Abhanga 446
Watch spectacle and false holiness from a wise distance, because seeing isn't the same as discernment, and staying around dishonest people only brings the same blows again and again.
The verse
नजर करे सो ही जिंके बाबा दुरथी तमासा देख । लकडी फांसा लेकर बैठा आगले ठकण भेख ॥१॥ काहे भुला एक देखत आंखो मार तडांगो बाजार ॥ध्रु.॥ दमरी चमरी जो नर भुला । सोत आघो हि लत खाये ॥२॥ नहि बुलावत किसे बाबा आप हि मत जाये । कहे तुका उस असाके संग फिरफिर गोदे खाये ॥३॥
Literal translation
Whoever nazara karē — that one wins, brother — saw tamāśā from afar. With lakaḍī-fāmsā sat — ahead, false-bhēka. Why deluded, eye-seeing — struck-the-bāzāra? Damaḍī-chamarī — fooled the man — sucked drained — took blows. Doesn't call anyone, brother — self also doesn't go — Tuka says: with that wicked-one — round and round — gōdē takes blows.
मराठी: नजर करे सो ही जिंके बाबा — दुरथी तमासा देख — लकडी फांसा लेकर बैठा आगले ठकण भेख. काहे भुला एक देखत आंखो मार तडांगो बाजार. दमरी चमरी जो नर भुला — सोत आघो हि लत खाये. नहि बुलावत किसे बाबा आप हि मत जाये. तुकाराम म्हणतां — उस असाके संग फिरफिर गोदे खाये.
Word-by-word gloss
| Hindavi/Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नजर करे सो ही जिंके बाबा | "whoever nazara karē — that one wins — brother" |
| दुरथी तमासा देख | "from afar — see the tamāśā" |
| लकडी फांसा लेकर बैठा | "with lakaḍī-fāmsā — sat" |
| आगले ठकण भेख | "ahead — false-bhēka" |
| काहे भुला एक देखत आंखो | "why deluded — eye-seeing" |
| मार तडांगो बाजार | "struck-the-bāzāra" |
| दमरी चमरी जो नर भुला | "damaḍī-chamarī — fooled the man" |
| सोत आघो हि लत खाये | "sucked drained — took blows" |
| नहि बुलावत किसे बाबा | "doesn't call anyone, brother" |
| आप हि मत जाये | "self also — doesn't go (along)" |
| उस असाके संग फिरफिर गोदे खाये | "with that wicked-one — round and round — gōdē (gored / blows)" |
What it means
A Hindavi-fakir-mocker / anti-false-bhēka abhang. Likely the closing of the Hindavi-fakir cluster. Four claims:
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नजर करे सो ही जिंके बाबा — दुरथी तमासा देख — लकडी फांसा लेकर बैठा आगले ठकण भेख — whoever nazara karē — that one wins — saw tamāśā from afar — with lakaḍī-fāmsā sat — ahead, false-bhēka. The opening-image: whoever keeps the watching gaze — that one wins, brother; I saw thetamāśā(spectacle) from afar; one sat there with thelakaḍī-fāmsā(stick-noose, the trap); ahead, theṭhakaṇa-bhēka(false-renunciate-form) came. The false-renunciate sets up traps; watching-from-afar wins.
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काहे भुला एक देखत आंखो — मार तडांगो बाजार — why deluded — eye-seeing — struck the bāzāra. The eye-seeing-deluded paradox: why are you deluded — even when seeing with eyes? — (thereby) you struck (yourself in) thebāzāra(marketplace). Eye-seeing isn't enough if discrimination fails.
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दमरी चमरी जो नर भुला — सोत आघो हि लत खाये — damaḍī-chamarī — fooled the man — sucked drained — took blows. The small-coins-fool image: damaḍī-chamarī (small-petty-coins) — fooled the man; sucked-drained — took blows. Petty-greed leads to blow-taking.
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नहि बुलावत किसे बाबा आप हि मत जाये — कहे तुका उस असाके संग फिरफिर गोदे खाये — doesn't call anyone, brother — self also doesn't go — Tuka says: with that wicked-one — round and round — gōdē. The closing-warning: (the wise) doesn't call anyone (to the false-fakir); self also doesn't go; Tuka says: with that wicked-one — round-and-round — one takes blows. Bad-company means cyclical-suffering.
[T]
For someone today
This abhang is a warning against being drawn in by false religious performers and cheap spectacle. Watching wisely from a distance, rather than rushing into every dramatic show of holiness, protects you. A fake holy man can look convincing and set his traps, and still fool you even though your eyes are wide open, because seeing something is not the same as discerning it. Small rewards or petty flattery are often the bait that pulls people in, and giving in to it ends in being drained and hurt. Tukaram's advice is blunt: don't invite anyone into that company, and don't go yourself, because staying around dishonest people just means suffering the same blows again and again.
मराठी: हा अभंग खोट्या धार्मिक ढोंगी लोकांपासून आणि स्वस्त तमाशापासून सावध राहण्याचा इशारा देतो. प्रत्येक नाट्यमय पवित्रतेच्या देखाव्यात उडी न मारता, शहाणपणाने दुरून पाहणे तुमचे रक्षण करते. खोटा साधू खरा भासू शकतो, सापळे रचतो, आणि तुमचे डोळे उघडे असूनही तो तुम्हाला फसवू शकतो, कारण पाहणे आणि पारखणे यात फरक आहे. छोटी बक्षिसे किंवा गोड बोलणे हेच अनेकदा आमिष असते, आणि त्याला बळी पडल्यास शेवटी फसवणूक आणि दुखापत होते. तुकारामांचा सल्ला स्पष्ट आहे: अशा संगतीत कोणालाही आणू नका, स्वतःही जाऊ नका, कारण अप्रामाणिक लोकांच्या सहवासात राहिल्याने तेच दुःख पुन्हा पुन्हा भोगावे लागते.
Where this applies
- Watch from afar; whoever-watches wins. Distance-position.
- False-bhēka sets stick-noose. Recognize traps.
- Eye-seeing alone doesn't save. Discrimination.
- Petty-coins fool. Anti-allurement.
- Wicked-company → round-and-round blows. Cyclical-suffering.