Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
दुर्जनाचें अंग अवघें चि सरळ । नकाऩचा कोथळ सांटवण ॥1॥
खाय अमंगळ बोले अमंगळ । उठवी कपाळ संघष्टणें ॥ध्रु.॥
सर्पा मंत्र चाले धरावया हातीं । खळाची ते जाती निखळे चि ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे कांहीं न साहे उपमा । आणीक अधमा वोखटएाची ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The wicked person's body may appear smooth on the outside, but within is a sack of filth. He eats what is impure, speaks what is impure, and strikes his forehead in quarrels. A serpent can be charmed by mantras and taken in hand, but the nature of a villain never straightens. Says Tuka, no comparison is adequate for one so wretched and vile.
This translation is auto-generated and may contain errors. We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram’s original Marathi.
Social Criticism
Rebuke of hypocrisy, caste pride, false teachers, greed, and religious pretence.
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