संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2453 of 4582

Abhanga 2453

For today: turning away the arrived-ascetic depletes your own sattva .

When you tell a guest or stranger at your door to move along instead of offering them food or rest.

When you announce that you'll help someone but never actually deliver on it.

When you decide someone doesn't deserve your hospitality before you've even heard what they need.

The verse

आलिया अतीता म्हणतसां पुढारें । आपुलें रोकडें सत्व जाय ॥१॥ काय त्याचा भार घेऊनि मस्तकीं । हीनकर्मी लोकीं म्हणावया ॥ध्रु.॥ दारीं हाका कैसें करवतें भोजन । रुची तरि अन्न कैसें देतें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे ध्वज उभारिला कर । ते शिक्त उदार काय जाली ॥३॥

Literal translation

To the arrived-ascetic saying "go ahead" — own immediate sattva leaves. Carrying his burden on head — to be called lowly-conduct in world. Calls at door — how is food served — taste, how does food give. Tuka says: flag raised by hand — that śikta generous, what happened.

What it means

THE ATITHI-DHARMA + DON'T-DISMISS-THE-ASCETIC ABHANG.

The opening warning: āliyā atītā mhaṇatasām puḍhārē — āpulē rōkaḍē sattva jāya — to the arrived-ascetic saying "go ahead" — own immediate sattva leaves. Atīta = ascetic, wandering-renunciant. When-the-atīta arrives-at-your-door, if-you-say "puḍhārē" (go-ahead, move-on), your-own-immediate-sattva (rōkaḍē = ready-cash) leaves. The classic atithi-dharma principle — turning-away-a-guest depletes-one's-spiritual-merit.

[T]

For someone today

For today: turning away the arrived-ascetic depletes your own sattva.

Where this applies

When someone unexpected knocks at your door hungry or tired and your first instinct is to send them away with a polite excuse
When you call out an offer of help to someone but never actually follow through with real food, shelter, or support
When you feel proud of announcing your generosity in public but haven't actually given anything yet
When you're tempted to judge a stranger's worth before deciding whether they deserve your hospitality

Bhakti