Abhanga 125
This abhang offers a precise ethics-of-position. Position determines respect-allocation in specific contexts: the speaker at the lectern, the patient at the doctor's office, the host at their house, the master at the meeting, the servant carrying the master's authority. Even if you are personally more competent or more accomplished, the position-holder gets the first courtesy. This is not feudal humility; it is the principle that function-determines-honor in functional contexts.
The verse
वक्त्या आधीं मान । गंध अक्षता पूजन । श्रोता यति जाला जाण । तरी त्या नाहीं उचित ॥१॥ शीर सर्वांगा प्रमाण । यथाविधि कर चरण । धर्माचें पाळण । सकळीं सत्य करावें ॥ध्रु.॥ पट्ट पुत्र सांभाळी । पिता त्याची आज्ञा पाळी । प्रमाण सकळीं । ते मर्यादा करावी ॥२॥ वरासनीं पाषाण । तो न मानावा सामान्य । येर उपकरणें । सोनियाचीं परी तीं नीच ॥३॥ सोनियाचा पैंजण । मुगुटमणि केला हीण । जयाचें कारण । तया ठायीं अळंकार ॥४॥ सेवका स्वामीसाठीं मान । त्याचें नाम त्याचें धन । तुका म्हणे जाण । तुम्ही संत तदर्थी ॥५॥
Literal translation
English: Respect to the speaker first — sandalwood, akshata, worship. Even if the listener has become a yogi, (this first respect) is not for him. The head is the measure for the whole body — hands and feet, by rule. Dharma's keeping — let all do truly. The king-elect-son protects; the father obeys his order — the (official) measure is what defines the boundary. A pebble in the prized seat — do not consider it ordinary. Other tools, even of gold — are low (when out of place). A gold anklet placed as crown-jewel has been demoted. Whatever's purpose — there is the adornment. Respect to the servant for the master's sake — his name, his wealth carries the master. Tuka says: know — you saints, (act) accordingly.
मराठी: वक्त्याला आधी मान — गंध, अक्षता, पूजन. श्रोता यति झाला असला — तरी त्याला हे उचित नाही. शीर सर्वांगाला प्रमाण; यथाविधी कर-चरण. धर्माचं पाळण सर्वांनी सत्य करावं. पट्ट-पुत्र सांभाळतो; पिता त्याची आज्ञा पाळतो; प्रमाण मर्यादा. वरासनीं पाषाण — सामान्य न मानावा; इतर उपकरणं सोन्याची तरी नीच (चुकीच्या ठिकाणी). सोन्याचा पैंजण मुकुटमणी केला — हीण झाला. ज्याचं कारण — तिथेच अलंकार. सेवकाला स्वामीसाठी मान — त्याचं नाव-धन. तुकाराम म्हणतात — संतांनो, तसं वागा.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| वक्त्या आधीं मान | "respect to the speaker first" |
| गंध अक्षता पूजन | "sandalwood, akshata (rice-grains), worship" |
| श्रोता यति जाला जाण | "the listener — even if he has become a yogi" |
| तरी त्या नाहीं उचित | "for him, (the first respect) is not appropriate" |
| शीर सर्वांगा प्रमाण | "the head is the measure for the whole body" |
| यथाविधि कर चरण | "according to rule — hands, feet" |
| पट्ट पुत्र सांभाळी पिता त्याची आज्ञा पाळी | "the king-elect-son protects, the father obeys his order" (= the official position determines hierarchy, not biology) |
| वरासनीं पाषाण तो न मानावा सामान्य | "a pebble in the prized seat — should not be considered ordinary" |
| येर उपकरणें सोनियाचीं परी तीं नीच | "other tools, even of gold — are nīca (low) (when in the wrong place)" |
| सोनियाचा पैंजण मुगुटमणि केला हीण | "a gold anklet — placed (instead of) the crown-jewel — has been demoted" |
| जयाचें कारण तया ठायीं अळंकार | "the cause (= proper purpose) defines what adornment belongs in that place" |
| सेवका स्वामीसाठीं मान | "respect to the servant for the master's sake" |
| त्याचें नाम त्याचें धन | "his name, his wealth (carries the master's)" |
What it means
A position-and-respect abhang. Two structural claims: 1. Position determines respect, not personal-merit alone. Vakta (speaker) gets first respect even if listener is more spiritually accomplished. King-elect-son outranks the father in court matters. Servant of master carries master's honor. 2. Adornment-in-the-right-place is the only adornment. A pebble in the king's seat is honored. Gold in the wrong position (anklet promoted to crown-jewel) is demoted. The cause (proper purpose) of an object determines where it is अलंकार (adornment) and where it is हीण (low / demoted).
The closing — तुम्ही संत तदर्थी — you saints, accordingly — is Tukaram's instruction to the bhakta-listeners: respect-the-position, not just the person. [T]
For someone today
This abhang offers a precise ethics-of-position. Position determines respect-allocation in specific contexts: the speaker at the lectern, the patient at the doctor's office, the host at their house, the master at the meeting, the servant carrying the master's authority. Even if you are personally more competent or more accomplished, the position-holder gets the first courtesy. This is not feudal humility; it is the principle that function-determines-honor in functional contexts.
Adornment-in-right-place extends this: a beautiful thing in the wrong slot becomes low. Don't place your best people, energies, or resources in the wrong slots — the gold-anklet-as-crown-jewel is demoted, not promoted. Find each thing's कारण (proper purpose) and place it accordingly.
मराठी: ही ओवी position-and-ethics अचूकतेने देते. Position respect-allocation specific contexts मध्ये determine करते: lectern वर वक्ता, doctor च्या office मध्ये patient, स्वतःच्या घरी yजमान, meeting मध्ये master, master ची authority carry करणारा सेवक. तुम्ही personally अधिक competent किंवा accomplished असले तरीही position-holder ला पहिली courtesy. हा feudal नम्रपणा नाही; तत्त्व आहे — functional context मध्ये function-determines-honor.
Adornment-in-right-place हे extend करतं: चुकीच्या slot मध्ये सुंदर गोष्ट नीच होते. तुमचे best लोक, ऊर्जा, संसाधनं चुकीच्या slot मध्ये ठेवू नका — gold-anklet-as-crown-jewel demoted, promoted नाही. प्रत्येक गोष्टीचं कारण (योग्य purpose) शोधा आणि त्यानुसार ठेवा.
Where this applies
- Allocating respect in a gathering. Speaker first.
- Honor distributed by external markers. Right-place is the principle.
- Tempted to put gold thing in wrong position. सोनियाचा पैंजण मुगुटमणि केला हीण.