Abhanga 3074
Tukārām's anti-monetized-kīrtana ethics. Where kīrtana is done — do not partake of anna there. Do not apply bukā on the forehead; do not take a mālā on the neck. (Don't become) like a village-bull asking for grain or for grass — know this. Those who take money — and those who give — they both go to naraka. The verse permits the strict-canonical-rule against-monetizing-kīrtana from-either-side.
The verse
जेथें कीर्तन करावें । तेथें अन्न न सेवावें ॥१॥
बुका लावूं नये भाळा । माळ घालूं नये गळां ॥ध्रु.॥
तटावृषभासी दाणा । तृण मागों नये जाणा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे द्रव्य घेती । देती ते ही नरका जाती ॥३॥
Literal translation
Jethe kīrtana karāve — where kīrtana is done; tethe anna na sevāve — do not partake of anna there. Bukā lāvūm naye bhāḷā — don't apply bukā on forehead; māḷa ghālūm naye gaḷām — don't take a māḷa on neck. Taṭā-vrṣabhāsī dāṇā — like a taṭa-vrṣabha asking for dāṇā; trṇa māgōm naye jāṇā — don't ask for trṇa, know. Tukā mhaṇe dravya ghetī — Tukā says: those who take dravya; detī te hī narakā jātī — and those who give — they both go to naraka.
What it means
★ A canonical 3-verse strict anti-monetized-kīrtana ethics by Tukārām.
The 4 rules: 1. Don't-eat-anna where-kīrtana-is-done (no-meal-at-kīrtana-host's-house) 2. Don't-apply-bukā on-forehead (no-ritual-decoration-as-fee-marker) 3. Don't-take-mālā on-neck (no-honor-garland) 4. Don't-be-like-taṭa-vrṣabha (free-roaming-village-bull) asking-for-grain-or-grass
★ Closing: both-takers-and-givers-go-to-naraka — the strict-rule is mutual. The taṭa-vrṣabha image is striking: a vrṣabha (bull) released-as-sacred to-roam-the-village-and-eat-from-anywhere becomes-the-image-of-the-mercenary-kīrtana-singer who-eats-and-takes-from-anyone.
This is the foundational-anti-monetized-religion-ethics in-Tukārām. Pairs-with-3055 (anti-Gāyatrī-sellers, daughter-sellers, Name-beggars), 3070 (anti-vrata-for-worldly-gains).
For someone today
Tukārām's anti-monetized-kīrtana ethics. Where kīrtana is done — do not partake of anna there. Do not apply bukā on the forehead; do not take a mālā on the neck. (Don't become) like a village-bull asking for grain or for grass — know this. Those who take money — and those who give — they both go to naraka. The verse permits the strict-canonical-rule against-monetizing-kīrtana from-either-side.
Where this applies
- ★ Canonical strict anti-monetized-kīrtana ethics
- Both-takers-and-givers-go-to-naraka sharp-closing
- Taṭa-vrṣabha-image — mercenary-singer
- Companion to 3055, 3070