Abhanga 2026
Instead of judging others' faults, look honestly at your own; that radical self-honesty is what opens the door to real devotion.
The verse
कासया गुणदोष पाहों आणिकांचे । मज काय त्यांचें उणें असे ॥१॥ काय पापपुण्य पाहों आणिकांचें । मज काय त्यांचें उणें असें ॥ध्रु.॥ नष्टदुष्टपण कवणाचें वाणू । तयाहून आनु अधिक माझें ॥२॥ कुचर खोटा मज कोण असे आगळा । तो मी पाहों डोळां आपुलिये ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे मी भांडवलें पुरता । तुजसी पंढरिनाथा लावियेलें ॥४॥
Literal translation
Why look at others' guṇa-dōṣa? — what's lacking in me of theirs? Why look at others' pāpa-puṇya? — what's lacking in me of theirs? Whose vileness-evil should I declare? — I have more than theirs. Who's more crooked-false than me? — I see in my own eyes. Tuka says: I'm full-of-capital — I've connected with you, Paṇḍhari-nātha.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कासया गुणदोष पाहों आणिकांचे | "why look at others' guṇa-dōṣa" |
| मज काय त्यांचें उणें असे | "what's lacking in me of theirs" |
| काय पापपुण्य पाहों आणिकांचें | "why look at others' pāpa-puṇya" |
| मज काय त्यांचें उणें असें | "what's lacking in me of theirs" |
| नष्टदुष्टपण कवणाचें वाणू | "whose vileness-evil should I declare" |
| तयाहून आनु अधिक माझें | "I have more than theirs" |
| कुचर खोटा मज कोण असे आगळा | "who's more crooked-false than me" |
| तो मी पाहों डोळां आपुलिये | "I see in my own eyes" |
| तुका म्हणे मी भांडवलें पुरता | "Tuka says — I'm full-of-capital" |
| तुजसी पंढरिनाथा लावियेलें | "I've connected with you, Paṇḍhari-nātha" |
What it means
Don't-judge-others-I'm-the-worst + connected-with-Paṇḍhari-nātha abhang. 1-ABHANG SUB-CLUSTER (confirmed by ॥१॥ at 2027).
The opening — radical-self-criticism: kāsayā guṇa-dōṣa pāhōm āṇikāñchē — maja kāya tyāñchē uṇē asē — why look at others' guṇa-dōṣa — what's lacking in me of theirs?. Why-look-at-others' virtues-and-vices — I-have-no-less of-any-of-them.
The pāpa-puṇya inversion: kāya pāpa-puṇya pāhōm āṇikāñchē — maja kāya tyāñchē uṇē asē — why look at others' pāpa-puṇya — what's lacking in me?. Same-applies to-pāpa-puṇya.
The most-vile: naṣṭa-duṣṭa-paṇa kavaṇāchē vāṇūm — tayāhūna ānu adhika mājhē — whose vileness should I declare — I have more than theirs. Whoever's-evil-I-could-name, mine-is-more.
The most-crooked: kuchara khōṭā maja kōṇa asē āgaḷā — tō mī pāhōm ḍōḷām āpuliyē — who's more crooked-false than me — I see in my own eyes. I see-myself-with-my-own-eyes as-the-most-crooked-and-false. Radical self-deprecation as the prerequisite for bhakti.
The closing — capital-connection: Tukā mhaṇē mī bhāṇḍavalē puratā — tujasī Paṇḍhari-nāthā lāviyēlē — Tuka says: I'm full-of-capital — I've connected with you, Paṇḍhari-nātha. Bhāṇḍavalē puratā = full-of-capital (= I have all-the-equipment, ironic given the self-criticism above; or: I am full-of-the-only-capital-that-matters, which is the connection). Despite-my-vileness, I've-connected with-Paṇḍhari-nātha — that-is-my-only-capital.
[T]
For someone today
For today: why look at others' guṇa-dōṣa — what's lacking in me of theirs?; why look at others' pāpa-puṇya?; whose vileness should I declare — I have more than theirs; who's more crooked than me — I see in my own eyes; Tuka says — I'm full-of-capital — I've connected with you, Paṇḍhari-nātha.
Where this applies
- When you catch yourself judging someone else's mistakes or character.
- When you're tempted to compare your sins or virtues against another person's.
- When self-honesty about your own flaws feels harsh, and you need to see it as a starting point rather than a dead end.
- When you feel unworthy because of your failings and wonder if that disqualifies you from a relationship with God.