संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3390 of 4582

Abhanga 3390

The envious mind assumes everyone is as small as itself; the real escape from envy is not winning the argument but turning toward God.

When you feel a flicker of satisfaction at hearing a successful person has hit trouble.

When you find yourself assuming other people's motives are as petty as your own worst thoughts.

When a small-minded person criticizes you and you're tempted to waste your energy proving them wrong.

The verse

दुबळें सदैवा । म्हणे नागवेल केव्हां ॥१॥ आपणासारिखें त्या पाहे । स्वभावासी करिल काये ॥ध्रु.॥ मूढ सभे आंत । इच्छी पंडिताचा घात ॥२॥ गांढें देखुनि शूरा । उगें करितें बुरबुरा ॥३॥ आणिकांचा हेवा । न करीं शरण जाई देवा ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे किती । करूं दुष्टाची फजिती ॥५॥

Literal translation

Envious-dubaḷa says about-sadaiva — when-stripped. Sees-others-as-like-himself — what-can-svabhāva-do. Mūḍha-in-sabhā desires-paṇḍita's-ghāta. Brave-seeing-coward makes-low-buraburā. Don't-envy-others — go-Deva-refuge. Tukā: how-much shame-the-duṣṭa.

What it means

A sharp 5-verse anti-envy polemic. The envious-weakling waits for the blessed to be ruined; he sees everyone as small like himself; a fool in an assembly wishes the paṇḍita's ghāta — but the brave one just murmurs at the coward. Don't envy — take refuge in Deva.

For someone today

Tukaram names a specific kind of ugly feeling: the person who is struggling waits, almost hoping, for someone blessed to fall. A weak or envious mind cannot imagine that others are simply different or better off, so it assumes everyone is petty like itself, and a fool sitting among wise people quietly wishes for the wise one's ruin. Tukaram's answer is not to fight envy with more words. Let go of comparing yourself to others, and turn instead toward God for shelter, because that is the only place envy loses its grip.

मराठी: तुकाराम इथे एक विशिष्ट कुरूप भावना ओळखतात, जो माणूस स्वतः अडचणीत आहे तो नशीबवान माणसाच्या पडण्याची वाट पाहतो. दुर्बळ किंवा असूयायुक्त मन इतरांना वेगळे किंवा चांगले आहेत हे मान्य करू शकत नाही, म्हणून तो सर्वांना स्वतःसारखेच क्षुद्र समजतो, आणि विद्वानांमध्ये बसलेला मूर्ख गुपचूप त्या विद्वानाच्या नाशाची इच्छा करतो. तुकारामांचे उत्तर शब्दांनी असूया लढवण्याचे नाही. तुलना सोडून द्या आणि देवाच्या आश्रयाला जा, कारण तिथेच असूयेची पकड सुटते.

Where this applies

When you notice yourself quietly hoping a rival's good luck will run out
When someone else's success makes you feel smaller instead of happy for them
When you catch a colleague or friend badmouthing someone more accomplished than them
When you feel the urge to argue with a small-minded critic instead of just walking away