Abhanga 1558
Saints need no honor from you, but if you disrespect them or force an uneasy visit out of obligation, the harm lands on you.
The verse
संतांसी तों नाहीं सन्मानाची चाड । परि पडे द्वाड अव्हेरितो ॥१॥ म्हणऊनि तया न वजावें ठाया । होतसे घात या दुर्बळाचा ॥ध्रु.॥ भावहीना आड येतसे आशंका । उचितासी चुका घालावया ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जया संकोच दर्शनें । तया ठाया जाणें अनुचित ॥३॥
Literal translation
To saints, no cāḍa for sanmāna — but dvāḍa falls on the avhērita. Therefore, don't go to that ṭhāya — happens ghāta of this durbaḷa. To bhāva-hīna, āśankā comes āḍ — to miss ucita. Tuka says: to whom darśana causes sankōca — going to that ṭhāya is anucita.
मराठी: संतांसी — तों — नाहीं — सन्मानाची — चाड; — परि — पडे — द्वाड — अव्हेरितो. म्हणऊनि — तया — न — वजावें — ठाया; — होतसे — घात — या — दुर्बळाचा. भाव-हीना — आड — येतसे — आशंका; — उचितासी — चुका — घालावया. Tukā म्हणे — जया — संकोच — दर्शनें; — तया — ठाया — जाणें — अनुचित.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| संतांसी तों नाहीं सन्मानाची चाड | "to samtas — cāḍa (relish) — for sanmāna (honor) — there is none" |
| परि पडे द्वाड अव्हेरितो | "but — falls — dvāḍa (disgrace) — (one who) disregards (avhērita)" |
| म्हणऊनि तया न वजावें ठाया | "therefore — to that ṭhāya (place) — should not go" |
| होतसे घात या दुर्बळाचा | "happens — ghāta (loss) — of this durbaḷa (weak one)" |
| भावहीना आड येतसे आशंका | "to bhāva-hīna — āśankā (apprehension) — comes in the way" |
| उचितासी चुका घालावया | "to miss — ucita (fitting)" |
| तुका म्हणे जया संकोच दर्शनें | "Tuka says — to whom — darśana — (causes) sankōca (awkwardness)" |
| तया ठाया जाणें अनुचित | "to that place — going — is anucita (improper)" |
What it means
Saints-don't-need-honor-but-disgrace-falls-on-disgracer abhang. The opening: samtāmsī tōm nāhīm sanmānācī cāḍa — parī paḍē dvāḍa avhēritō — tosamtas — there is nocāḍa— forsanmāna(honor); — but —falls—dvāḍa(disgrace) — (on the one who)disregards/insults.Saints have no taste for honor; but disgrace falls on the disgracer. (Pithy formulation: thesaint-not-needingbutthe disrespecter-pays-the-price.)
The avoidance-counsel: mhaṇa'ūnī tayā na vajāvēm ṭhāyā — hōtasē ghāta yā durbaḷācā — therefore — tothat place—should not go; —happens—ghāta(loss) — ofthis durbaḷa(= weak one). If your bhāva is weak, don't go where saints are — your own loss happens.
The bhāva-less-block: bhāva-hīnā āḍa yētasē āśankā — ucitāsī cukā ghālāvayā — to thebhāva-less—āśankā(apprehension) —comes in the way; — tomiss—ucita(= the fitting / appropriate). Apprehension blocks the bhāva-less from doing what's fitting.
The closing: jayā sankōca darśanē — tayā ṭhāyā jāṇē anucita — to whom —darśana— causessankōca(= awkwardness / tension); — to thatṭhāya— going — isanucita(improper). If meeting-saints causes you awkwardness, don't go there. (= self-protective-counsel: avoid creating anucita-situation.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: saints have no relish for honor — but disgrace falls on the disgracer; don't go to that place if you're weak — your own loss happens; the bhāva-less have apprehension blocking the fitting action; don't go where the darshan-encounter causes you awkwardness.
Where this applies
- When you feel obligated to visit a guru or holy person but dread the visit
- When you catch yourself dismissing someone respected out of insecurity, and later feel the sting of regret
- When doubt makes you hesitate to do what you know is right
- When social pressure pushes you toward a spiritual gathering that leaves you feeling stiff and out of place