संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1919 of 4582

Abhanga 1919

For today: in the samartha's belly — we are born unfortunate; such fame in the world — (is) your Name's-disgrace; here, no food — no one comes as messenger to take (us); Tuka says — life — now false in jīva-existence.

When you'd lament born-unfortunate-in-Lord's-belly + Name's-disgrace — samartha-pōṭī-janmalōm-karaṇṭī; jagī-kīrti-Nāma-phajitī; khāyā-na-mūḷa-na; jiṇē-khōṭē-jīva-paṇa

The verse

समर्थाचे पोटीं । आम्ही जन्मलों करंटीं ॥१॥ ऐसी जाली जगीं कीर्ति । तुझ्या नामाची फजिती ॥ध्रु.॥ येथें नाहीं खाया । न ये कोणी मूळ न्याया ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जिणें । आतां खोटें जीवपणें ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: In the samartha's belly — we are born unfortunate. Such fame in the world — (is) your Name's-disgrace. Here, no food — no one comes as messenger to take (us). Tuka says: life — now false in jīva-existence.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
समर्थाचे पोटीं "in the samartha's belly"
आम्ही जन्मलों करंटीं "we are born — unfortunate ones (karaṇṭī)"
ऐसी जाली जगीं कीर्ति "such fame in the world"
तुझ्या नामाची फजिती "(is) your Name's-disgrace (phajitī)"
येथें नाहीं खाया "here — no food"
न ये कोणी मूळ न्याया "no one comes — as messenger to take (us)"
तुका म्हणे जिणें "Tuka says — life"
आतां खोटें जीवपणें "now — false — in jīva-existence"

What it means

Born-unfortunate-in-Lord's-belly + Name's-disgrace abhang. Letter-sent-with-saints cluster.

The opening: samarthāce pōṭīm — āmhī janmalōm karaṇṭīmin the samartha's belly — we are born unfortunate. Samartha = the mighty-one (= the Lord); karaṇṭī = unfortunate, wretched. Born-as-children-of-the-mighty-Lord, yet-we-are-still-unfortunate.

The Name's-disgrace line: aisī jālī jagī kīrti — tujhyā nāmācī phajitīsuch fame in the world — your Name's-disgrace. Phajitī = disgrace, public-shame. Striking — the bhakta-tells-the-Lord that-his-Name-itself is-being-disgraced when-his-bhaktas-suffer; the world-laughs at-the-claim that-his-Name-saves.

The no-food line: yēthē nāhīm khāyā — na yē kōṇī mūḷa nyāyāhere, no food — no one comes as messenger to take (us). No-food + no-summons-to-Pandhari.

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē jiṇē — ātām khōṭē jīva-paṇēTuka says: life — now false in jīva-existence. Existence-itself feels-false (= the very-jīva-state has-lost meaning).

The implicit-message: the Lord's-Name-fame is-at-stake in-his-bhaktas'-suffering; if-he-doesn't-respond, the Name itself becomes-disgrace.

[T]

For someone today

For today: in the samartha's belly — we are born unfortunate; such fame in the world — (is) your Name's-disgrace; here, no food — no one comes as messenger to take (us); Tuka says — life — now false in jīva-existence.

Where this applies

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