Abhanga 1878
For today: torch-bearers, canopy, horses — these don't fit with good; now here, Pandhari-rāyā — why do you tangle me?; honor, dambha, ostentation — these are pig's dung; Tuka says — deva — run for my deliverance.
The verse
दिवट्या छत्री घोडे । हें तों बर्यांत न पडे ॥१॥ आतां येथें पंढरिराया । मज गोविसी कासया ॥ध्रु.॥ मान दंभ चेष्टा । हे तों शूकराची विष्ठा ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे देवा । माझे सोडववणे धांवा ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Torch-bearers, canopy, horses — these don't fit with good. Now here, Pandhari-rāyā — why do you tangle me? Honor, dambha, antics — these are pig's dung. Tuka says: deva — run for my deliverance.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| दिवट्या छत्री घोडे | "torch-bearers, canopy, horses" |
| हें तों बर्यांत न पडे | "these don't fit with good" |
| आतां येथें पंढरिराया | "now here, Pandhari-rāyā" |
| मज गोविसी कासया | "why do you tangle me" |
| मान दंभ चेष्टा | "honor, dambha, antics (cēṣṭā)" |
| हे तों शूकराची विष्ठा | "these are pig's dung (śūkarācī viṣṭhā)" |
| तुका म्हणे देवा | "Tuka says — deva" |
| माझे सोडववणे धांवा | "run — for my deliverance" |
What it means
Direct-rejection-of-Śivājī's-royal-symbols + pig-dung-equation abhang.
Historical context: This abhang is part of the 14-abhang Śivājī-Tukārām cluster (1877-1890). Per the editorial-note in 1877, Śivājī Mahārāj sent emissaries with the abdāgirī (royal-canopy), a horse, and a clerk (along with torch-bearers as standard royal-procession-symbols) to invite Tukārām to court. This abhang directly names the symbols Śivājī sent: divaṭyā (torch-bearers), chatrī (canopy), ghōḍē (horses).
The opening: divaṭyā chatrī ghōḍē — hē tōm baryāmta na paḍē — torch-bearers, canopy, horses — these don't fit with good. Direct rejection-of-the-royal-symbols. Baryāmta na paḍē = don't fall-into-the-good (= don't qualify-as-genuinely-good).
The bhakta's protest: ātām yēthē Pandhari-rāyā — maja gōvisī kāsayā — now here, Pandhari-rāyā — why do you tangle me?. Gōvisī = tangle, ensnare. Pandhari-rāyā, why-have-you-tangled-me-with-this-royal-temptation?.
The pig-dung-equation: māna damba cēṣṭā — hē tōm śūkarācī viṣṭhā — honor, dambha, antics — these are pig's dung. Śūkarācī viṣṭhā = pig's-dung (= the most-impure-substance in classical-folk-imagination). Bare-knuckle equation: worldly-honor + dambha + ostentation = pig-dung. Foundational renunciation-against-royal-temptation.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē devā — mājhē sōḍavavaṇē dhāmvā — Tuka says: deva — run for my deliverance. Sōḍavavaṇē = deliverance, releasing. Run-to-deliver-me from-this-tangle.
This abhang is historically-pivotal — Tukārām's-explicit refusal of Śivājī's-royal-honors, articulated in folk-strong terms. Foundational-text in Marāṭhā-bhakti-history.
[T]
For someone today
For today: torch-bearers, canopy, horses — these don't fit with good; now here, Pandhari-rāyā — why do you tangle me?; honor, dambha, ostentation — these are pig's dung; Tuka says — deva — run for my deliverance.
Where this applies
- Royal-symbols-don't-fit-with-good.* Divaṭyā-chatrī-ghōḍē-baryāmta-na.
- Why-tangle-me-Pandhari-rāyā.* Gōvisī-kāsayā.
- Honor-dambha-antics-are-pig-dung.* Māna-damba-cēṣṭā-śūkara-viṣṭhā.
- Run-for-my-deliverance.* Sōḍavavaṇē-dhāmvā.