Abhanga 2117
A life lived without real devotion is, in Tukaram's eyes, no better than being dead, and cleverness without bhakti brings shame rather than honor.
The verse
वाचे विठ्ठल नाहीं । तो चि प्रेतरूप पाहीं ॥१॥ धिग त्याचें ज्यालेपण । भार न साहे मेदिन ॥ध्रु.॥ न बैसे कीर्तनीं । गुण नाइके जो कानीं ॥२॥ जातां कांटाळे देउळा । तो चि सुना मुखकाळा ॥३॥ हरिभक्तीविण । त्याचें जळो शाहाणपण ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे तेणें । वंशा आणियेलें उणें ॥५॥
Literal translation
No Viṭhṭhala on tongue — that very one is corpse-form, see. Fie on his living — earth doesn't bear his weight. Doesn't sit in kīrtana — who doesn't hear guṇa with ear. Tires going to temple — that very one is blackened-face daughter-in-law. Without Hari-bhakti — burn his wisdom. Tuka says: by him — the clan is brought-short.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| वाचे विठ्ठल नाहीं | "no Viṭhṭhala on tongue" |
| तो चि प्रेतरूप पाहीं | "that very one is corpse-form, see" |
| धिग त्याचें ज्यालेपण | "fie on his living" |
| भार न साहे मेदिन | "earth doesn't bear (his) weight" |
| न बैसे कीर्तनीं | "doesn't sit in kīrtana" |
| गुण नाइके जो कानीं | "who doesn't hear guṇa with ear" |
| जातां कांटाळे देउळा | "tires going to temple" |
| तो चि सुना मुखकाळा | "that very one is blackened-face daughter-in-law" |
| हरिभक्तीविण | "without Hari-bhakti" |
| त्याचें जळो शाहाणपण | "burn his wisdom" |
| तुका म्हणे तेणें | "Tuka says — by him" |
| वंशा आणियेलें उणें | "the clan is brought-short" |
What it means
No-Viṭhṭhala-on-tongue-is-corpse + tires-to-temple-is-blackened-sunā + brings-clan-short abhang.
The opening — corpse-image: vāchē Viṭhṭhala nāhīm — tō chi prēta-rūpa pāhīm — no Viṭhṭhala on tongue — that very one is corpse-form, see. Without-Viṭhṭhala-on-tongue, the body-is-a-corpse.
The earth-can't-bear: dhig tyāchē jyālēpaṇa — bhāra na sāhē mēdina — fie on his living — earth doesn't bear (his) weight. Fie-on-his-life; even-the-earth groans-under-his-weight.
The non-kīrtana-sitter: na baisē kīrtanīm — guṇa nā'ikē jō kānīm — doesn't sit in kīrtana — who doesn't hear guṇa with ear. Doesn't-sit-in-kīrtana, doesn't-listen-to-the-guṇa.
The temple-tirer = blackened-sunā: jātām kāmṭāḷē dē'uḷā — tō chi sunā mukha-kāḷā — tires going to temple — that very one is blackened-face daughter-in-law. One-who-finds-going-to-temple-tiring IS the blackened-face-daughter-in-law (= disgraced false-bhakta). The recurring kāḷa-tōṇḍā-sunā image (from 2113, 2114) at peak-emphasis.
The wisdom-burned: Hari-bhaktīviṇa — tyāchē jaḷō śāhāṇa-paṇa — without Hari-bhakti — burn his wisdom. Without Hari-bhakti, his wisdom should-be-burned.
The closing — clan-shame: Tukā mhaṇē tēṇē — vamśā āṇiyēlē uṇē — by him — the clan is brought-short. He-brings-shame to-the-whole-clan.
[T]
For someone today
For today: no Viṭhṭhala on tongue — that one is corpse-form; fie on his living — earth doesn't bear his weight; doesn't sit in kīrtana — doesn't hear guṇa with ear; tires going to temple — that one is blackened-face daughter-in-law; without Hari-bhakti — burn his wisdom; Tuka says — by him — the clan is brought-short.
Where this applies
- When someone is busy and successful but never makes time for genuine devotion or reflection.
- When going to a place of worship or spiritual gathering feels like a chore rather than something you actually want.
- When you've stopped listening to or singing about the things and people you claim to love.
- When cleverness or achievement is used as a substitute for real inner growth or love.