Abhanga 1709
For today: what use is it to place sweet-food before a beast — or to anoint a donkey with chandana?; don't, don't, Devā — the company of the wicked — for in their dining-row there is no taste of the kathā; what use is bed-luxury for a monkey — he will throw and ruin the ornaments; Tuka says — what use is feeding butter to a serpent — even amṛta becomes poison from him.
The verse
काय ढोरापुढें घालूनि मिष्टान्न । खरा विलेपन चंदनाचें ॥१॥ नको नको देवा खळाची संगति । रस ज्या पंगती नाहीं कथे ॥ध्रु.॥ काय सेज बाज माकडा विलास । अळंकारा नास करुनी टाकी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे काय पाजूनि नवनीत । सर्पा विष थीत अमृताचें ॥३॥
Literal translation
What (use) placing sweet-food before a beast — anointing chandana on a donkey? Don't, don't, Devā — the company of khaḷa — in whose pangati there is no rasa of kathā. What (use) bed-luxury for a monkey — he will throw and ruin the ornaments. Tuka says: what (use) feeding butter to a serpent — poison (comes from) amṛta itself.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| काय ढोरापुढें घालूनि मिष्टान्न | "what use — placing — sweet-food — before a beast" |
| खरा विलेपन चंदनाचें | "to a donkey — anointing — of chandana" |
| नको नको देवा खळाची संगति | "don't, don't, Devā — company of khaḷa" |
| रस ज्या पंगती नाहीं कथे | "in whose pangati — no rasa — of kathā" |
| काय सेज बाज माकडा विलास | "what (use) — bed-luxury — to a monkey" |
| अळंकारा नास करुनी टाकी | "the ornaments — to ruin — will throw" |
| तुका म्हणे काय पाजूनि नवनीत | "Tuka says — what (use) — giving butter" |
| सर्पा विष थीत अमृताचें | "to a serpent — poison — (becomes)-from — amṛta" |
What it means
Anti-wicked-association-folk-images abhang. A cluster of four folk-images against placing-the-precious-before-the-incompatible.
Image 1: kāya ḍhōrāpuḍhē ghālūni miṣṭānna — kharā vilēpana candanācēm — what use placing sweet-food before a beast — anointing chandana on a donkey? Ḍhōra = cattle, beast; kharā = donkey. Sweet-food (miṣṭānna) and chandana (sandalwood-paste) are wasted on those incapable of appreciating them.
Plea: nakō nakō Devā khaḷācī sangati — rasa jyā pangatī nāhīm kathē — don't, don't, Devā — the company of the khaḷa — in whose pangati no rasa of kathā. Don't (give us) the wicked's-company; in their company-row (pangati), there is no kathā-rasa.
Image 2: kāya sēja bāja mākaḍā vilāsa — aḷankārā nāsa karuni ṭākī — what bed-luxury for a monkey — he will throw and ruin the ornaments. Monkey-given-bed-and-ornaments will only-destroy them.
Image 3: Tukā mhaṇē kāya pājūni navanīta — sarpā viṣa thīta amṛtācē — Tuka says: what (use) giving butter to a serpent — poison (comes) from amṛta itself. Navanīta = fresh-butter. Even amṛta-fed-to-a-serpent becomes poison. (Striking-image: the very-amṛta becomes-converted to-poison-by the recipient's-nature.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: what use is it to place sweet-food before a beast — or to anoint a donkey with chandana?; don't, don't, Devā — the company of the wicked — for in their dining-row there is no taste of the kathā; what use is bed-luxury for a monkey — he will throw and ruin the ornaments; Tuka says — what use is feeding butter to a serpent — even amṛta becomes poison from him.
Where this applies
- When you keep pouring your best effort, wisdom, or kindness into someone who cannot or will not value it
- When you are deciding whether to keep spending time in the company of people who mock or drag down what matters to you
- When you wonder why good advice or generosity backfires with a particular person
- When you are choosing who to sit with and talk to, and sensing that some company drains rather than nourishes you