Abhanga 97
This abhang offers two diagnostic signs of a real person in Tukaram's frame: (1) the Name habitually present in speech; (2) generosity and courage in action. Without these, regardless of how impressive the externals, the person is रांड — wretched. The saints' rejection is a marker, not cruelty — they read the absence of these signs and step away. The cure is not arguing with the saints; it is acquiring the signs: Name in the throat, giving in the hand, courage in the wrist.
The verse
कंठीं कृष्णमणी । नाहीं अशुभ ते वाणी ॥१॥ हो का नर अथवा नारी । रांड तयें नावें खरी ॥ध्रु.॥ नाहीं हातीं दान । शूरपणाचें कांकण ॥२॥ वाळियेली संतीं । केली बोडोनि फजिती ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे ताळा । नाहीं त्याची अवकळा ॥४॥
Literal translation
English: With Krishna-mani at the throat — no inauspicious speech (comes from the mouth). Be it man or woman, rand is the right name (for one without it). No giving in the hand, no warrior-bracelet. Rejected by the saints — punished by shaved-disgrace. Tuka says: no rhythm — only his fall.
मराठी: कंठात कृष्णमणी — अशुभ वाणी नाही. नर असो वा नारी — रांड हेच नाव खरं. हाती दान नाही, शूरपणाचं कांकण नाही. संतांनी वाळवलं — बोडून फजिती केली. तुकाराम म्हणतात — ताळा नाही — त्याची अवकळा.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कंठीं कृष्णमणी | "Krishna-mani at the throat" (= the Name worn as ornament) |
| नाहीं अशुभ ते वाणी | "no inauspicious speech" |
| हो का नर अथवा नारी | "be it man or woman" |
| रांड तयें नावें खरी | "rand (loose / wretched) is the right name" |
| नाहीं हातीं दान | "no giving in (the) hand" |
| शूरपणाचें कांकण | "the warrior-courage bracelet" |
| वाळियेली संतीं | "rejected by the saints" |
| केली बोडोनि फजिती | "bodoni faziti — shaved-disgrace" (a public-shaming punishment) |
| ताळा नाहीं त्याची अवकळा | "no rhythm — only his disgrace" |
What it means
Two diagnostic signs: (1) कंठीं कृष्णमणी — Krishna-mani at the throat = the Name worn habitually = the speech is auspicious; without it, speech turns inauspicious. (2) हातीं दान, शूरपणाचें कांकण — giving in the hand, warrior-courage at the wrist = the visible signs of honour — generosity and courage. Without these, regardless of gender, the person is रांड (loose / wretched). The saints reject; the shame falls. Pattern P3 (transvalued slur) is operating again — Tukaram uses the gendered slur structurally, applying it to anyone without the Name and the giving. [T]
For someone today
This abhang offers two diagnostic signs of a real person in Tukaram's frame: (1) the Name habitually present in speech; (2) generosity and courage in action. Without these, regardless of how impressive the externals, the person is रांड — wretched. The saints' rejection is a marker, not cruelty — they read the absence of these signs and step away. The cure is not arguing with the saints; it is acquiring the signs: Name in the throat, giving in the hand, courage in the wrist.
मराठी: ही ओवी तुकारामांच्या frame मध्ये खऱ्या व्यक्तीची दोन diagnostic चिन्हं देते: (१) बोलण्यात नियमित नाम; (२) कृतीत उदारता आणि शूरता. ही नसतील — externals कितीही impressive असोत — व्यक्ती रांड. संतांचा नकार chinha आहे, क्रूरता नाही — ते या चिन्हांची अनुपस्थिती वाचतात आणि पावलं मागे सरतात. उपाय संतांशी वाद नाही — चिन्हं मिळवणं: कंठात नाम, हातात दान, मनगटात शूरता.
Where this applies
- Inauspicious speech. Krishna-mani missing.
- Life with no rhythm. Giving-and-courage absent.
- Saints' rejection unmistakable. Read as data.