संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 89 of 4582

Abhanga 89

This abhang is permission to withdraw from environments where the mode is roasting good people. Modern social culture often celebrates the cynical mockery of the earnest; Tukaram's diagnosis is specific: such mockery is the visible mark of having forgotten Govinda. The cure is not engagement; it is distance, asked of the deity if necessary. The withdrawal is not snobbery; it is recognition that proximity to sant-ninda changes you.

When someone is habitually slandering wise / good people in your presence — and you have to ask whether continued audience is implication

When you find yourself in a community whose mode is roasting the very people who would help — and you have to choose distance

When you have to pray to be kept far from such a person — and you recognize the prayer as wisdom, not as cowardice

The verse

बोलायाचा त्यासीं । नको संबंध मानसीं ॥१॥ जया घडली संतनिंदा । तुज विसरूनि गोविंदा ॥ध्रु.॥ जळो त्याचें तोंड । नको दृष्टीपुढें भांड ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे देवा । तया दुरी मज ठेवा ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Of speaking with him — let there be no connection in my mind. Whoever has performed saint-slander has forgotten you, Govinda. Let his face burn — let me have no quarreling person before my sight. Tuka says: O God, keep me far from such a one.

मराठी: त्याच्याशी बोलायचं — मनात संबंध नकोच. ज्याला संत-निंदा घडली — तो गोविंदाला विसरून. त्याचं तोंड जळो; दृष्टीपुढे भांड नको. तुकाराम म्हणतात — देवा, मला त्याच्यापासून दूर ठेवा.

Word-by-word gloss

Marathi	Meaning
बोलायाचा त्यासीं	"of speaking with him"
नको संबंध मानसीं	"let there be no connection in (my) mind"
जया घडली संतनिंदा	"(the one) by whom saint-slander has happened"
तुज विसरूनि गोविंदा	"(such a one) has forgotten you, Govinda"
जळो त्याचें तोंड	"let his face burn"
नको दृष्टीपुढें भांड	"(let me have) no quarreling person before my sight"
तया दुरी मज ठेवा	"keep me far from him"

What it means

A short avoid-the-saint-slanderer abhang. Structural claim: saint-slander (sant-ninda) is a structural marker of having forgotten Govinda. The slanderer is not a neutral conversationalist; they have a specific spiritual condition. Tukaram's prescription is concrete: (1) no mental engagement; (2) the face's burning is requested (a strong wish — not a curse but a request that the slanderer's false-mouth be undone); (3) prayer to be placed far. [T]

For someone today

This abhang is permission to withdraw from environments where the mode is roasting good people. Modern social culture often celebrates the cynical mockery of the earnest; Tukaram's diagnosis is specific: such mockery is the visible mark of having forgotten Govinda. The cure is not engagement; it is distance, asked of the deity if necessary. The withdrawal is not snobbery; it is recognition that proximity to sant-ninda changes you.

मराठी: ही ओवी अशा वातावरणातून withdraw करायची परवानगी जिथे चांगल्या लोकांची चेष्टा हाच मोड. आधुनिक सामाजिक संस्कृती earnest लोकांची cynical mockery कौतुकत होते; तुकारामांचं निदान specific: ही mockery गोविंदाला विसरण्याचं दृश्य चिन्ह. उपाय engagement नाही — अंतर, गरज पडल्यास देवाकडून मागितलेलं. withdrawal snobbery नाही; ओळख की sant-ninda च्या जवळ राहणं तुम्हाला बदलतं.

Where this applies

Slander of good people in your presence. Withdraw; the audience is implication.
Community whose mode is roasting helpers. Distance.
Praying to be kept far. Wisdom, not cowardice.