Abhanga 2370
The verse
मुंगीचिया घरा कोण जाय मूळ । देखोनियां गूळ धांव घाली ॥१॥ याचकाविण काय खोळंबला दाता । तोचि धांवे हिता आपुलिया ॥ध्रु.॥ उदक अन्न काये म्हणे मज खा ये । भुकेला तो जाये चोजवीत ॥२॥ व्याधी पिडिला धांवे वैद्याचिया घरा । दुःखाच्या परिहारा आपुलिया ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे जया आपुलें स्वहित । करणें तो चि प्रीत धरी कथे ॥४॥
Literal translation
English: ★ Who goes to the ant's house — seeing the jaggery, runs to take ★. Without the beggar, what stops the giver — he himself runs for his own good. Does water or food say "come eat me?" — the hungry one goes seeking. The disease-stricken runs to the vaidya's house — for relief from suffering. Tuka says: he who has his own welfare to-do — that one alone holds prīti for kathā.
What it means
★ THE MUṄGĪ-AND-JAGGERY ABHANG — BHAKTA RUNS FOR HIS OWN WELFARE ★.
★ THE CELEBRATED OPENING ★: mungīchiyā gharā kōṇa jāya mūḷa — dēkhōniyām guḷa dhāmva ghālī — ★ who goes to the ant's house? — seeing the jaggery, runs to take ★. Mungī = ant. Guḷa = jaggery. ★ No-one-goes-to-the-ant's-house-(to-invite-it); seeing-the-jaggery, the-ant runs-to-take-it. ★ The bhakta-must-initiate — like-the-ant who-runs-to-the-jaggery on-its-own.
The beggar-and-giver: yāchakāvīṇa kāya khōḷambalā dātā — tōchi dhāmvē hitā āpuliyā — without beggar, what stops the giver — he himself runs for his own good. Without-the-beggar, what-stops the-giver?; the-beggar-himself runs for-his-own-good.
The hunger-runs: udaka anna kāyē mhaṇē maja khā yē — bhukēlā tō jāyē chōjavīta — does water or food say "come eat me?" — the hungry one goes seeking. Water-and-food don't-call-the-hungry-one; the-hungry-one goes-seeking.
The disease-vaidya: vyādhi piḍilā dhāmvē vaidyāchiyā gharā — duḥkhāchyā parihārā āpuliyā — the disease-stricken runs to the vaidya's house — for relief from suffering. The diseased-one runs-to-the-vaidya for-relief.
The closing — prīti-for-kathā: Tukā mhaṇē jayā āpulē svahita — karaṇē tō chi prīta dharī kathē — Tuka says: he who has his own welfare to-do — that one alone holds prīti for kathā. He-who-cares-for-his-own-welfare — that-one alone holds prīti (love) for-kathā.
The teaching: Bhakti requires-the-bhakta's-own-initiative — the Lord doesn't-invite, the-bhakta must-run-like-the-ant-to-the-jaggery. Welfare-comes-to-those-who-seek-it.
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For someone today
For today: ★ ant runs to jaggery on its own ★; beggar runs for own good; hungry seeks food; diseased runs to vaidya; ★ only the one caring for own welfare holds prīti for kathā ★*.
Where this applies
- Mungī-runs-to-jaggery-on-its-own. Mungīchiyā-gharā-kōṇa-jāya-mūḷa-dēkhōniyām-guḷa.
- Beggar-runs-for-own-good.* Yāchakāvīṇa-khōḷambalā-dātā-tōchi-dhāmvē-hitā.
- Hungry-seeks-food.* Udaka-anna-bhukēlā-jāyē-chōjavīta.
- Diseased-runs-to-vaidya.* Vyādhi-piḍilā-vaidyāchiyā-gharā-duḥkhāchyā-parihārā.
- Self-welfare-holds-prīti-for-kathā. Āpulē-svahita-prīta-dharī-kathē.