Abhanga 1754
Being physically close to something good does not guarantee you will benefit from it, since what you actually receive depends on your own readiness and past deeds, not on your proximity to it.
The verse
चंदनाचे गांवीं सर्पांच्या वसति । भोगिते ते होती द्वीपांतरीं ॥१॥ एका ओझें एका लाभ घडे देवा । संचिताचा ठेवा वेगळाला ॥ध्रु.॥ क्षीराची वसति अशुद्ध सेवावें । जवळी तें जावें भोगें दुरी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे ऐसी बुद्धी ज्याची जड । त्याहुनि दगड बरे देवा ॥३॥
Literal translation
In chandana-village, snakes' dwelling — the experiencers are in dvīpāntara. To one a burden, to one a profit happens, Devā — samcita-deposit separately. Milk-dwelling, drinks-the-impure — what's near goes far by bhōga. Tuka says: such whose buddhi (is) hard — better stones than that one, Devā.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| चंदनाचे गांवीं सर्पांच्या वसति | "in chandana-village — snakes' dwelling" |
| भोगिते ते होती द्वीपांतरीं | "the experiencers — in dvīpāntara" |
| एका ओझें एका लाभ घडे देवा | "one a burden — one a profit happens, Devā" |
| संचिताचा ठेवा वेगळाला | "samcita-deposit — separately" |
| क्षीराची वसति अशुद्ध सेवावें | "milk-dwelling — to drink-the-impure" |
| जवळी तें जावें भोगें दुरी | "what's near — goes far — by bhōga" |
| तुका म्हणे ऐसी बुद्धी ज्याची जड | "Tuka says — such — whose buddhi hard" |
| त्याहुनि दगड बरे देवा | "better stones — than that one, Devā" |
What it means
Chandana-village-snakes + milk-dwelling-impure-drink + samcita-separates abhang.
The chandana-village: candanācē gāmvīm sarpāñcyā vasati — bhōgitē tē hōtī dvīpāntarīm — in chandana-village, snakes' dwelling — the experiencers are in dvīpāntara. The image: the chandana-tree-village is full of snakes (which-don't-enjoy-the-chandana); those who-actually-enjoy chandana-fragrance live in distant-other-islands. (= those-near-the-source don't-experience-it; those-far-away enjoy-it.)
The samcita-separates: ēkā ōjhēm ēkā lābha ghaḍē Devā — samcitācā ṭhēvā vēgaḷālā — to one a burden, to one a profit happens — samcita-deposit separately. Same-thing is burden-to-one and profit-to-another, depending-on samcita-deposit.
The milk-snake: kṣīrācī vasati aśuddha sēvāvēm — javaḷī tēm jāvēm bhōgēm durī — milk-dwelling, drinks-the-impure — what's near goes far by bhōga. (Snakes) live in milky-places, but drink-the-impure-blood instead; near-thing goes-far due-to-bhōga (karmic-deserving).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē aisī buddhī jyācī jaḍa — tyāhuni dagaḍa barē Devā — Tuka says: such whose buddhi (is) hard — better stones than him, Devā. Some buddhis are so dull, even-stones are better.
[T]
For someone today
For today: in the chandana-village, snakes dwell — but the experiencers (of chandana-fragrance) are in distant other-islands; to one a thing is a burden, to another the same is a profit, Devā — samcita-deposits are separate; (snakes) live in milk-dwellings but drink only the impure-blood — what's near goes far by bhōga (karma); Tuka says — such whose buddhi is so hard — even stones are better than that one, Devā.
Where this applies
- When you live right next to something valuable, a good teacher, a strong relationship, a rare opportunity, and still feel untouched by it
- When you envy someone whose same circumstance turned into profit while yours felt like a burden
- When you catch yourself reaching for something coarse or harmful even while something good is right there for the taking
- When you meet someone so set in their ways that no good thing seems to reach them