांती । उत्तम धरूं ये हातीं ॥3॥
बक ध्यान धरी । सोंग करूनि मासे मारी ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे सर्प डोले । तैसा कथेमाजी खुले ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Cursed be the love that is mere show, like the moth that goes, deluded. A daughter-in-law weeps for her mother-in-law, but the feeling within is different. The monkey is soft-mouthed on the surface, but its nature within is something else. Like the beauty of the Vrindavan shrine, excellent to take up in hand. The crane holds the pose of meditation, performing its act, hunting for fish. Says Tuka, the serpent sways to music; in the same way, a hypocrite blooms within the katha.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Cursed be love that is only show, like the moth that flies into the flame, deluded. A daughter-in-law weeps for her mother-in-law, but the feeling inside is something else. The monkey is soft-mouthed on the surface, but its nature within is otherwise. Like the painted beauty of a Vrindavan shrine, fine to hold in the hand. The crane holds the pose of meditation, putting on an act while it hunts for fish. Tuka says: the snake sways to the music; in just that way a fraud blooms in the holy katha.
What it means
Tukaram strips the mask off counterfeit devotion. He stacks up images of inner and outer not matching: the fake mourner, the soft-mouthed monkey, the pretty shrine you only hold for show, the crane standing still as if meditating while it stalks fish, the snake swaying as if charmed by the music. Each one performs holiness while something else moves inside. The target is the hypocrite who comes alive in the sacred gathering, the katha, as a stage for display. The warning is to examine whether one's own devotion is felt within or merely performed.
Worldly Metaphors
Poems using images from games, occupations, and daily life as spiritual teaching.
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