Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
अंधापुढें दीप नाचती नाचणें । भिHभावेंविण भिH तैसी ॥1॥
तिमाणें राखण ठेवियेलें सेता । घालुनियां माथां चुना तया ।
खादलें ह्मणोनि सेवटीं बोबाली । ठायींची भुली कां नेणां रया ॥ध्रु.॥
मुकियापासाव सांगतां पुराण । रोगिया मिष्टान्न काइऩ होय ।
नपुंसका काय करील पिद्मणी । रुचिविण वाणी तैसे होय॥2॥
हात पाय नाहीं करिल तो काइऩ । वृक्षा फळ आहे अमोलिक।
हातां नये तैसा वांयां च तळमळी । भावेंविण भोळीं ह्मणे तुका ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What use is a feast set before a madman? How can a lamp serve one who is blind? Devotion without genuine feeling is just the same. A scarecrow is set to guard the field, with lime pasted on its head, yet it cries foul when the crop is eaten; why do you not recognize the original delusion? Telling the Puranas to a mute, giving delicacies to the sick, presenting a beautiful woman to a eunuch, or uttering words without relish: all yield nothing. A tree bears priceless fruit, but if it cannot be reached, one only agonizes in vain. Says Tuka, the simple-hearted without genuine feeling labor in vain.
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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