Abhanga 4074
Do not abandon the love and joy already present in good company just to chase a distant, abstract prize like final liberation.
The verse
कासया व्हावें जीतांचि मुक्त । सांडुनियां थीतें प्रेमसुख ॥१॥
वैष्णवांचा दास जाला नारायण । काय त्या मिळोन असे काम ॥ध्रु.॥
काय त्या गांठीचें पडलें सुटोन । उगला चि बैसोन धीरु धरीं ॥२॥
सुख आम्हांसाटीं केलें हें निर्माण । निर्दैव तो कोण हाणे लाता ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे मज न लगे सायोज्यता । राहेन या संतां समागमें ॥४॥
Literal translation
What-need-jīvanmukti — leaving-thita-prema-sukha. Nārāyaṇa-became-vaiṣṇavas-dās — what-else-work. What-gāṇṭhī-suṭōna — sit-ugalā-dhīra. Sukha-made-for-us — who-nirdaiva-kicks. Tukā: don't-need-sāyōjyatā — stay-santas-samāgama.
What it means
A 4-verse mukti-refusal text. What need to become jīvanmukta — abandoning the already-present prema-sukha? Nārāyaṇa himself has become the servant of the Vaiṣṇavas — what other work to seek? What knot is untied (by mukti)? — sit plain and hold patience. The Lord has made this joy for us — who is the unfortunate one who would kick it away? I don't need sāyōjya — I'll stay in the company of these santas. Companion to 2807, 3807, 3917 — the mukti-refusal-cluster, all articulating don't-want-mukti-stay-with-santa-sanga.
For someone today
Tukaram asks why anyone would chase final liberation if it means giving up the love and joy already present right now. Even God has made himself the servant of his devotees, so there is nothing higher to seek beyond that companionship. This joy was made for us to keep, and only an unlucky person would kick it away chasing something more abstract. Tukaram would rather stay in the company of good people than gain some distant spiritual prize.
मराठी: तुकाराम विचारतात की जेव्हा प्रेम आणि आनंद आधीच इथे आहे, तेव्हा अंतिम मुक्तीच्या मागे का लागावे? देवसुद्धा आपल्या भक्तांचा सेवक बनला आहे, त्यामुळे त्या सहवासापलीकडे शोधण्यासारखे काही उरत नाही. हा आनंद आपल्यासाठीच निर्माण केलेला आहे, आणि दुर्दैवी माणूसच तो लाथाडून दूरच्या कोणत्यातरी अमूर्त गोष्टीच्या मागे धावेल. तुकारामांना दूरचे कोणतेतरी बक्षीस मिळवण्यापेक्षा चांगल्या माणसांच्या सहवासात राहणे अधिक प्रिय आहे.
Where this applies
- When you keep chasing some future spiritual or personal achievement while ignoring the love already around you
- When you feel love and closeness from people but dismiss it as not enough compared to some grander goal
- When you are tempted to leave good company behind in pursuit of status or a bigger prize
- When you need reassurance that ordinary daily joy with people you trust is already enough