संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3943 of 4582

Abhanga 3943

Akhaṇḍa samta nimdī — constantly blames sants; aisī durjanāñcī buddhi — such is durjana's buddhi.

Tukārām's anti-durjana polemic
Scorpion-stinger-on-every-side canonical-image

The verse

अखंड संत निंदी । ऐसी दुर्जनाची बुद्धि ॥१॥ काय म्हणावें तयासी । तो केवळ पापरासि ॥ध्रु.॥ जो स्मरे रामराम । तयासी म्हणावें रिकामें ॥२॥ जो तीर्थव्रत करी । तयासी म्हणावें भिकारी ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे विंच्वाची नांगी । तैसा दुर्जन सर्वांगीं ॥४॥

Literal translation

Akhaṇḍa samta nimdīconstantly blames sants; aisī durjanāñcī buddhisuch is durjana's buddhi. Kāya mhaṇāve tayāsīwhat to say to him; tō kevaḷa pāparāsihe is purely pāparāsi. Jō smare Rāma-Rāmaone who remembers Rāma-Rāma; tayāsī mhaṇāve rikāmehe calls (him) idle. Jō tīrtha-vrata karīone who performs tīrtha-vrata; tayāsī mhaṇāve bhikārīhe calls (him) beggar. Tukā mhaṇe vimchvāñcī nāngīTukā says: scorpion's stinger; taisā durjana sarvāngīmso is the durjana on every side.

What it means

A 4-verse anti-durjana polemic by Tukārām.

The diagnostic of durjana: constantly-blames-sants; calls-Rāma-rememberer-idle; calls-tīrtha-doer-beggar. Image: scorpion-stinger-on-every-side — durjana's mouth stings whichever direction it turns.

For someone today

Tukārām's anti-durjana polemic. He constantly blames the sants — such is the durjana's mind. What is to be said to him? — he is purely a heap-of-sin. One who remembers Rāma-Rāma — he calls (such-a-one) idle. One who performs tīrtha-vrata — he calls (him) beggar. Like a scorpion's stinger — so is the durjana on every side. The verse permits the diagnostic of durjana-as-scorpion-stinger-on-every-side.

Where this applies