Abhanga 106
This abhang is for the moment when a family member's pattern is clearly destructive but you keep maintaining the tie at increasing cost. Tukaram's पुत्र पत्नी बंधु list is precise — even the most-protected relations are not exempt. The instruction is concrete: one blow, count it dead, do not return. Half-cutting and re-attaching is the failure mode. The consequence (bhoga) you fear from cutting is less than the consequence you are absorbing by staying.
The verse
हो का पुत्र पत्नी बंधु । त्यांचा तोडावा संबंधु ॥१॥ कळों आलें खट्याळसें । शिवों नये लिंपों दोषें ॥ध्रु.॥ फोडावें मडकें । मेलें लेखीं घायें एकें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे त्यागें । विण चुकीजेना भोगें ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Be it son, wife, brother — their connection should be cut once depravity has become known. Do not touch — do not be smeared by their flaw. Smash the pot — count it dead — with one blow. Tuka says: without renunciation, consequence cannot be escaped.
मराठी: पुत्र, पत्नी, बंधू असो — खट्याळ कळल्यावर त्यांचा संबंध तोडावा. शिवू नका, दोषाने लिंपू नका. मडकं फोडा — एका घावात मेलं लेखावं. तुकाराम म्हणतात — त्यागाशिवाय भोग चुकत नाही.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| हो का पुत्र पत्नी बंधु | "be it son, wife, brother" |
| त्यांचा तोडावा संबंधु | "their connection should be cut" |
| कळों आलें खट्याळसें | "(once it has) become known to be depraved" (खट्याळ = mischievous, depraved) |
| शिवों नये लिंपों दोषें | "do not touch — do not be smeared by (their) flaw" |
| फोडावें मडकें | "the pot should be smashed" |
| मेलें लेखीं घायें एकें | "count it dead — by one blow" |
| त्यागें विण चुकीजेना भोगें | "without tyāga (renunciation), bhoga (consequence) cannot be skipped" |
What it means
A harsh-cut abhang. The structural claim: family-relations (son, wife, brother) do not override the imperative to sever a depraved tie. The pot-image is operational — smash with one blow, count it dead. Half-measures fail. The closing — त्यागें विण चुकीजेना भोगें — without renunciation, bhoga (the consequence) cannot be skipped — names the cost of staying: the consequence of remaining connected to depravity is also yours. Renunciation is the only exit. [T]
For someone today
This abhang is for the moment when a family member's pattern is clearly destructive but you keep maintaining the tie at increasing cost. Tukaram's पुत्र पत्नी बंधु list is precise — even the most-protected relations are not exempt. The instruction is concrete: one blow, count it dead, do not return. Half-cutting and re-attaching is the failure mode. The consequence (bhoga) you fear from cutting is less than the consequence you are absorbing by staying.
मराठी: ही ओवी अशा क्षणासाठी जेव्हा कुटुंबीयाचा pattern स्पष्टपणे विनाशकारी आहे पण तुम्ही वाढत्या किंमतीवर नातं ठेवत आहात. तुकारामांची पुत्र-पत्नी-बंधू यादी अचूक — सर्वात-संरक्षित नातीही exempt नाहीत. सूचना concrete: एक घाव, मेलं लेखा, परत येऊ नका. अर्ध-तोडून परत-जोडणं — failure mode. जे bhoga (परिणाम) तोडण्यापासून घाबरताय ते राहून जे शोषत आहात त्यापेक्षा कमी आहे.
Where this applies
- Family-member's destructive pattern. Tukaram allows the cut.
- Almost breaking but going back. एका घावें.
- Avoiding bhoga of staying. Without tyāga, bhoga continues.