Abhanga 1739
For today: born, became "udāra" — supposedly uplifted the lineage — but gathering wealth, only gathers earth, always suffering; when someone-with-nāma comes, he pretends no food; when dharma-deed is happening, he wraps his head and lies down pretending; son-in-law's-father came as guest — "he isn't well, there's a vaidya in your village, what's the use of sitting here"; "how many children to launch — better they die" — yet makes vow to Deva, showing token-bait from the house; on parva-day, bhaṭṭa comes — tells children to make uproar — "your share will be less, the time has come for the flour"; spent an aḍakā on beard-cut, comes home — "now we have to unravel moneylending, I'll shave my own head"; no Gangā-tīrtha even in dream, no pūjā of even the village-linga; he bolts the door from inside, sits at the door — and when guests come, says "the house is empty"; Tuka says — such people exist, Hari — please save these jīvas too — there's fear in my chitta — because they will go to narka.
The verse
जन्मा येऊन उदार जाला । उद्धार केला वंशाचा । मेळवूनि धन मेळवी माती । सदा विपत्ती भोगीतसे ॥१॥ नाम घेतां न मिळे अन्न । नव्हे कारण देखिलिया । धर्म करितां ऐके कानीं । बांधे निजोनि डोकियासी ॥ध्रु.॥ घरा व्याही पाहुणा आला । म्हणे त्याला बरें नाहीं । तुमचे गावीं वैद्य आहे । बैसोनि काय प्रयोजन ॥२॥ उजवूं किती होतिल पोरें । मरतां बरें म्हणे यांसी । म्हणऊनि देवा नवस करी । दावी घरींहुनि बोनें ॥३॥ पर्वकाळीं भट घरासी आला । बोंब घाला म्हणे पोरां । तुमचा उणा होईंल वांटा । काळ पिठासी आला ॥४॥ दाढी करितां अडका गेला । घरांत आला बाइलेपें । म्हणे आतां उगवीं मोडी । डोईं बोडीं आपुली ॥५॥ तीर्थ स्वप्नीं नेणें गंगा । पूजन लिंगा गांविंचिया । आडकुनि दार बैसे दारीं । आल्या घर म्हणे ओस ॥६॥ तुका म्हणे ऐसे आहेत गा हरी । या ही तारीं जीवांसी । माझ्या भय वाटे चित्ती । नरका जाती म्हणोनि ॥७॥
Literal translation
English: Born, became udāra — uplifted the lineage (ironic-claim) — gathering wealth, gathers earth — always experiences vipatti. When nāma is taken — no anna — no need (= no concern); when dharma is being done — if ears hear — binds head while lying down. Son-in-law's-father guest came — says: he isn't well — there's a vaidya in your village — what's the use of sitting (here). How many children would launch — would die better, he says of them — therefore makes vow to Deva — shows bait from the house. On parva-day, bhaṭṭa came home — says to children: make uproar — your share will be less — Time has come for the flour. Getting beard cut — an aḍakā went — came home to wife — says: now unravel moneylending — I'll shave my own head. Tīrtha — not even in dream — Gangā — no pūjā of the village linga — bolts the door, sits at door — when (guests) come, says: house is empty. Tuka says: such people exist, Hari — save these jīvas too — there's fear in my chitta — because they go to narka.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| जन्मा येऊन उदार जाला — उद्धार केला वंशाचा | "born — became udāra; — uplifted the lineage (ironic)" |
| मेळवूनि धन मेळवी माती — सदा विपत्ती भोगीतसे | "gathering wealth, gathers earth — always experiences vipatti" |
| नाम घेतां न मिळे अन्न | "when nāma-is-taken — no anna (= when someone with nāma comes)" |
| धर्म करितां ऐके कानीं — बांधे निजोनि डोकियासी | "when dharma-action — if ear hears; — binds head while lying down" |
| व्याही पाहुणा आला — म्हणे त्याला बरें नाहीं | "son-in-law's father guest came — says he is not well" |
| उजवूं किती होतिल पोरें — मरतां बरें म्हणे यांसी | "how many children to launch — says: would die better" |
| देवा नवस करी — दावी घरींहुनि बोनें | "makes vow to Deva — shows bait from the house" |
| पर्वकाळीं भट घरासी आला — बोंब घाला म्हणे पोरां | "on parva-day, bhaṭṭa came home — says to children: make uproar" |
| दाढी करितां अडका गेला | "aḍakā (coin) went — getting beard cut" |
| डोईं बोडीं आपुली | "I'll shave my own head" |
| तीर्थ स्वप्नीं नेणें गंगा — पूजन लिंगा गांविंचिया | "tīrtha not even in dream — Gangā; — no pūjā of village-linga" |
| आडकुनि दार बैसे दारीं — आल्या घर म्हणे ओस | "bolts door, sits at door — says: house empty (when guests come)" |
| तुका म्हणे ऐसे आहेत गा हरी — या ही तारीं जीवांसी | "Tuka says — such exist, Hari — save these jīvas too" |
| माझ्या भय वाटे चित्ती — नरका जाती म्हणोनि | "fear in my chitta — because they go to narka" |
What it means
Extended miser-stingy-religious-hypocrite portrait abhang. A 7-verse satirical-narrative — one of Tukaram's most-detailed anti-religious-hypocrite poems.
