संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 353 of 4582

Abhanga 353

This abhang names the protective-distance rule:

When false affection leads to fall — and you have to recognize this register
When only vidhi-words, not many-words — and you accept this conversational-rule
When cleverness-tied-to-sarvasva is a fetter — and you receive this caution

The verse

पतनासि जे नेती । तिचा खोटा स्नेह प्रीती ॥१॥ विधीपुरतें कारण । बहु वारावें वचन ॥ध्रु.॥ सर्वस्वासि नाडी । ऐसी लाघवाची बेडी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे दुरी । राखतां हे तों ची बरी ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Those who lead to patana — their snēha-prīti is khōṭā. Only what is vidhi-puratē — many vacana must be averted. Tied to sarva-sva — such is the lāghava-bēḍī. Tuka says: keeping at a distance — is good.

मराठी: पतनासि जे नेती — तिचा खोटा स्नेह प्रीती. विधीपुरतें कारण — बहु वारावें वचन. सर्वस्वासि नाडी — ऐसी लाघवाची बेडी. तुकाराम म्हणतां — दुरी राखतां हे तों ची बरी.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
पतनासि जे नेती "those who lead to patana (fall)"
तिचा खोटा स्नेह प्रीती "their snēha-prīti (affection-love) is khōṭā (false)"
विधीपुरतें कारण "(for) only what is vidhi-puratē (vidhi-required)"
बहु वारावें वचन "many vacana (words) must be vārāvē (averted)"
सर्वस्वासि नाडी "(when) tied to sarva-sva"
ऐसी लाघवाची बेडी "such is the lāghava-bēḍī (cleverness-fetter)"
दुरी राखतां हे तों ची बरी "keeping at a distance — is good"

What it means

A protective-distance abhang. Three claims:

  1. पतनासि जे नेती — तिचा खोटा स्नेह प्रीती — those who lead to fall — their snēha-prīti is khōṭā. The first-rule: if their affection leads you to fall (patana), it is khōṭā (false) affection. The test of the affection-quality is its directional-effect. Real affection lifts; false affection leads to fall.

  2. विधीपुरतें कारण — बहु वारावें वचन — only vidhi-puratē — many vacana to be averted. The conversational-rule: speak only what is vidhi-puratē (required by ritual / required by formal-need); avert many words (= avoid extended conversation). The brevity-rule for the dangerous-company. (Compare 248 what to tell Nārāyaṇa, you don't know — same brevity-with-not-knowing register.)

  3. सर्वस्वासि नाडी — ऐसी लाघवाची बेडी — (when) tied to sarva-sva — such is the lāghava-bēḍī. The fetter-image: when the lāghava (cleverness, charm) ties one to sarvasva (the all, total-belonging), that is a bēḍī (fetter). Cleverness that totalizes is a fetter; don't get tied to sarva-sva via lāghava.

  4. तुका म्हणे दुरी — राखतां हे तों ची बरी — Tuka says: keeping at a distance is good. The closing-rule: with such company, distance is the protection. The protective-distance principle.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the protective-distance rule:

  1. Affection that leads to fall is khōṭā* affection. Patanāsi jē nētī — ticā khōṭā snēha-prīti. The affection-quality-test: does this affection lead you to rise or to fall? If to fall, it is khōṭā; no matter how warm the surface*.

  2. Speak only the vidhi-puratē; avert bahu-vacana*. Vidhī-puratē kāraṇa — bahu vārāvē vacana. With the falling-leading company, speak only the formally-required minimum; avert extended conversation. Brevity is protection*.

  3. Don't get tied via lāghava to sarva-sva*. Sarvasvāsi nāḍī — aisī lāghavācī bēḍī. Cleverness / charm that totalizes the relationship (= makes it the all) — is a fetter. Don't surrender sarvasva to the false-affectionate*.

  4. Distance is the protection. Durī rākhatām hē tōm ci barī. The plain-rule: when the affection leads to fall, keep distance. The bhakta's protective-distance-principle.

For today: test affections by their directional-effect — rise or fall; with falling-leading company, speak only vidhi-puratē; don't tie sarvasva via lāghava; keep distance — that is the protection.

This abhang is practical-pastoral: it offers three concrete-rules for protective-distance from corrupting-affection. Tukaram is not naive about social-relations; he names the danger and the discipline.

मराठी: ही ओवी protective-distance rule नाव सांगते:

  1. Patana ला नेणारं affection khōṭā* आहे. पतनासि जे नेती — तिचा खोटा स्नेह प्रीती. Affection-quality-test: हे affection rise ला नेतं की fall ला? Fall ला — khōṭā; surface warm असली तरी*.

  2. फक्त vidhi-puratē बोला; bahu-vacana* टाळा. विधीपुरतें कारण — बहु वारावें वचन. Falling-leading company सोबत, फक्त formally-required minimum बोला; extended conversation avert करा. Brevity protection*.

  3. Sarva-sva ला lāghava* ने tie करू नका. सर्वस्वासि नाडी — ऐसी लाघवाची बेडी. Cleverness / charm relationship ला totalize — fetter. False-affectionate ला sarvasva surrender करू नका*.

  4. Distance protection. दुरी राखतां हे तों ची बरी. Plain-rule: Affection patana ला नेतं — distance ठेवा. Bhakta's protective-distance-principle.

आज: Affections test करा directional-effect ने — rise/fall; Falling-leading company सोबत फक्त vidhi-puratē बोला; Lāghava ने sarvasva tie करू नका; distance ठेवा — protection.

Practical-pastoral: Corrupting-affection पासून protective-distance साठी तीन concrete-rules. Tukaram social-relations बद्दल naive नाही; danger आणि discipline name करतो.

Where this applies

Bhakti false-affection-leads-to-fall vidhi-only-not-many-words distance-protection

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