संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2393 of 4582

Abhanga 2393

A jaundiced eye sees the world through its own sickness, and a poisoned character cannot help harming others, so do not honor cruelty out of politeness.

When you notice someone's harsh words seem to come from a deep inner bitterness rather than the moment at hand

When you feel pressure to show extra deference to someone with a bad reputation just to keep the peace

When you catch yourself excusing someone's cruelty because you assume that is simply their nature

The verse

काविळयासी नाहीं दया उपकार । काळिमा अंतर विटाळसें ॥१॥ तैसें कुधनाचें जिणें अमंगळ । घाणेरी वोंगळ वदे वाणी ॥ध्रु.॥ कडु भोंपळ्याचा उपचारें पाक । सेविल्या तिडीक कपाळासी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे विष सांडूं नेणे साप । आदरें तें पाप त्याचे ठायीं ॥३॥

Literal translation

The jaundiced one has no compassion or favor — darkness inside, pollution. Thus the wealth-misuser's life is inauspicious — speaks foul-ugly speech. Bitter-gourd's preparation — eating gives a hammering on the forehead. Tuka says: the snake doesn't know to release its poison — respect, there is pāpa.

What it means

THE JAUNDICED-EYE + SNAKE-DOESN'T-RELEASE-POISON ABHANG.

The jaundice: kāviḷayāsī nāhīm dayā upakāra — kāḷimā antara viṭāḷasē — the jaundiced one has no compassion — darkness inside. Jaundiced-eye sees-everything-yellow; without-compassion.

The wealth-misuser: taisē kudhanāchē jiṇē amangaḷa — ghāṇērī vongaḷa vadē vāṇī — the wealth-misuser's life inauspicious — speaks foul-ugly speech. Wealth-without-virtue makes-life-inauspicious; speaks-foul-speech.

The snake-image: Tukā mhaṇē viṣa sāṇḍūm nēṇē sāpa — ādarē tē pāpa tyāchē ṭhāyīm — the snake doesn't know to release its poison — respect, there is pāpa. The snake-cannot-release its-poison; even-respecting-such [evil people] is pāpa.

[T]

For someone today

For today: jaundiced eye no compassion; wealth-misuser life inauspicious; snake doesn't release its poison — even respecting it is pāpa .

Where this applies

When someone close to you keeps twisting every situation into something bitter and you wonder why they never soften
When you're tempted to overlook someone's cruelty just because they are wealthy or influential
When you keep hoping a person with a long history of hurting others will change if you simply treat them with more respect
When you catch yourself excusing someone's hurtful words by telling yourself that's just how they are

Bhakti