Abhanga 4068
Sacred practice like kirtana should never be monetized or used for self-honor, because true devotion means already having everything you need at God's feet, with nothing left to ask of others.
The verse
मोल घेऊनियां कथा जरी करीं । तरी भंगो हरी देह माझा ॥१॥
माझी कथा करा ऐसें म्हणें कोणा । तरी झडो जाणा जिव्हा माझी ॥ध्रु.॥
साहए तूं जालासी काय उणें तुपें । आणीक भूतांपें काय मागों ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे सर्व सिद्धी तुझे पायीं । तूं माझा गोसावी पांडुरंगा ॥३॥
Literal translation
If-money-for-kathā — let-deha-break. If-say-do-my-kathā — let-jihvā-fall. You-helper — what-deficit — no-asking-bhūtas. Tukā: all-siddhi-at-feet — you-my-gosāvī-Pāṇḍuranga.
What it means
THE most direct anti-monetized-kathā self-imprecation. If I take money for performing kathā — let Hari break my body. If I tell anyone do my kathā — let my tongue fall off. You are the helper — what deficit could there be — what need to ask creatures? All powers are at your feet; you are my gosāvī, Pāṇḍuranga. The double self-imprecation: (a) break my body if I take money for kathā; (b) let my tongue fall off if I claim my kathā should be performed (for my honor). Companion to 3074 (4-rule code anti-monetized-kīrtana), 4013 (anti-corrupt-hari-dāsa).
For someone today
Tukaram makes an extremely strong personal vow against ever turning storytelling of the divine into a paid transaction. He says if he ever takes money for performing katha, let his own body be broken as a consequence, and if he ever demands that others perform kirtana in his honor or for his benefit, let his tongue fall off. He explains why he can afford to be this uncompromising: God himself is his helper, so there's nothing he actually lacks, and no reason to beg favors from other creatures for status or gain. Because everything he needs is already at the feet of the divine, he has no use for turning sacred practice into a way to profit or self-promote.
मराठी: तुकाराम देवाच्या कथेला कधीही पैशाचा व्यवहार बनवू न देण्याची अत्यंत कडक शपथ घेतात. ते म्हणतात की जर कधी त्यांनी कथा सांगण्यासाठी पैसे घेतले, तर त्याचा परिणाम म्हणून त्यांचा देह तुटो, आणि जर कधी त्यांनी आपल्या मानासाठी किंवा फायद्यासाठी दुसऱ्यांना आपले कीर्तन करावे असे सांगितले, तर त्यांची जीभ गळून पडो. ते इतके ठाम का राहू शकतात हे स्पष्ट करतात: खुद्द देव त्यांचा साहाय्यकर्ता आहे, त्यामुळे त्यांना खरोखर काहीच कमी नाही, आणि मान किंवा फायद्यासाठी इतर प्राण्यांकडे याचना करण्याचे कारणच उरत नाही. त्यांना हवे ते सर्व आधीच देवाच्या पायाशी असल्यामुळे, पवित्र साधनेचा उपयोग नफा किंवा स्वतःच्या प्रसिद्धीसाठी करण्याची त्यांना गरजच वाटत नाही.
Where this applies
- When you're tempted to charge for something that should be given freely out of devotion or service
- When you find yourself seeking credit or honor for spiritual or generous acts you perform
- When you feel you need to beg or bargain with others for status instead of trusting you already have enough
- When you want to keep a sacred practice pure and free from turning into a business or a self-promotion tool