संत साहित्य
Work in progress. Translations and commentary are AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies or hallucinations — please use your own judgement and check against the original sources.
संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 555 of 4582

Abhanga 555

English: Japa — anger near — māmga.

When japa with anger near defiles the practice — and you have to recognize this register
When the false-company eats-as-equals at the same row — and you accept this danger
When brahma is achieved by virahita-karma — and you receive this final-rule

The verse

जप करितां राग । आला जवळी तो मांग ॥१॥ नको भोंवतालें जगीं । पाहों जवळी राख अंगीं ॥ध्रु.॥ कुड्याची संगती । सदा भोजन पंगती ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे ब्रम्ह । साधी विरहित कर्म ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Japa — anger near — māmga. Don't around-to-jaga — look-near — rākha on body. Kuḍyā samgati — always — bhōjana-pamgati. Tuka says: brahma — sādhī — virahita-karma.

मराठी: जप करितां राग — आला जवळी तो मांग. नको भोंवतालें जगीं — पाहों जवळी राख अंगीं. कुड्याची संगती — सदा भोजन पंगती. तुकाराम म्हणतां — ब्रम्ह साधी विरहित कर्म.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
जप करितां राग "japa — anger"
आला जवळी तो मांग "near — māmga"
नको भोंवतालें जगीं "don't around-to-jaga"
पाहों जवळी राख अंगीं "look-near — rākha on body"
कुड्याची संगती "kuḍyā — samgati"
सदा भोजन पंगती "always — bhōjana-pamgati"
ब्रम्ह साधी विरहित कर्म "brahma — sādhī — virahita-karma"

What it means

A short japa-with-anger-virahita-karma abhang. Discipline-of-citta register. Three claims:

  1. जप करितां राग — आला जवळी तो मांग — japa — anger came near — māmga. The opening-claim: while doing japa (mantra-repetition) — if anger came near; (it is as if a) māmga (a vile-one, an untouchable in the village-hierarchy) came near. Anger-during-japa-defiles-as-if-untouchable-came-close*. (Tukaram is using a caste-caste image to describe the defiling-effect of anger; the point is the defilement-of-the-japa-practice, not endorsement-of-untouchability.)

  2. नको भोंवतालें जगीं — पाहों जवळी राख अंगीं — कुड्याची संगती — सदा भोजन पंगती — don't around-to-jaga — look-near — rākha on body — kuḍyā samgati — always bhōjana-pamgati. The body-discipline-claim: don't look around-to-the-jaga (the world, things-around); look near — keep rākha (ash) on the body (the ascetic's-mark, ashes-on-body); the kuḍyā (false, corrupt) samgati (company); always (will) bhōjana-pamgati (eats-at-the-same-row, becomes equal-companion at table). Don't-let-corrupt-company-share-your-table. Watch-out-for-bad-company-they-become-equals-at-meal*.

  3. तुका म्हणे ब्रम्ह — साधी विरहित कर्म — Tuka says: brahma — sādhī — virahita-karma. The closing-rule-claim: Tuka says: brahma; is sādhī (achieved) — by virahita-karma (action-without-attachment). Brahma-attained-only-by-action-without-attachment. Final-rule-of-discipline*.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the japa-anger-virahita-karma register:

  1. Anger near japa defiles as if a māmga* came near. Japa — rāga jaṇaḷī — māmga. Anger-during-japa is defilement; protect-the-japa-from-anger. Watch-anger-near-practice*.

  2. Don't look around-to-the-world; keep ash on the body. Bhōvatālē jagī nakō — rākha angīm. Don't-be-distracted-by-world; the ascetic-mark is the focus. Inward-discipline.

  3. Don't keep kuḍyā samgati; they become bhōjana-pamgati*. Kuḍyā samgati — bhōjana-pamgati. Bad-company always-becomes-equal-at-the-table; don't-let-it-happen. Watch-the-company*.

  4. Brahma is achieved by virahita-karma. Brahma sādhī — virahita-karma. Action-without-attachment is the path. Final-rule*.

For today: guard the japa against anger; don't be distracted by the world; keep the ascetic-discipline; watch-the-company; brahma is achieved by action-without-attachment.

This abhang is Tukaram's citta-and-sangati-discipline register — short, dense, with the closing virahita-karma rule. Compare 0549 organ-by-organ-vow; same discipline-register but here citta-discipline focused. The kuḍyā-samgati-bhōjana-pamgati image is striking: bad-company always-rises-to-table-equality.

मराठी: ही ओवी japa-anger-virahita-karma register नाव सांगते:

  1. Japa जवळ anger म्हणजे māmga जवळ-defile. जप — राग जवळी — मांग. Japa-during-anger defilement; japa-ला-anger-पासून-protect करा. Practice-जवळ-anger watch करा*.

  2. भोवतालं world बघू नका; rākha* शरीरावर ठेवा. भोवताले जगी नको — राख अंगी. World-distracted नका; ascetic-mark focus. Inward-discipline*.

  3. Kuḍyā samgati ठेवू नका; ती bhōjana-pamgati होते. कुड्या संगती — भोजन पंगती. Bad-company table-equal होते; होऊ देऊ नका. Samgati watch करा*.

  4. Brahma virahita-karma ने सिद्ध होतो. ब्रम्ह साधी — विरहित-कर्म. Action-without-attachment path. Final-rule*.

आज: Japa ला anger पासून guard करा; world ने distract नका; ascetic-discipline ठेवा; samgati watch करा; brahma action-without-attachment ने सिद्ध*.

Tukaram च-citta-and-sangati-discipline-register — Short, dense, closing virahita-karma rule. 0549 organ-by-organ-vow compare; तीच discipline-register पण इथे citta-discipline focused. Kuḍyā-samgati-bhōjana-pamgati image striking: bad-company table-equality-rises.

Where this applies

Bhakti japa-with-anger-defiles

Related verses