संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2351 of 4582

Abhanga 2351

Wherever the Name is truly sung and remembered, devotees are so protected and honored that even death is told to keep away.

When you feel afraid of death or of things you cannot control

When you question whether your quiet habit of prayer or chanting is actually doing anything

When you underestimate a humble devotee, not realizing how protected and valued their devotion makes them

The verse

यम सांगे दूतां तुम्हां नाहीं तेथें सत्ता । जेथें होय कथा सदा घोष नामाचा ॥१॥ नका जाऊं तया गांवां नामधारकाच्या शिवां । सुदर्शन येवा घरटी फिरे भोंवती ॥ध्रु.॥ चक्र गदा घेउनी हरि उभा असे त्यांचे द्वारीं । लIमी कामारी रिद्धिसिद्धीसहित ॥२॥ ते बिळयाशिरोमणी हरिभक्त ये मेदिनी । तुका म्हणे कानीं यम सांगे दूतांचे ॥३॥

Literal translation

Yama tells the dūtas — you have no power there — where there is always kathā, the ghōṣa of the Name. Don't go to that village near the Name-bearer — sudarśana, vēvā, circles around in the gharaṭī. Hari stands with chakra-gadā at their doors — Lakṣmī as servant-maid with riddhi-siddhi. They, the chief-jewels among the strong, the Hari-bhaktas on earth — Tukā says — Yama whispers in the dūtas' ears.

What it means

THE CELEBRATED YAMA-INSTRUCTS-HIS-DŪTAS ABHANG — no-power-where-kathā-is.

THE OPENING LINE: Yama sāngē dūtām tumhām nāhīm tēthē sattā — jēthē hōya kathā sadā ghōṣa nāmāchā — Yama tells the dūtas — you have no power there — where there is always kathā, the ghōṣa of the Name. Yama himself tells-his-dūtas: 'You-have-no-power there — where-there-is-always-kathā, the-ghōṣa (loud-utterance) of-the-Name'. A celebrated death-conquest-image — even Yama, the lord-of-death, instructs-his-attendants to-spare-the-place-of-kathā.

The sudarśana-guards: nakā jāūm tayā gāmvām nāma-dhārakāchyā śivām — sudarśana yēvā gharaṭī phirē bhōmvatī — don't go to that village near the Name-bearer — sudarśana, vēvā, circles around in the gharaṭī. Yama warns: 'Don't-go to-that-village near-the-Name-bearer; sudarśana-(the discus)-circles around-the-gharaṭī-(the dwelling-and-mill-stone-house)'.

The Hari-stands-guard: chakra-gadā ghē'unī Hari ubhā asē tyāñchē dvārīm — Lakṣmī kāmārī riddhi-siddhī-sahita — Hari stands with chakra-gadā at their doors — Lakṣmī as servant-maid with riddhi-siddhi. Hari-himself stands with-chakra-and-gadā at-the-bhaktas'-doors; Lakṣmī serves-as-kāmārī (servant-maid), with-riddhi-siddhi-attendants.

The closing — Hari-bhaktas are chief-jewels: tē biḷayā-śirōmaṇī Hari-bhakta yē mēdinī — Tukā mhaṇē kānīm Yama sāngē dūtāñchē — they, the chief-jewels among the strong, the Hari-bhaktas on earth — Tukā says — Yama whispers in the dūtas' ears. The Hari-bhaktas are the-chief-jewels among-the-strong, on-the-earth; Yama whispers-in-his-dūtas' ears (the warning).

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For someone today

For today: Yama tells the dūtas — no power where the kathā with ghōṣa of the Name is; sudarśana circles around the gharaṭī; Hari with chakra-gadā at the door, Lakṣmī as servant-maid; the Hari-bhaktas are the chief-jewels on earth; Yama whispers in the dūtas' ears.

Where this applies

When you feel afraid of death or of forces beyond your control
When you wonder whether a quiet daily practice like repeating the Name really matters
When you doubt that ordinary devotion can offer real protection in hard times
When you see someone humble and devoted and are tempted to underestimate how much strength they carry