संत साहित्य
Work in progress. Translations and commentary are AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies or hallucinations — please use your own judgement and check against the original sources.
संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2346 of 4582

Abhanga 2346

Approach sacred gatherings with humility and full presence, not laziness or pride, and offer yourself so completely that it becomes a true gift.

When you show up to something sacred distracted, lazy, or quietly disdainful instead of present.
When you notice yourself craving honor or comfort while others are doing the serving.
When you are too proud to bow or greet someone humbly, and have to choose humility instead.

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

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.

Bhakti

Related verses