Abhanga 4178
Child-latched-on — holds-temple-path.
The verse
पोरा लागलीसे चट । धरी वाट देवळाची ॥१॥
सांगितलें नेघे कानीं । दुजें मनी विठ्ठल ॥ध्रु.॥
काम घरीं न करी धंदा । येथें सदा दुश्चित्त ॥२॥
आमुचे कुळीं नव्हतें ऐसें । हें चि पिसें निवडलें ॥३॥
लौकिकाची नाहीं लाज । माझें मज पारिखें ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे नरका जाणें । त्या वचनें दुष्टाचीं ॥५॥
Literal translation
Child-latched-on — holds-temple-path. Doesn't-hear — Viṭṭhal-only-in-mana. No-house-work — always-duścitta. Not-in-our-kuḷa — this-pisē-singled-out. No-laukika-shame — own-strange-to-me. Tukā: hellward-go these-duṣṭa-vachana.
What it means
★ A 5-verse dramatized worldly-relative's-lament with sharp final-twist. The child has got latched on, holds the path to the temple. Doesn't listen to what's said — only Viṭṭhal in his mind. Doesn't work or do business at home, always unsettled here. This wasn't in our lineage — this madness has come singled-out. He has no shame of public-opinion; my own has become strange to me. Tukā says: those very evil-words go to hell. The first 5 verses are voiced AS the worldly-relative complaining about the bhakta-child; the closing Tukā mhaṇe delivers the verdict — those evil-words go to hell. A rare dramatic-monologue form. Could be reflecting Tukārām's own family-experience or generic householder's lament.
For someone today
Tukārām: the-worldly-relatives'-lament-about-bhakta-children-(temple-mad/won't-work/no-shame/strange) — those-very-words-go-to-hell.
Where this applies
- ★ Tukārām's worldly-relative's-lament with-twist-at-end canonical defense-of-bhakta-pisē