Abhanga 374
English: Saint-samāgama — in some way — stay at his door as śvāna-yāti.
The verse
संतसमागम एखादिया परी । राहावें त्याचे द्वारीं श्वानयाती ॥१॥ तेथें रामनाम होईल श्रवण । घडेल भोजन उच्छिष्टाचें ॥ध्रु.॥ कामारी बटीक सेवेचे सेवक । दीनपण रंक तेथें भलें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे सर्व सुख त्या संगती । घडेल पंगती संतांचिया ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Saint-samāgama — in some way — stay at his door as śvāna-yāti. There Rāmanāma will reach the śravaṇa — bhojana of ucchiṣṭa will happen. Kāmārī, baṭīka, sēvaka of sēvā — dīna-paṇa, ranka — that is good there. Tuka says: all sukha in that company — you will get to sit in the saints' pankti.
मराठी: संतसमागम एखादिया परी — राहावें त्याचे द्वारीं श्वानयाती. तेथें रामनाम होईल श्रवण — घडेल भोजन उच्छिष्टाचें. कामारी बटीक सेवेचे सेवक — दीनपण रंक तेथें भलें. तुकाराम म्हणतां — सर्व सुख त्या संगती — घडेल पंगती संतांचिया.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| संतसमागम एखादिया परी | "saint-samāgama — in some way" |
| राहावें त्याचे द्वारीं श्वानयाती | "stay — at his door — as śvāna-yāti" |
| तेथें रामनाम होईल श्रवण | "there — Rāmanāma — will reach (your) śravaṇa" |
| घडेल भोजन उच्छिष्टाचें | "bhojana of ucchiṣṭa — will happen" |
| कामारी बटीक सेवेचे सेवक | "kāmārī, baṭīka — sēvaka of sēvā" |
| दीनपण रंक तेथें भलें | "dīna-paṇa, ranka — there is good" |
| सर्व सुख त्या संगती | "all sukha in that company" |
| घडेल पंगती संतांचिया | "(you) will get to sit in the pankti of the saints" |
What it means
A saint-sanga-at-any-cost-even-as-śvāna abhang. Three claims:
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संतसमागम एखादिया परी — राहावें त्याचे द्वारीं श्वानयाती — saint-sanga in some way — stay at his door as śvāna-yāti. The radical-claim: saint-company is to be obtained in some way (whatever way); even staying at the saint's door as a śvāna (dog) — is worth. Don't despise the dog-position at the saint's door; that is the route.
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तेथें रामनाम होईल श्रवण — घडेल भोजन उच्छिष्टाचें — there Rāmanāma will reach śravaṇa — bhojana of ucchiṣṭa will happen. The benefit-claim: at the saint's door, Rāmanāma will reach your hearing; meal of ucchiṣṭa (leftovers) will happen. (Ucchiṣṭa — leftover-food; in orthodox-Brahmanical-frame, eating ucchiṣṭa is impure-status. Tukaram inverts: ucchiṣṭa of saints is the bhakta's high-meal. Compare 245 cinḍhī does the favor; same anti-purity-rank register.)
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कामारी बटीक सेवेचे सेवक — दीनपण रंक तेथें भलें — kāmārī, baṭīka, sēvaka of sēvā — dīna-paṇa, ranka — good there. The humble-status-is-good claim: being slave-girl, hand-maid, servant-of-servant; humble-status, beggar — these are good positions at the saint's door. No status-anxiety at the saint's door; lowness is the position.
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तुका म्हणे सर्व सुख त्या संगती — घडेल पंगती संतांचिया — Tuka says: all sukha in that company — saints' pankti will happen. The closing-promise: all sukha in such company; you will get to sit in the pankti (line) of the saints. Starting-as-dog-at-the-door — ending-in-the-saints'-pankti. (Pankti — the row of seated diners; sitting-in-the-pankti is to be served as a peer.)
