Abhanga 2994
Ātām kaḷōm āle guṇa — now the guṇa (qualities) have come to (my) kaḷōm (knowing); avaghe chi yāvarōn — from all (these); chōkhaṭa lakṣaṇa — dharile he ghara-gheṇe — the clear lakṣaṇa (mark) — you have-held-this ghara-gheṇe (house-grabbing-behavior).
The verse
आतां कळों आले गुण । अवघे चि यावरोन । चोखट लक्षण । धरिलें हें घरघेणें ॥१॥
या नांवें कृपासिंधु । म्हणवितोसी दीनबंधु । मज तरी मैंदु । दिसतोसी पाहातां ॥ध्रु.॥
अमळ दया नाहीं पोटीं । कठीण तैसाचि कपटी । अंधर्याची काठी । माझी गुदरसी च ना ॥२॥
तुकयाबंधु म्हणे पुरता । नाहीं म्हुण बरें अनंता । एरवीं असतां । तुझा घोंट भरियेला ॥३॥
Literal translation
Ātām kaḷōm āle guṇa — now the guṇa (qualities) have come to (my) kaḷōm (knowing); avaghe chi yāvarōn — from all (these); chōkhaṭa lakṣaṇa — dharile he ghara-gheṇe — the clear lakṣaṇa (mark) — you have-held-this ghara-gheṇe (house-grabbing-behavior). Yā nāve krpā-sindhu — in this name — krpā-sindhu (ocean-of-compassion); mhaṇavitōsī dīna-bandhu — you make (yourself) called dīna-bandhu (friend-of-destitute); maja tarī maindu — disatōsī pāhātām — but to me, on looking, you look (like a) maindu (cheat). Amaḷa dayā nāhī pōṭī — (you have) no amaḷa-dayā (pure-compassion) in (your) belly; kaṭhīṇa taisāchi kapaṭī — (you are) harsh and kapaṭī (deceitful) likewise; andharyāñcī kāṭhī — mājhī gudarasī cha nā — the andharyāñcī kāṭhī (blind-man's-stick) — mine, you do not gudarasī (return, pass). Tukyā-bandhu mhaṇe pūrtā — nāhī mhuṇa bare Anantā — Tukārām's-brother says: not pūrtā (complete) — by (favor of) Ananta — good; eravīm asatām — tujhā ghōṭa bhariyelā — otherwise — I would have bhariyelā (emptied, filled) your ghōṭa (throat-pulse) (cursed-you-to-death).
What it means
A striking 3-verse protest verse by Tukyā-bandhu. NON-Tukārām. ★ Critically: this verse directly-references Tukārām's-own abhang 2849 — the blind-man's-stick image — andharyāñcī kāṭhī. This is rare-direct textual-engagement-with-Tukārām's-own-work by-his-brother.
Verse 2 reference: andharyāñcī kāṭhī — mājhī gudarasī cha nā — the blind-man's-stick — mine, you do not return. This refers-to Tukārām's-2849: "He snatches the blind-man's stick — pushes (him) off the cliff" — and-extends-the-image: now Kānhōbā says the Lord-has-similarly-snatched-his-(family's)-stick (= Tukārām) and-doesn't-return-it.
Close: Tukyā-bandhu mhaṇe pūrtā — nāhī mhuṇa bare Anantā — eravīm asatām — tujhā ghōṭa bhariyelā — not complete — by favor of Ananta — good — otherwise — I would have emptied your throat-pulse. The brother says: if I were a complete-bhakta (sant) with-spiritual-power, I would have cursed-you-(the-Lord)-to-death; fortunately for you, I'm not such a sant. This is one of the most-radical bhakti-protests in the corpus.
For someone today
Kānhōbā's striking protest with-direct-reference-to-Tukārām's-own-2849. Now the qualities are revealed — the clear mark: you've held this house-grabbing behavior. (You are) called ocean-of-compassion, friend-of-destitute — but look like a cheat. No pure-compassion in (your) belly; harsh and deceitful; the blind-man's-stick — mine, you don't return. Not complete (in spiritual-power) — by favor of Ananta — good — otherwise — I would have emptied your throat. The verse permits the bhakta-brother's-direct-engagement with-his-brother's-own-text and-radical-protest.
Where this applies
- Part of Kānhōbā's extended-lament-cluster (2977-2997+)
- NON-Tukārām composition — signed by Tukyā-bandhu
- Direct reference to Tukārām's own abhang 2849 (blind-man's-stick)
- Striking would-have-cursed-Lord-to-death-if-I-had-the-power protest