Abhanga 4100
In chaotic times, people who refuse guidance and are swayed equally by praise and blame lose their footing, and only the divine truly understands why the world unfolds this way.
The verse
कलयुगामाजी थोर जालें बंड । नष्ट लोक लंड जाले फार ॥१॥
न धरिती सोय न पुसती कोणा । येतें जैसें मना तैसें चाले ॥ध्रु.॥
सज्जनाचा वारा टेकों नेदी द्वारा । ऐसिया पामरा तारी कोण ॥२॥
विश्वास तयाचा बैसेना कोठें ही । स्तुति निंदा पाहीं जीवीं धरी ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे कैसें केलें नारायणें । जाणावें हें कोणें तयाविण ॥४॥
Literal translation
Kali-yuga-thōra-baṇḍa — naṣṭa-laṇḍa-many. No-sōya-no-asking — mind-runs. Sajjana-vārā-doesn't-touch-door — who-saves-pāmara. No-viśvāsa-stuti-nindā-to-heart. Tukā: how-Nārāyaṇa-made — who-knows-without-him.
What it means
A 4-verse Kali-yuga social-criticism. In Kali-yuga, a great rebellion has arisen; many naṣṭa-people-and-rascals exist. They don't hold the right direction; they don't ask anyone. As it comes to mind, so they go. The wind of the sajjana doesn't even touch their door — who can save such pāmaras? Their trust doesn't settle anywhere; both stuti and nindā they take to heart. How has Nārāyaṇa made this — who can know without him? Pair with 2961 (canonical Kali-yuga prophecy), 3025 (Kānhōbā's 30-verse), 4012 (Kali-yuga prophecy with Tantric details).
For someone today
Tukaram describes a chaotic age where many people have lost any sense of direction, refuse to ask for guidance, and simply follow whatever crosses their mind. He notes that the presence of good, grounded people cannot even reach the doorstep of such restless minds, and that their trust never settles anywhere because they are equally swayed by praise and by criticism. He ends by saying only the divine truly understands why the world works this way, reminding us that when everyone seems unmoored, it takes real humility to admit we do not have all the answers.
मराठी: तुकाराम अशा एका गोंधळलेल्या काळाचे वर्णन करतात जिथे अनेक लोक दिशाहीन झाले आहेत, कोणाचाही सल्ला घ्यायला तयार नाहीत आणि मनात येईल तसे वागतात. ते म्हणतात की सज्जनांचा सहवासही अशा अस्वस्थ मनांच्या दारापर्यंत पोहोचू शकत नाही, आणि त्यांचा विश्वास कुठेच स्थिर होत नाही कारण स्तुती आणि निंदा दोन्हींचा त्यांच्यावर सारखाच परिणाम होतो. शेवटी ते म्हणतात की हे जग असे का चालते हे फक्त देवालाच खरे कळते, आणि यातून हा बोध मिळतो की सगळे अस्थिर वाटत असताना आपल्याला सर्व उत्तरे माहीत नाहीत हे मान्य करण्यातच खरी नम्रता आहे.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's Kali-yuga social-criticism canonical
- Pair with 2961, 3025, 4012 — Kali-yuga prophecy cluster