Abhanga 2030

For today: the duṣṭa is the sajjana's ornament — unattainable-gain, that's his puṇya; such a para-upakārī is blessed — goes to hell on behalf of others; samvadaṇī (washerwoman) eats the dirt — makes others' clothes clean; Tuka says — of him — do true love-and-respect.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Duṣṭa-as-sajjana's-ornament + washerwoman-eats-dirt abhang. PARADOXICAL TONE.

The opening — paradox: duṣṭa bhūṣaṇa sajjanāchē — alabhya-lābha puṇya tyāchē — the duṣṭa is the sajjana's ornament — unattainable-gain, that's his puṇya. The wicked (duṣṭa) is-the-good-man's-ornament: the wicked-man, by-criticizing-the-saint, gives-the-saint an-opportunity-for-forbearance; the abuse-becomes-an-ornament. Alabhya-lābha = unattainable-gain that-was-obtained — the wicked unwittingly-give the-saint puṇya.

The ironic-saint: dhanya aisā para-upakārī — jāya narakā āṇikāmvāri — such a para-upakārī is blessed — goes to hell on behalf of others. Such-a-para-upakārī (helper-of-others) is-blessed — he goes-to-hell on-behalf-of-others (= by-abusing-the-saint, the-wicked-man takes the saint's hellward-bound-karma). Dark-irony: the wicked man perversely-helps the saint.

THE WASHERWOMAN IMAGE: maḷa khāyē samvadaṇī — karī āṇikāñchī ujaḷaṇī — the samvadaṇī (washerwoman) eats the dirt — makes others' (clothes) clean. Samvadaṇī = washerwoman. The washerwoman takes-the-dirt-onto-herself; cleanses-others' clothes. The same applies to-the-wicked: taking-on-dirt by-criticizing-the-saint, they-cleanse the-saint.

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē tyāchā — prītī ādara karā sāchā — Tuka says: of him — do true love-and-respect. Therefore — love-and-respect the duṣṭa truly (= thank-the-critics; they're-doing-you-a-favor).

[T]

For someone today

For today: the duṣṭa is the sajjana's ornament — unattainable-gain, that's his puṇya; such a para-upakārī is blessed — goes to hell on behalf of others; samvadaṇī (washerwoman) eats the dirt — makes others' clothes clean; Tuka says — of him — do true love-and-respect.

Where this applies

• When someone criticizes or slanders you unfairly and you feel the urge to strike back
• When you are trying to grow spiritually and keep meeting people who test your patience
• When you notice that handling an insult with grace has actually made you calmer or better than before
• When you are tempted to resent a difficult person instead of seeing what their harshness is teaching you

Related verses

• Abhanga 2494 — Living in devotion turns an ordinary day into a festival and removes the fear of birth and
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center
• Abhanga 2557 — For today: now I've become master — what I do, the authority is mine .