Abhanga 2346
English: I tell the maryādā of the kathā-time — bow with bhāva.
The verse
कथाकाळींची मर्यादा सांगतों ते भावें वंदा । प्रीतीने गोविंदा हें चि एक आवडे ॥१॥ टाळ वाद्या गीत नृत्य अंतःकरणें प्रेमभरित । वाणिता तो कीर्त तद्भावने लेखावा ॥ध्रु.॥ नये अळसें मोडूं अंग कथे कानवडें हुंग । हेळणेचा रंग दावी तो चांडाळ ॥२॥ तोंडी विडा माने ताठा थोरपणे धाली गेंठा । चित्ती नेदी नामपाठा गोष्टी लावी तो चांडाळ ॥४॥ कथे इच्छी मान दावूनियां थोरपण रजा । संकोच न लुगडी सांवरी तो चांडाळा ॥५॥ आपण बैसे बाजेवरी सामान हरिच्या दासां धरी । तरि तो सुळावरि वाहिजे निश्चयेसीं ॥६॥ येतां नकरी नमस्कार कर जोडोनियां नम्र । न म्हणवितां थोर आणिकां खेटी तो चांडाळ ॥७॥ तुका विनवी जना कथे नाणावें अवगुणा । करा नारायणा ॠणी समर्पक भावें ॥८॥
Literal translation
English: I tell the maryādā of the kathā-time — bow with bhāva. Govinda loves this one thing with prīti. ... [7-verse listing of chāṇḍāla-during-kathā] ... Tukā urges the people — bring no avaguṇa to the kathā — make Nārāyaṇa our ṛṇī with samarpaka bhāva.
What it means
★ THE KATHĀ-ETIQUETTE 7+1-VERSE ABHANG ★. A systematic-listing of what-makes-someone-a-chāṇḍāla-during-the-kīrtana.
The kathā-etiquette is uniquely-systematic. The chāṇḍāla-list: 1. Lazy-body, smelling-with-cocked-ear, showing disdain = chāṇḍāla 2. Pān-in-mouth, pride-in-neck, fat-in-belly, mind-not-on-Name-recitation, gossiping = chāṇḍāla 3. Wanting-honor-during-kathā = chāṇḍāla 4. Sitting-on-a-bed-while-Hari's-dāsas-stand-and-prepare-things = should-be-impaled 5. Refusing-to-namaskāra on-arrival, not-being-humble = chāṇḍāla
The closing: Tukā vinavī janā kathē nāṇāvē avaguṇā — karā Nārāyaṇā ṛṇī samarpaka bhāvē — Tukā urges the people — bring no avaguṇa to the kathā — make Nārāyaṇa our ṛṇī (creditor) by samarpaka bhāva.
Historical-significance: this is one-of-the-most-explicit-codes-of-kathā-conduct in-the-Vārkarī-tradition.
[T]
For someone today
For today: ★ kathā-etiquette: bow with bhāva; don't show lazy disdain; don't chew pān while gossiping; don't seek honor; don't sit on bed while others serve; do namaskāra on arrival; bring no avaguṇa — make Nārāyaṇa our ṛṇī ★.