Abhanga 1072
Tukaram says that if you see God in people, bow to them, but don't expect their everyday nature or character to match that reverence. Fire is kind because it drives away the cold, but you can't tie it up in your clothing and carry it home with you; some good things can only be received at a safe distance. In the same startling breath, he lumps together a scorpion, a snake, and Nārāyaṇa, saying all three deserve to be honored from far off, not touched. The point is that reverence and closeness are not the same thing, and wisdom sometimes means honoring something or someone without trying to get too close.
The verse
जन देव तरी पायां चि पडावें । त्याचिया स्वभावें चाड नाहीं ॥१॥ अग्नीचें सौजन्य शीतनिवारण । पालवीं बांधोनि नेतां नये ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे विंचु सर्प नारायण । वंदावे दुरोन शिवों नये ॥३॥
Literal translation
Jana-Dēva — pāya — svabhāva — no cāḍa. Saujanya — śīta-nivāraṇa — pālavīm. Tuka says: vimcu sarpa Nārāyaṇa — durōn vandāvē.
मराठी: जन-Dēva तरी पायांच पडावें — त्याचिया स्वभावें चाड नाहीं. अग्नीचें सौजन्य शीत-निवारण — पालवीं बांधोनि नेतां नये. Tuka म्हणे: विंचु, सर्प, Nārāyaṇa — दुरोन वंदावे — शिवों नये.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| जन देव तरी पायां चि पडावें | "jana-Dēva — pāya" |
| त्याचिया स्वभावें चाड नाहीं | "svabhāva — no cāḍa" |
| अग्नीचें सौजन्य शीतनिवारण | "saujanya — śīta-nivāraṇa" |
| पालवीं बांधोनि नेतां नये | "pālavīm" |
| विंचु सर्प नारायण | "vimcu sarpa Nārāyaṇa" |
| वंदावे दुरोन शिवों नये | "durōn vandāvē" |
What it means
A if-people-are-Dēva-fall-at-their-feet-but-don't-need-their-character-the-fire's-kindness-is-cold-removal-but-tying-it-in-the-garment-edge-and-carrying-isn't-possible-scorpion-snake-Nārāyaṇa-bow-to-them-from-far-touching-is-not-possible abhang. Bow-from-far-don't-touch register. The deliberately startling triplet that lumps vimcu-sarpa-Nārāyaṇa together. Three claims:
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जन-Deva — पाय — स्वभाव-चाड-नाहीं. Don't-need-character-claim. IfjanaisDēva, then fall at thepāya;no cāḍa (need, demand) for (their) svabhāva (character). (Honor them as Dēva — but don't expect thesvabhāvato be Dēva-like; don't try toassociate with their character.)
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अग्नि-सौजन्य-शीत — पालव-बंधन-न. Fire-can't-be-tied-claim. Theagni'ssaujanya (kindness) is śīta-nivāraṇa (cold-removal); tying it inpālavīm (garment-edge) and carrying isn't possible. (Fire iskindin driving away cold, but you can'tcarry it tied in your sari-end.)
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Tuka: विंचु-सर्प-Nārāyaṇa — दुरोन-वंदावें. Bow-from-far-don't-touch-claim. Tuka says: vimcu, sarpa, Nārāyaṇa;to-be-bowed from durōn (a distance),touching is not possible. (The triple lump — scorpion, snake,Nārāyaṇa— is shocking. Tuka is making an irreverent point:some sacred things, like some dangerous things, are best honored from a safe distance.)
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For someone today
Tukaram says that if you see God in people, bow to them, but don't expect their everyday nature or character to match that reverence. Fire is kind because it drives away the cold, but you can't tie it up in your clothing and carry it home with you; some good things can only be received at a safe distance. In the same startling breath, he lumps together a scorpion, a snake, and Nārāyaṇa, saying all three deserve to be honored from far off, not touched. The point is that reverence and closeness are not the same thing, and wisdom sometimes means honoring something or someone without trying to get too close.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की जर तुम्हाला माणसांमध्ये देव दिसला, तर त्यांना नमन करा, पण त्यांच्या रोजच्या स्वभावाकडून तशीच अपेक्षा ठेवू नका. अग्नी थंडी दूर करतो म्हणून तो चांगला असतो, पण त्याला पदराशी बांधून घरी नेता येत नाही; काही चांगल्या गोष्टी फक्त सुरक्षित अंतरावरूनच स्वीकारता येतात. याच धक्कादायक पद्धतीने ते विंचू, साप आणि नारायण यांना एकत्र आणून म्हणतात की तिघांनाही दुरूनच वंदन करावे, स्पर्श करू नये. यातून हेच शिकायला मिळते की आदर आणि जवळीक या एकच गोष्टी नाहीत; कधीकधी शहाणपण म्हणजे एखाद्याचा किंवा एखाद्या गोष्टीचा आदर करणे, पण त्याच्याजवळ जास्त न जाणे.
Where this applies
- Honor-but-don't-associate. Svabhāva.
- Fire-can't-be-tied. Pālavīm.
- Bow-from-far. Durōn.