Abhanga 3392
Tukārām's CANONICAL warning: bad-company shatters-diamond-quality in just-one-moment; choose-satsanga.
The verse
ढेंकणाचे संगें हिरा जो भंगला । कुसंगें नाडला तैसा साधु ॥१॥
ओढाळाच्या संगें सात्विक नासलीं । क्षण एक नाडलीं समागमें ॥ध्रु.॥
डांकाचे संगती सोनें हीन जालें । मोल तें तुटलें लक्ष कोडी ॥२॥
विषानें पक्वान्नें गोड कडू जालीं । कुसंगानें केली तैसी परी ॥३॥
भावें तुका म्हणे सत्संग हा बरा । कुसंग हा फेरा चौर्याशीचा ॥४॥
Literal translation
Diamond-broken-by-ḍhēnkaṇa-company — so-sādhu-by-kusanga. Sātvika-corrupted-by-ōḍhāḷa-company — one-moment deceives. Gold-hīna-by-ḍānka-company — value-lakh-koṭi-lost. Sweet-pakvānna by-viṣa made-bitter — kusanga-makes-likewise. Bhāvē-Tukā: satsanga is-good — kusanga is-phēra of-chaurāśī.
What it means
★★ THE CANONICAL anti-kusanga abhang. Four concrete-craft-images of how good is destroyed by company: 1. Diamond shattered by smithy-anvil tool 2. Sātvika corrupted by ōḍhāḷa in just one moment 3. Gold loses lakh-times-crore value when alloyed with ḍānka-solder 4. Sweet-pakvānna becomes bitter by poison
★ The conclusion is canonical: satsanga is good; kusanga is the rebirth-cycle of 84-lakh yōnis. Most-anthologized warning against bad-company.
For someone today
Tukārām's CANONICAL warning: bad-company shatters-diamond-quality in just-one-moment; choose-satsanga.
Where this applies
- ★★ THE canonical anti-kusanga / pro-satsanga 5-verse
- 4 craft-images (diamond, sātvika, gold, sweet-pakvānna)
- Daily-quoted across Maharashtra
- Foundational Vārkarī text on company-discrimination