[T]
For someone today
This abhang names the saint-sanga-at-any-cost route:
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Saint-samāgama in some way — even as śvāna-yāti*. Samta-samāgama ēkhādiyā parī — rāhāvē tyācē dvārīm śvāna-yātī. Don't wait for the prestigious-route into saint-company; the dog-position at the door is enough. Take it*.
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At the door, Rāmanāma reaches the śravaṇa; ucchiṣṭa* is the meal. Tēthē Rāmanāma hōīla śravaṇa — ghaḍēla bhojana ucchiṣṭācē. The benefit at the door is Rāmanāma reaching the ear and ucchiṣṭa of saints. Don't despise these as low-benefits; they are high.
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Humble-status (kāmārī, baṭīka, ranka*) is good at the saint's door. Kāmārī baṭīka sēvēcē sēvaka — dīna-paṇa ranka tēthē bhalē. Drop status-anxiety at the saint's door; low-position is the welcome-position*.
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All sukha in that company; you'll get to sit in the saints' pankti*. Sarva sukha tyā sangatī — ghaḍēla panktī samtāñciyā. Starting-as-dog-at-the-door, ending-in-the-saints'-pankti. The trajectory is from dvāra-śvāna to pankti-companion. The route is real*.
For today: take saint-company in some way, even as a śvāna at the door; receive Rāmanāma at the ear and ucchiṣṭa as the meal; drop status-anxiety, take humble-position; trust that the saints' pankti will eventually receive you.
This abhang is one of Tukaram's most-egalitarian on saint-company: even the lowest-position at the saint's door is the route to the saints' pankti. The anti-status-anxiety is radical. (Compare 245 upadeśa from any hand; 366 any yāti for Vaiṣṇava; same egalitarian-Vārkarī register.)
मराठी: ही ओवी saint-sanga-at-any-cost route नाव सांगते:
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Saint-samāgama कोणत्याही way ने — śvāna-yāti* म्हणून सुद्धा. संतसमागम एखादिया परी — राहावें त्याचे द्वारीं श्वानयाती. Prestigious-route ची वाट पाहू नका; दारात dog-position पुरे. घ्या*.
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दारात Rāmanāma कानाला पोचतं; ucchiṣṭa* meal. तेथें रामनाम होईल श्रवण — घडेल भोजन उच्छिष्टाचें. दारात benefit — Rāmanāma कानाला पोचतं आणि saints चं ucchiṣṭa. यांना low-benefits म्हणून despise करू नका; high आहेत*.
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Humble-status (kāmārī, baṭīka, ranka*) saint च्या दारात good. कामारी बटीक सेवेचे सेवक — दीनपण रंक तेथें भलें. Saint च्या दारात status-anxiety drop करा; low-position welcome-position*.
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त्या company मध्ये सर्व sukha; saints च्या pankti* मध्ये बसायला मिळेल. सर्व सुख त्या संगती — घडेल पंगती संतांचिया. दारात-dog सुरू, pankti-companion शेवट. Trajectory dvāra-śvāna पासून pankti-companion पर्यंत. Route real*.
आज: Saint-company कोणत्याही way ने घ्या, दारात śvāna म्हणून सुद्धा; कानाला Rāmanāma आणि meal म्हणून ucchiṣṭa receive करा; Status-anxiety drop करा, humble-position घ्या; Saints चा pankti शेवटी receive करेल trust करा.
Tukaram च्या saint-company वर most-egalitarian पैकी एक: Saint च्या दारात lowest-position पण route to saints' pankti. Anti-status-anxiety radical. (245 upadeśa भलत्या हातीं; 366 any yāti Vaiṣṇava; same egalitarian-Vārkarī register.)
Where this applies
- Stay at saint's door as śvāna-yāti. Any-route-is-good.
- Rāmanāma and ucchiṣṭa at the door. Benefits-are-high.
- Humble-status is good there. No status-anxiety.
- Saints' pankti is the destination. Trajectory.