Abhanga 2143
For today: kathā removes duḥkha — kathā liberates — this Viṭhōbā's kathā is good; kathā destroys sin — uplifts sinners — samādhi from kathā for the fool; kathā is tapas-dhyāna-anuṣṭhāna — Hari-kathā is the amṛta-drink; kathā is mantra-japa — removes tāpa — at kathā-time, kali-kāla trembles; Tuka says — kathā is Deva's own dhyāna — samādhi taking-hold, he stands there.
The verse
कथा दुःख हरी कथा मुक्त करी । कथा याची बरी विठोबाची ॥१॥ कथा पाप नासी उद्धरिले दोषी । समाधि कथेसी मूढजना ॥ध्रु.॥ कथा तप ध्यान कथा अनुष्ठान । अमृत हे पान हरिकथा ॥२॥ कथा मंत्रजप कथा हरी ताप । कथाकाळी कांप किळकाळासी ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे कथा देवाचें ही ध्यान । समाधि लागोन उभा तेथें ॥४॥ ॥१३॥
Literal translation
English: Kathā removes duḥkha — kathā liberates — this Viṭhōbā's kathā is good. Kathā destroys sin — uplifts sinners — samādhi from kathā for the fool. Kathā is tapas-dhyāna — kathā is anuṣṭhāna — Hari-kathā is the amṛta-drink. Kathā is mantra-japa — kathā removes tāpa — at kathā-time, kali-kāla trembles. Tuka says: kathā is Deva's own dhyāna — samādhi taking-hold, he stands there. ॥13॥
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कथा दुःख हरी कथा मुक्त करी | "kathā removes duḥkha — kathā liberates" |
| कथा याची बरी विठोबाची | "this Viṭhōbā's kathā is good" |
| कथा पाप नासी उद्धरिले दोषी | "kathā destroys sin — uplifts sinners" |
| समाधि कथेसी मूढजना | "samādhi from kathā for the fool" |
| कथा तप ध्यान कथा अनुष्ठान | "kathā is tapas-dhyāna — kathā is anuṣṭhāna" |
| अमृत हे पान हरिकथा | "Hari-kathā is the amṛta-drink" |
| कथा मंत्रजप कथा हरी ताप | "kathā is mantra-japa — kathā removes tāpa" |
| कथाकाळी कांप किळकाळासी | "at kathā-time, kali-kāla trembles" |
| तुका म्हणे कथा देवाचें ही ध्यान | "Tuka says — kathā is Deva's own dhyāna" |
| समाधि लागोन उभा तेथें | "samādhi taking-hold, he stands there" |
| ॥१३॥ | "colophon-13 — closes 13-abhang sub-cluster (likely 2131-2143)" |
What it means
Kathā-is-everything-Deva's-own-dhyāna + 13-cluster-closer abhang. CLOSES 13-ABHANG SUB-CLUSTER (likely 2131-2143).
The kathā-litany: Tukārām equates kathā with-every-other-form-of-sādhana: 1. Kathā removes duḥkha and liberates: kathā duḥkha harī kathā mukta karī. 2. Kathā destroys-sin and uplifts-sinners; kathā-itself is samādhi for-the-fool: kathā pāpa nāsī uddharilē dōṣī — samādhi kathēsī mūḍha-janā. 3. Kathā is tapas, dhyāna, anuṣṭhāna; Hari-kathā is amṛta-drink: kathā tapa dhyāna kathā anuṣṭhāna — amṛta hē pāna Hari-kathā. Kathā subsumes all-other-sādhana. 4. Kathā is mantra-japa, removes-tāpa, kali-kāla-trembles at-kathā-time: kathā mantra-japa kathā harī tāpa — kathā-kāḷī kāmpa kiḷa-kāḷāsī.
The climactic closing: Tukā mhaṇē kathā Dēvāchē hī dhyāna — samādhi lāgōna ubhā tēthē — kathā is Deva's own dhyāna — samādhi taking-hold, he stands there. The Lord-himself is-in-samādhi-while-kathā-is-being-told; he stands-listening. Image: Viṭhṭhal-standing-on-the-brick is in-samādhi-of-his-own-kathā. Kathā transcends-everything, including the-Lord's-own-state.
Colophon ॥१३॥ confirms 13-abhang sub-cluster — likely 2131-2143, covering the confessional/supplicant register from be-my-buddhi-progenitor through don't-give-me-mukti to-this kathā-litany-climax.
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For someone today
For today: kathā removes duḥkha — kathā liberates — this Viṭhōbā's kathā is good; kathā destroys sin — uplifts sinners — samādhi from kathā for the fool; kathā is tapas-dhyāna-anuṣṭhāna — Hari-kathā is the amṛta-drink; kathā is mantra-japa — removes tāpa — at kathā-time, kali-kāla trembles; Tuka says — kathā is Deva's own dhyāna — samādhi taking-hold, he stands there.
Where this applies
- Kathā-removes-duḥkha-liberates.* Kathā-duḥkha-harī-mukta-Viṭhōbā.
- Kathā-destroys-sin-samādhi-for-fool.* Kathā-pāpa-nāsī-uddharilē-dōṣī-samādhi-mūḍha.
- Kathā-is-tapas-dhyāna-anuṣṭhāna-amṛta.* Kathā-tapa-dhyāna-anuṣṭhāna-amṛta-Hari-kathā.
- Kathā-is-mantra-japa-kali-kāla-trembles.* Kathā-mantra-japa-harī-tāpa-kāmpa-kiḷa-kāḷā.
- Kathā-is-Deva's-own-dhyāna-samādhi-standing.* Kathā-Dēvāchē-dhyāna-samādhi-ubhā.