Abhanga 3892
Someone who spends freely on entertainment and pleasure but begrudges basic charity to genuine renunciates reveals misplaced priorities that Tukaram says lead only to suffering.
The verse
पापिया चांडाळा हरिकथा नावडे । विषयालागीं आवडें गाणें त्याला ॥१॥
ब्राम्हणा दक्षणा देतां रडे रुका । विषयालागीं फुका लुटीतसे ॥ध्रु.॥
वीतभरि लंगोटी नेदी अतीताला । खीरम्या देतो शाला भोरप्यासी ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे त्याच्या थुंका तोंडावरि । जातो यमपुरी भोगावया ॥३॥
Literal translation
Pāpī-chāṇḍāḷa — Hari-kathā-nāvaḍē — viṣaya-song-āvaḍē. Brāhmaṇa-dakṣiṇā — cries-over-rukā — loots-freely-for-viṣaya. No-langōṭī-to-atīta — gives-khīrmā-śāla-to-bhōrapyā. Tukā: spit-on-his-face — Yamapurī-bhōgāvayā.
What it means
A 3-verse specific-contrast anti-distorted-priorities polemic. The wicked-chāṇḍāḷa doesn't like Hari-kathā — he likes songs of sense-pleasures. To give a brāhmaṇa his dakṣiṇā he cries over a small coin — but for sense-pleasures, he loots his money freely. He won't give even a one-span-wide loincloth to a true renunciate — but gives a fine warm shawl to a juggler-impostor. Spit on his face — he goes to Yamapurī to suffer. Pair with 3741 (clap-for-vulgar-jokes-but-shame-at-Hari-tāḷī), 3816 (anti-hypocrite-householder 6-verse), 3052/3053/3056/3057 (anti-distorted-priorities cluster).
For someone today
Tukaram calls out a specific kind of hypocrisy: someone who has no interest in genuine spiritual teaching or devotional stories but happily indulges in songs and entertainment centered on sensual pleasure. This same person complains bitterly over a tiny coin when asked to give a priest a proper offering, yet spends money freely and without hesitation on his own indulgences. He won't spare even a small loincloth for a genuine renunciate in need, but hands a fine, warm shawl to a flashy performer or impostor. Tukaram is blunt about this misplaced generosity: it reveals someone's real priorities, and it earns him nothing but suffering.
मराठी: तुकाराम एका विशिष्ट प्रकारच्या ढोंगीपणावर बोट ठेवतात: ज्याला हरिकथेत किंवा खऱ्या अध्यात्मिक गोष्टीत रस नाही, पण विषयसुखाची गाणी मात्र आवडतात असा माणूस. हाच माणूस ब्राम्हणाला दक्षिणा देताना छोट्या नाण्यासाठी रडतो, पण स्वतःच्या चैनीसाठी बिनदिक्कत पैसे उधळतो. एका खऱ्या अतीताला वीतभर लंगोटीही देत नाही, पण एखाद्या भोंदू भोरप्याला मात्र मौल्यवान शाल देतो. तुकाराम याबद्दल स्पष्ट बोलतात: ही चुकीची उदारता माणसाची खरी प्राथमिकता उघड करते, आणि तिचा परिणाम फक्त दुःखच असतो.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's anti-distorted-priorities canonical
- Pair with 3741, 3816, 3052-3057 — full anti-hypocrite-householder cluster