Abhanga 999
Real wealth is not gold, it is an open mind and warm, generous speech; a person rich in those qualities is already prosperous. The true Lakshmi, the real good fortune, is to live by such qualities rather than chase money. Carry humility and reverence in your very bearing, and do not let your temperament change with every mood or circumstance. Tukaram says that simply taking the divine name, speaking it with love, brings deep contentment.
The verse
मोकळें मन रसाळ वाणी । या चि गुणीं संपन्न ॥१॥ लक्ष्मी ते ऐशा नावें । भाग्यें ज्यावें तरि त्यांनीं ॥ध्रु.॥ नमन नम्रता अंगीं । नेघे रंगीं पालट ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे त्याच्या नांवें । घेतां व्हावें संतोषी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Mōkaḷē mana — rasāḷa vāṇī — by these guṇa — sampanna. Lakṣmī — aiśā nāvē — bhāgya — to-live — by-them. Namana namratā — anga — no pālaṭa — ranga. Tuka says: by his nāva — taking — samtōṣī.
मराठी: मोकळें मन — रसाळ वाणी — या-च गुणीं संपन्न. Lakṣmī ते ऐशा नावें — भाग्यें ज्यावें तरि त्यांनीं. नमन — नम्रता अंगीं — नेघे रंगीं पालट. Tuka म्हणे: त्याच्या नांवें घेतां — व्हावें संतोषी.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मोकळें मन रसाळ वाणी | "mōkaḷē mana — rasāḷa vāṇī" |
| या चि गुणीं संपन्न | "by these guṇa — sampanna" |
| लक्ष्मी ते ऐशा नावें | "Lakṣmī — aiśā nāvē" |
| भाग्यें ज्यावें तरि त्यांनीं | "bhāgya — to-live — by-them" |
| नमन नम्रता अंगीं | "namana namratā — anga" |
| नेघे रंगीं पालट | "no pālaṭa in ranga" |
| तुका म्हणे त्याच्या नांवें | "by his nāva" |
| घेतां व्हावें संतोषी | "taking — samtōṣī" |
What it means
A open-mind-juicy-speech-rich-by-these-qualities-Lakṣmī-by-such-names-by-such-fortune-live-namana-namratā-no-color-change-by-his-name-taking-content abhang. By-his-name-taking-content register. Three claims about the truly-rich saint:
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मोकळें-मन — रसाळ-वाणी — गुणीं-संपन्न. Open-mind-juicy-speech-rich-claim. Openmana (mind that is mōkaḷē — uncontracted, free);rasāḷa(juicy, savory)vāṇī;by these very guṇas, (one is) sampanna (rich, full). (True wealth isopen-mindandjuicy-speech, not gold.)
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Lakṣmī-ऐशा-नावें — भाग्य-त्यांनीं-ज्यावें. Lakṣmī-by-such-names-claim. Lakṣmī by such nāva (names = qualities);by such bhāgya (good-fortune), one should live, by them. (The realLakṣmīisthose qualities themselves; one'sbhāgyais to live bythose.)
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नमन-नम्रता-अंगी — रंग-पालट-नाहीं — Tuka: नांव-घेतां-संतोषी. Namana-namratā-no-color-change-name-taking-content-claim. Namana (salutation), namratā (humility) in anga;(such a one) does not take a pālaṭa (change) in the ranga (color, hue)—consistent across moods.Tukasays:by his nāva, (one) taking (it), should become samtōṣī (content, joyful). (The meretaking-of-his-name (uttering his name) makes one content.)
[T]
For someone today
Real wealth is not gold, it is an open mind and warm, generous speech; a person rich in those qualities is already prosperous. The true Lakshmi, the real good fortune, is to live by such qualities rather than chase money. Carry humility and reverence in your very bearing, and do not let your temperament change with every mood or circumstance. Tukaram says that simply taking the divine name, speaking it with love, brings deep contentment.
मराठी: खरी श्रीमंती सोन्यानाण्यात नसते, तर मोकळ्या मनात आणि गोड, रसाळ बोलण्यात असते; ज्याच्याजवळ हे गुण आहेत तोच खरा श्रीमंत होय. खरी लक्ष्मी म्हणजे हेच गुण अंगी बाणवून जगणे, पैशामागे धावणे नव्हे. आपल्या वागण्या-बोलण्यात नम्रता आणि आदर कायम राखा, आणि परिस्थिती कशीही बदलली तरी आपला स्वभाव बदलू देऊ नका. तुकाराम महाराज सांगतात की केवळ देवाचे नाव प्रेमाने घेतल्यानेही मनाला खरा संतोष मिळतो.
Where this applies
- When you feel poor despite having money, and forget that character is the real wealth
- When praise or criticism makes your mood swing wildly from one moment to the next
- When you are chasing possessions instead of cultivating an open mind and kind speech
- When you want one simple daily practice, saying the divine name, that reliably brings peace