संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2329 of 4582

Abhanga 2329

For today: no non-Hari-company; same pankti, same food; don't claim greater than Dēva.

When you notice the people around you talk only about their own gain and never about God.

When you realize you are starting to think and act like the crowd you spend your meals and time with.

When you catch yourself believing your own judgment is wiser than God's.

The verse

हरिकथेवांचून इच्छिती स्वहित । हरिजन चित्ती न घला तेथें ॥१॥ जाईंल भंगोन आपुला विश्वास । होईंल या नास कारणांचा ॥ध्रु.॥ ज्याचिया बैसावे भोजनपंगती । त्याचिया संगती तैसे खावें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे काय जालेसि जाणते । देवा ही परते थोर तुम्ही ॥३॥

Literal translation

Without Hari-kathā, they wish sva-hita — Hari-jana, don't put your chitta there. Your faith will be broken — the bhakti-means will be ruined. In whose pankti you sit for bhojana — in his company, you must eat alike. Tuka says: what — have you become the knower — you are greater even than Dēva.

What it means

No-non-Hari-kathā-company + same-pankti-same-food + don't-claim-greater-than-Dēva abhang.

The same-pankti-rule: jyāchiyā baisāvē bhōjana-pangatī — tyāchiyā sangatī taisē khāvē — in whose pankti you sit for bhojana — in his company, you must eat alike. Whose pankti (eating-row)-you-sit-in, you-must-eat-alike with-his-company (= one becomes-like-the-company-one-keeps).

[T]

For someone today

For today: no non-Hari-company; same pankti, same food; don't claim greater than Dēva.

Where this applies

When you find yourself surrounded by people whose talk is all about personal gain and never about God.
When you notice yourself picking up the habits and attitudes of the group you spend your time and meals with.
When you feel proud of your own spiritual insight and start believing you understand things better than God does.
When you're choosing which company to keep and forget that it will quietly shape who you become.