संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3301 of 4582

Abhanga 3301

Tukaram shows that stale worldly attachment eventually loses its appeal, and sincere, long devotion is met with something genuinely fresh in return.

When something you once accepted without question starts to feel stale and you want better.

When you finally speak up and ask for real nourishment instead of settling for leftovers.

When you notice, after years of faithfulness, that your old pull toward distraction has finally eased.

The verse

सिळे खातां आला वीट । सुनें धीट पावि धरी ॥१॥ कान्होबा ते जाणे खूण । उन उन घास घाली ॥ध्रु.॥ आपुलिये ठायींचे घ्यावें । लाड भावें पाळावा ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे मी जुनाट । मोहो आट परतला ॥३॥

Literal translation

Stale-food makes-viṭa; sune-dhīṭa-holds-pāvi. Kānhōbā-knows-mark, gives-hot-hot-grāsa. Take-from-own-place; cherish-laḍa-bhāva. Tukā: I-am-junāṭa; mōha-yoke-turned-back.

What it means

The closing of the 4-abhang sune-cluster. The faithful-dog (Tukārām) gets-revulsion-from-stale-(samsāra)-food; Kānhōbā-(Krṣṇa)-knows-this-mark and-feeds-(him)-hot-fresh-(bhakti)-grain.

For someone today

Tukaram closes the watchdog image with a scene of an old, faithful dog who has grown sick of stale food and boldly holds out its paw, asking for something better. Krishna recognizes this sign and feeds the dog a warm, fresh morsel instead. The point is that even long, habitual attachment to the ordinary world can eventually turn stale and lose its appeal, and when you turn toward the divine with real feeling, cherishing that bond like a loved one, you are met with something genuinely fresh. Tukaram ends by calling himself old and faithful, saying his pull toward delusion has finally turned back and withdrawn.

मराठी: तुकाराम या पाळलेल्या कुत्र्याच्या रूपकाची सांगता करताना एका जुन्या, इमानी कुत्र्याचे चित्र रंगवतात, जो शिळ्या अन्नाला कंटाळून धीटपणे आपला पंजा पुढे करतो आणि काहीतरी चांगले मागतो. कान्होबा हे लक्षण ओळखतो आणि त्या कुत्र्याला गरम, ताजा घास भरवतो. याचा अर्थ असा की संसारातील नेहमीच्या आसक्तीचाही कालांतराने कंटाळा येऊ शकतो, आणि जेव्हा तुम्ही खऱ्या भावाने देवाकडे वळता, त्या नात्याला प्रिय व्यक्तीसारखे जपता, तेव्हा तुम्हाला खरोखर ताजे काहीतरी मिळते. तुकाराम शेवटी स्वतःला जुना आणि इमानी म्हणतात आणि सांगतात की त्यांची मोहाकडे ओढ आता अखेर मागे वळली आहे, सुटली आहे.

Where this applies

When something you used to find satisfying, like an old habit or routine attachment, has started to feel stale and empty
When you finally ask, boldly, for something more meaningful instead of settling for what is familiar but unsatisfying
When you notice that being sincere and faithful over a long time is finally met with real care in return
When you sense an old pull toward distraction or illusion loosening its grip after years of steady devotion