Abhanga 4122
Even the most impressive family connections and background are worthless if you never recognize and act on your own true welfare.
The verse
समुद्र हा पिता बंधु हा चंद्रमा । भगिनी ते रमा शंखाची या ॥१॥
मेहुणा जयाचा द्वारकेचा हरि । शंख दारोदारीं भीक मागे ॥२॥
दुष्ट हें जाणावें आपुलें स्वहित । तुका म्हणे मात ऐसी आहे ॥३॥
Literal translation
Samudra-father-Chandra-brother-Ramā-sister-of-Śankha. Brother-in-law-Dvārakē-Hari — Śankha-begs-door-to-door. Tukā: duṣṭa-know-own-svahita — this-the-mata.
What it means
A 3-verse Śankha-paradox. The ocean is his father; the moon is his brother; Lakṣmī is his sister — of this conch. His brother-in-law is Dvārakā's Hari. And yet the śankha goes door-to-door begging. Even the defective-self must know its own welfare — this is the situation. The conch is born from the ocean (the samudra-manthana); the moon is also a son of the ocean (kindred); Lakṣmī also from the ocean; Viṣṇu/Krṣṇa (her husband) is then a brother-in-law. Yet the śankha is blown door-to-door as a beggar's instrument (the Jangama's call, the household-pūjā-conch). The paradox: divine-relatives-but-beggar's-life. The moral: even one with great-relations may be in great-poverty unless he knows his svahita.
For someone today
Tukaram describes the conch shell's astonishing family tree: the ocean is its father, the moon its brother, Lakshmi its sister, and Krishna its brother-in-law. Yet despite these divine relations, the conch spends its days being blown from door to door like a beggar's instrument. The lesson is blunt: grand connections and an impressive background count for nothing if you never act on your own real welfare. You can be surrounded by advantage and still live like a beggar if you fail to recognize and use what is actually good for you.
मराठी: तुकाराम शंखाची विलक्षण नातेवाईकी सांगतात: समुद्र त्याचा पिता, चंद्र त्याचा भाऊ, लक्ष्मी त्याची बहीण आणि कृष्ण त्याचा मेहुणा. इतकी दैवी नाती असूनही शंख मात्र दारोदार भीक मागत फिरतो. यातून धडा स्पष्ट आहे: मोठे नातेसंबंध आणि उच्च कुळ असूनही आपले खरे हित ओळखून त्यानुसार वागले नाही, तर काहीही उपयोग होत नाही. सगळ्या सोयी-सुविधा जवळ असूनही स्वतःचे हित न ओळखल्यास माणूस भिकाऱ्यासारखेच जगतो.
Where this applies
- When someone boasts about famous relatives or connections but does nothing to actually improve their own situation
- When you lean on your reputation or background instead of taking real steps for your own wellbeing
- When you feel stuck or needy despite having advantages that others would envy
- When you see someone with access to everything who still lives as if they have nothing