Abhanga 1303
For today: the kāma-samsāra in your heart is the actual kara-kara grinding, not Hari-kathā; whoever calls Hari-kathā foolishness is laṇḍa.
The verse
काय ह्याचें घ्यावें । नित्य नित्य कोणें गावें ॥१॥ केलें हरिकथेनें वाज । अंतरोनी जाते निज ॥ध्रु.॥ काम संसार । अंतरीं हे करकर ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे हेंड । ऐसे मानिती ते लंड ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: (They ask:) what is to be taken from this — who would sing it every-day-every-day? Hari-kathā has struck the vāja — by it, nija departs. (But) kāma-samsāra in the antara — this kara-kara! Tuka says: those who consider (Hari-kathā) hēmḍa — they are laṇḍa.
मराठी: (कोणी म्हणतो) — "ह्यांत काय घेणार — नित्य-नित्य कोण गाणार?" हरि-कथेनें वाज (नाद / झंकार) केलें — त्यानें-च निज (झोप / आपलें-च) — अंतरून जातें. (पण) काम-संसार — अंतरीं — हें कर-कर (कुरकुर / सतत-घर्षण) आहे. Tukā म्हणे — हेंड (व्यर्थ-नादीष्ट) असें मानतात — ते लंड (= दुष्ट).
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| काय ह्याचें घ्यावें | "what (gain) is to be taken from this?" |
| नित्य नित्य कोणें गावें | "(asks) — who would sing (it) nitya-nitya (every-day-every-day)?" |
| केलें हरिकथेनें वाज | "Hari-kathā has struck the vāja (musical-note / pitch)" |
| अंतरोनी जाते निज | "(by it) — even nija (sleep / one's-own) — departs (antarōnī jātē)" |
| काम संसार | "kāma-samsāra" |
| अंतरीं हे करकर | "in the antara — this kara-kara (rasping-grinding)" |
| हेंड ऐसे मानिती ते लंड | "(those who) consider (Hari-kathā) hēmḍa (foolish nonsense) — they are laṇḍa (rogues)" |
What it means
Defense-of-Hari-kathā abhang. The opening voices the dismissive question: kāya hyācē ghyāvē — nitya nitya kōṇē gāvē? — what's in it — who would sing every-single-day? This is the question of someone who's bored by repeated Hari-kathā.
Tuka's response builds in three steps:
-
Kēlēm Hari-kathēnē vāja — antarōnī jātē nija — Hari-kathā strikes the vāja (the musical-note that wakes the senses) — by it, nija departs. Nija has dual sense: sleep (the spiritual sleep) and one's-own (the I-mine-ness). Both depart.
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Kāma samsāra — antarīm hē kara-kara — (meanwhile) kāma-samsāra in the antara — this is the kara-kara! Kara-kara (onomatopoeic — the constant grinding-rasping noise, like wheel-on-axle without grease). The questioner thinks Hari-kathā is wearisome repetition? — but in fact the kāma-samsāra in the heart is the real kara-kara grinding.
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Tukā mhaṇē hēmḍa — aisē mānitī tē laṇḍa — those who consider (Hari-kathā) hēmḍa (foolish-nonsense), they are laṇḍa (rogues). Laṇḍa — the same word as 1221 (Devā bahu gā tūm laṇḍa) — but turned now against the despisers of Hari-kathā. Once Tuka called Hari laṇḍa in the bhāṇḍakū-bhakti register; here he calls Hari-kathā's despisers laṇḍa. The same word, two opposite directions.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the kāma-samsāra in your heart is the actual kara-kara grinding, not Hari-kathā; whoever calls Hari-kathā foolishness is laṇḍa.
Where this applies
- What's-in-it-question.* Kāya-hyācē-ghyāvē.
- Hari-kathā-strikes-vāja-nija-departs.* Hari-kathēnē-vāja-antarōnī-jātē-nija.
- Kāma-samsāra-is-kara-kara.* Antarīm-kara-kara.
- Despisers-are-laṇḍa.* Aisē-mānitī-tē-laṇḍa.