संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2502 of 4582

Abhanga 2502

For today: kept as glass-servant; lion's-cub being taken by fox ; destruction for those called dāsa.

When you have stayed faithful and devoted but still feel fragile and exposed to harm.
When you voice an honest complaint instead of silently accepting unfair treatment.
When you see someone who should be protected being taken advantage of instead.

The verse

जालों तंव साचें । दास राहवणें काचें ॥१॥ हें कां मळितें उचित । तुम्ही नेणा कृपावंत ॥ध्रु.॥ सिंहाचें ते पिलें । जाय घेऊनियां कोल्हें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे नास । आम्हां म्हणविलियां दास ॥३॥

Literal translation

Became truly — but kept as glass-servant. Is this fitting — don't you know, kṛpāvanta. Lion's cub — fox takes it away. Tuka says: destruction — for those who-said dāsa.

What it means

THE LION'S-CUB-TAKEN-BY-FOX ABHANG.

THE STRIKING IMAGE: simhāchē tē pilē — jāya ghē'ūniyām kōlhēlion's cub — fox takes it away. A lion's-cub being-taken-away by-a-fox. A vivid metaphor: the bhakta — meant-to-be the-Lord's-cub (a lion-cub) — is-being-allowed to-be-snatched by-a-fox (= worldly-trouble). The complaint: this-is-unworthy-of-the-Lord-as-lion-parent.

The glass-servant: dāsa rāhavaṇē kāchēkept as glass-servant. Kāchē = glass, fragile. Kept-as-a-fragile-glass-servant — easily-broken, not-properly-protected.

The destruction-claim: nāsa āmhām mhaṇaviliyām dāsadestruction — for those who-said dāsa. Those-of-us called dāsa are being-destroyed — accusation against-the-Lord's-protection.

[T]

For someone today

For today: kept as glass-servant; lion's-cub being taken by fox ; destruction for those called dāsa.

Where this applies

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