The catalogue of miser-behaviors:
Verse 1 — Ironic-opening: born and became "udāra" (= the satirical-pretense that he's-liberal-and-uplifted-the-lineage); but actually gathers-wealth-which-is-just-earth, always-suffering.
Dhṛuva — Anti-bhakti-and-dharma: when someone-with-nāma comes, he pretends-no-food; when dharma-deeds happen near, he wraps-his-head-with-cloth-while-lying-down (pretending-deafness-or-illness to avoid).
Verse 2 — Pretend-illness-to-avoid-host-duties: son-in-law's-father came as guest — says: "he is not well, there's a vaidya in your village, what's the use of sitting here" (= sends-him-away).
Verse 3 — Wishing-children-dead: how-many children would-have-to-be-launched (= married-off)? — says it would be better if they died — yet makes-vow-to-Deva, showing-bait-from-the-house (= makes pretense-of-religious-vow-with-cheap-token).
Verse 4 — Children-make-uproar-on-parva-day: when bhaṭṭa comes for parva-day-dakṣiṇā — tells children to bōmba-ghālā (make uproar) — "your share will be less, Time has come for the flour" (= sends-bhaṭṭa-away with the disturbance-pretext).
Verse 5 — Beard-cost-lament: spent an aḍakā on beard-cut, comes-home-to-wife — says: "now unravel moneylending, I'll shave my own head (in future)" (= won't-pay-barber-again).
Verse 6 — No-tīrtha-no-pūjā-bolt-the-door: no Gangā-tīrtha even-in-dream; no pūjā of even-the-village-linga; bolts the door from-inside, sits-at-the-door — when guests come, says: "the house is empty".
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē aisē āhēta gā Harī — yā hī tārī jīvāmsī — mājhyā bhaya vāṭē chittī — narakā jātī mhaṇōni — Tuka says: such people exist, Hari — save these jīvas too — fear in my chitta — because they go to narka. (The closing-shift to compassionate-petition-for-the-misers-themselves.)
This abhang is a masterpiece of social-satire — Tukaram's eye-for-detail in cataloging the miser-religious-hypocrite's behaviors is unmatched in the gatha.
[T]
For someone today
For today: born, became "udāra" — supposedly uplifted the lineage — but gathering wealth, only gathers earth, always suffering; when someone-with-nāma comes, he pretends no food; when dharma-deed is happening, he wraps his head and lies down pretending; son-in-law's-father came as guest — "he isn't well, there's a vaidya in your village, what's the use of sitting here"; "how many children to launch — better they die" — yet makes vow to Deva, showing token-bait from the house; on parva-day, bhaṭṭa comes — tells children to make uproar — "your share will be less, the time has come for the flour"; spent an aḍakā on beard-cut, comes home — "now we have to unravel moneylending, I'll shave my own head"; no Gangā-tīrtha even in dream, no pūjā of even the village-linga; he bolts the door from inside, sits at the door — and when guests come, says "the house is empty"; Tuka says — such people exist, Hari — please save these jīvas too — there's fear in my chitta — because they will go to narka.
Where this applies
- Born-udāra-ironic-gathers-earth.* Janma-udāra-dhana-mātī.
- No-anna-for-nāma-binds-ears-against-dharma.* Nāma-anna-na-dharma-kāna-bāndhē.
- Pretend-son-in-law's-father-sick.* Vyāhī-pāhuṇā-barēm-na.
- Wish-children-dead-vow-with-bait.* Pōrē-maratām-barēm-navasa-bōnē.
- Children-uproar-bhaṭṭa-leaves.* Bhaṭa-bōmba-pōrām.
- Aḍakā-for-beard-shave-own-head.* Aḍakā-dāḍhī-bōḍīm-ḍō'īm.
- Bolts-door-says-empty-to-guests.* Āḍakuni-dāra-ālyā-ghara-ōsa.
- Save-these-too-Hari-fear-narka.* Tārī-yā-jīvāmsī-narakā.