संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2370 of 4582

Abhanga 2370

No one gets called to their own good fortune, they have to run toward it themselves, the way an ant runs to jaggery or a sick person runs to the doctor.

When you stop waiting to be invited and take the first step toward something good for you

When you reach out for help the way a sick person seeks out a doctor

When you notice your own motivation grows once you start actively seeking what you need

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

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.

[T]

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

When you are waiting for someone else to invite you toward something good for you
When you realize an opportunity for growth will not come looking for you
When you notice that people who genuinely want help are the ones who reach out first
When you are deciding whether to wait passively for spiritual growth or actively pursue it

Bhakti