संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3412 of 4582

Abhanga 3412

Companions-leaving — what-niścintī.

The verse

चालिले सोबती । काय मानिली निश्चिती ॥१॥ काय करिसी एकला । काळ सन्निध पातला ॥ध्रु.॥ कांहीं सावध तो बरवा । करीं आपुला काढावा ॥२॥ चालिले अगळे । हळू च कान केश डोळे ॥३॥ वोसरले दांत । दाढा गडबडल्या आंत ॥४॥ एकली तळमळ । जिव्हा भलते ठायीं लोळे ॥५॥ तुका म्हणे यांणीं । तुझी मांडिली घालणी ॥६॥

Literal translation

Companions-leaving — what-niścintī. What-alone — Kāḷa-close. Be-sāvadha — pull-yourself-out. Ears-hair-eyes-recede-slowly. Teeth-fallen — molars-rattle-inside. Lone-restlessness — tongue-rolls-anywhere. Tukā: with-these — your-downfall-laid.

What it means

★ A striking 6-verse aging-body mortality text. The sōbatī (companions = ears/eyes/teeth/tongue) are leaving you piece-by-piece; Kāḷa is at the door; the very body has laid out your downfall. Companion to the 3-stage-of-life cluster at 3071-3073 (childhood-youth-old-age).

For someone today

Tukārām: the-body-parts-are-leaving-one-by-one; pull-yourself-out-now.

Where this applies

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