Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha
मराठी मूळ
अधमाचें चित्त अहंकारीं मन । उपदेश शीण तया केला ॥1॥
पापियाचें मन न करी आचार । विधवे शृंगार व्यर्थ केला ॥ध्रु.॥
अधमाचें चित्त दुिश्चत्त ऐकेना । वांयां सीण मना करूं काय ॥2॥
गर्धबासी दिली चंदनाची उटी । केशर लल्हाटीं शुकराच्या॥3॥
पतिवंचकेसी सांगतां उदंड । परि तें पाषांड तिचे मनीं ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे तैसें अभावीं सांगतां । वाउगा चि चित्ता सीण होय ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The mind of the wicked is filled with ego; teaching him is a waste of effort. The mind of a sinner will not follow righteous conduct; adorning a widow is equally pointless. The mind of the wicked is restless and will not listen; why should we trouble our own minds in vain? It is like applying sandalwood paste to a donkey or saffron to a pig's forehead. No matter how much you tell an unfaithful woman, her mind remains steeped in deceit. Says Tuka, preaching to the faithless brings only needless fatigue to the heart.
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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