Abhanga 3053
Tukārām's anti-distorted-priorities continuation. (He) embraces (his) wife chest-to-chest — but on meeting a sant, (he) hides (his) body. Seeing a renunciate, (he) becomes back-turned; (but he) runs quickly to meet (his) father-in-law. In namaskāra to a dvija — what bhāva is in (his) mind? — (he would rather be) the son of Tukā's dāsī. Do not take anger — what (can one) do with svabhāva? The verse permits the diagnostic of bhāva-distortions and the recognition that svabhāva resists-instruction.
The verse
उरा लावी उर आळंगितां कांता । संतासी भेटतां अंग चोरी ॥१॥
अतीत देखोनि होय पाठमोरा । व्याह्यासी सामोरा जाय वेगीं ॥ध्रु.॥
द्विजा नमस्कारा मनीं भाव कैचा । तुकाऩचे दासीचा लेंक होय ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे तुम्ही क्रोधासी न यावें । स्वभावा करावें काय कोणीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
Urā lāvī ura āḷangitā kāntā — (he) places chest-to-chest in embracing the wife; samtāṣī bheṭatām anga chōri — but on meeting a sant — (he) hides (his) body. Atīta dekhōnī hōya pāṭhamōrā — seeing an atīta, (he) becomes back-turned; vyāhyāṣī sāmōrā jāya vegīm — (he) runs quickly to meet the vyāhī. Dvijā namaskārā manīm bhāva kaichā — in namaskāra to a dvija — what bhāva (is) in mind; tukāñce dāsīñcā lenka hōya — (he would be rather) the son of Tukā's dāsī. Tukā mhaṇe tumhī krōdhāṣī na yāve — Tukā says: don't take krōdha; svabhāvā karāve kāya kōṇīm — what (can one) do with (one's) svabhāva.
What it means
A continuation-of-the-anti-distorted-priorities cluster by Tukārām.
The 3 specific bhāva-distortions: 1. Embraces-wife chest-to-chest / hides-body-when-meeting-sant — opposite-bhāvas 2. Sees-atīta (renunciate)-becomes-back-turned / runs-eagerly-to-vyāhī — turning-from-spiritual-to-mundane 3. No-bhāva-in-dvija-namaskāra / would-be-son-of-Tukā's-dāsī — empty-formality vs willing-low-service
The closing-line is striking: don't-take-anger; what-can-one-do-with-svabhāva (nature). Tukārām presents-himself-as resigned-and-observing — not-trying-to-reform-by-force; recognizing-that-svabhāva-is-resistant-to-instruction.
The phrase Tukā's-dāsī's-son (tukāñce dāsīñcā lenka) is unusual — it appears-to-mean (this hypocrite) would-rather-be-low-status-as-Tukā's-dāsī's-son (= bhakta-community-low-place) than-honor-the-dvija sincerely. The exact reading is uncertain but-the-thrust is empty-formality vs willing-low-bhakti-station.
For someone today
Tukārām's anti-distorted-priorities continuation. (He) embraces (his) wife chest-to-chest — but on meeting a sant, (he) hides (his) body. Seeing a renunciate, (he) becomes back-turned; (but he) runs quickly to meet (his) father-in-law. In namaskāra to a dvija — what bhāva is in (his) mind? — (he would rather be) the son of Tukā's dāsī. Do not take anger — what (can one) do with svabhāva? The verse permits the diagnostic of bhāva-distortions and the recognition that svabhāva resists-instruction.
Where this applies
- ★ Anti-distorted-priorities cluster (with 3052/3056/3057)
- Specific bhāva-distortion-observations
- Svabhāvā-karāve-kāya-kōṇīm — observer-resignation