Abhanga 1724
A life spent chasing pleasure while ignoring devotion, generosity, and self-discipline leads to real suffering, and a person stuck in that pattern rarely heeds a warning.
The verse
गातां आइकतां कांटाळा जो करी । वास त्या अघोरीं कुंभपाकीं ॥१॥ रागें यमधर्म जाचविती तया । तु दिलें कासया मुख कान ॥ध्रु.॥ विषयांच्या सुखें अखंड जगासी । न वजे एकादशी जागरणा ॥२॥ वेचूनियां द्रव्य सेवी मद्यपान । नाहीं दिलें अन्न अतीतासी ॥३॥ तीर्थाटण नाहीं केले उपकार । पाळिलें शरीर पुष्ट लोभें ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे मग केला साहे दंड । नाइकती लंड सांगितलें ॥५॥
Literal translation
Singing-listening, the one who feels weariness — dwells in aghora kumbhi-pāka. With wrath, Yama-dharma tortures him — for what did you give him mouth, ears? With viṣaya-sukhas, unbroken to the world — doesn't go to ekādaśī jāgaraṇa. Spending wealth, drinks alcohol — not given anna to atithi. No tīrtha-yātrā, no upakāra done — preserved the body fattened by lobha. Tuka says: then bears the daṇḍa — the laṇḍa don't listen when told.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| गातां आइकतां कांटाळा जो करी | "singing, listening — one who feels weariness" |
| वास त्या अघोरीं कुंभपाकीं | "dwelling — in aghora-kumbhi-pāka" |
| रागें यमधर्म जाचविती तया | "with wrath — Yama-dharma tortures him" |
| तु दिलें कासया मुख कान | "for what — did you give — mouth, ears" |
| विषयांच्या सुखें अखंड जगासी | "by viṣaya-sukhas — unbroken to-world" |
| न वजे एकादशी जागरणा | "doesn't go — to ekādaśī jāgaraṇa" |
| वेचूनियां द्रव्य सेवी मद्यपान | "spending wealth — drinks alcohol" |
| नाहीं दिलें अन्न अतीतासी | "not given anna — to atithi" |
| तीर्थाटण नाहीं केले उपकार | "no tīrtha-yātrā — no upakāra-done" |
| पाळिलें शरीर पुष्ट लोभें | "preserved the body — fattened by lobha" |
| तुका म्हणे मग केला साहे दंड | "Tuka says — then bears the daṇḍa" |
| नाइकती लंड सांगितलें | "the laṇḍa — don't listen when told" |
What it means
Anti-irreligious-life-leads-to-Yama-daṇḍa abhang. A catalogue of the irreligious-householder's failings.
The opening: gātām ā'ikatām kāṇṭāḷā jō karī — vāsa tyā aghōrīm kumbhi-pākī — one who feels weariness in singing/listening (kīrtana / kathā) — dwells in aghora kumbhi-pāka. Bored-with-bhakti = aghora-hell-bound.
The mouth-ears-question: rāgē Yama-dharma jācavitī tayā — tu dilēm kāsayā mukha kāna — Yama-dharma tortures with wrath — for what did you give mouth, ears? (= the mouth-and-ears were given for kīrtana-and-śravaṇa; if abused, Yama tortures.)
The catalogue of failings:
- viṣayāñcyā sukhē akhaṇḍa jagāsī — na vajē ēkādaśī jāgaraṇā — engaged with viṣayas unbroken; doesn't go to ekādaśī jāgaraṇa.
- vēcūniyām dravya sēvī madya-pāna — nāhīm dilēm anna atītāsī — spends wealth on alcohol; doesn't give anna to atithi.
- tīrthāṭaṇa nāhīm kēlē upakāra — pāḷilēm śarīra puṣṭa lōbhē — no tīrtha-yātrā, no upakāra; just preserved-the-body fattened-by-greed.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē maga kēlā sāhē daṇḍa — nā'ikatī laṇḍa sāngitalēm — Tuka says: then bears the daṇḍa — the laṇḍa don't listen when told. Daṇḍa = Yama's-stick of punishment; laṇḍa = the shameless / without-restraint.
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For someone today
For today: the one who feels weariness in singing or listening (to bhakti) — dwells in the aghora kumbhi-pāka hell; Yama-dharma tortures him with wrath — for what did he give you mouth and ears?; you remain unbroken in viṣaya-pleasures with the world — don't go even to ekādaśī jāgaraṇa; you spend wealth drinking alcohol — but haven't given food to a guest; no pilgrimage, no help-to-others — only preserved the body, fattened by greed; Tuka says — then he bears the daṇḍa — the shameless don't listen when told.
Where this applies
- When you find yourself zoning out or feeling bored during prayer, kirtana, or anything sacred
- When you notice you spend freely on your own pleasures but hesitate to feed or help someone in need
- When you keep skipping the disciplines you know matter, like a fast or a night of devotion, for comfort instead
- When you realize you've been building up the body and its comforts while neglecting generosity and devotion