संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2358 of 4582

Abhanga 2358

The world will blame everyone equally for following love, so stop arguing the verdict and simply keep serving, even at great personal cost.

When your relatives criticize you for spending time on devotion instead of household chores

When you feel lumped together with others and judged unfairly regardless of your actual situation

When you must choose between defending yourself to critics and simply continuing your service

The verse

कोणी सुना कोणी लेंकी । कोणी एकी सतंता ॥१॥ अवघियांची जगनिंद । जाली धिंद सारखी ॥ध्रु.॥ अवघ्या अवघ्या चोरा । विना वरा मायबापा ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे करा सेवा । आलें जीवावर तरी ॥३॥

Literal translation

Some are daughters-in-law, some daughters, some independent. World-blame on all — the dhinda has become equal. All are thieves — except the wedded-bridegroom and parents. Tuka says: do service — even if it costs your life.

What it means

GOPĪ-COLLECTIVE-RESIGNATION-TO-WORLD-BLAME ABHANG. Seventh of the 8-abhang gopikā-līlā cluster (2352-2359).

The opening — all-women-are-equal-in-the-Lord's-eyes: kōṇī sunā kōṇī lēnkī — kōṇī ēkī satantā — some are daughters-in-law, some daughters, some independent. In-the-Lord-bhakti, all-categories of-women (daughters-in-law, daughters, independent) are-equal.

The world-blame: avaghyāñchī jaganinda — jālī dhinda sārakhī — world-blame on all — the dhinda has become equal. Jaganinda = world's-blame. Dhinda = clamor, scandal. The world-blame falls-on-all; the-scandal has-become-equal.

The all-thieves: avaghyā avaghyā chōrā — vinā varā māyabāpā — all are thieves — except the wedded-bridegroom and parents. All-(women, in-fleeing-to-Kṛṣṇa) are-thieves (of-householder-duty); except (in-the-eyes-of-) wedded-bridegroom and-parents (= legitimate-domestic-life). A gopī's-paradox: from-society's-view we're all stealing-time-from-our-duties.

The closing — service-at-life-cost: Tukā mhaṇē karā sēvā — ālē jīvāvara tarī — Tuka says: do service — even if it costs your life. Do-service (to-the-Lord), even-if-it-comes-to-your-life.

[T]

For someone today

For today: all-women equally subject to jaganinda; all-thieves of-householder-duty except-legitimate; do service even if it costs your life.

Where this applies

When people around you judge your devotion or your choices no matter who you are or what your circumstances
When your family calls your spiritual practice a neglect of duty
When you feel branded as selfish for following what pulls at your heart
When you must decide whether to keep serving something you love even though it costs you socially

Krṣṇa-līlā Bhakti