Abhanga 4203
A life spent chasing wealth while devotion is left for later is essentially wasted, and honest words that expose guilt are not attacks, they simply reveal what was already there.
The verse
भाग्यालागी लांचावले । देवधर्म ते राहिले ॥१॥
कथे जातां अळसे मन । प्रपंचाचें मोटें ज्ञान ॥ध्रु.॥
अखंडप्रीति जाया । नेणे भजनाच्या ठाया ॥२॥
कथाकीर्तन धनाचें । सर्वकाळ विषयीं नाचे ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे पंढरिराया । ऐसे जन्मविले वांयां॥४॥
पतिव्रतेची कीर्ती वाखाणितां । सिंदळईंच्या माथां तिडिक उठे ॥२॥
आमुचें तें आहे सहज बोलणें । नाहीं विचारून केलें कोणीं ॥ध्रु.॥
अंगें उणें त्याच्या बैसे टाळक्यांत । तेणें ठिणग्या बहुत गाळीतसे ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आम्ही काय करणें त्यासी । ढका खवंदासी लागतसे ॥३॥
Literal translation
Bhāgya-greedy — deva-dharma-stays-behind. Lazy-in-kathā — prapancha-knowledge-great. Akhaṇḍa-prīti-for-jāyā — doesn't-know-bhajana-ṭhāya. Kathā-kīrtana-of-dhana — sarva-kāḷa-viṣaya-dances. Tukā: Paṇḍharī-rāyā — such-born-in-vain. (b) Pativratā-praised — sindhaḷī's-forehead-burns. Our-talk-sahaja — no-one-arranged. Defective-anga-strikes-in-skull — sparks-fly. Tukā: what-can-we-do — blow-falls-on-Master.
What it means
A paired-double abhang. (a) 5-verse anti-bhāgya-greedy: Greedy for fortune, their deva-dharma stays behind. In kathā the mind is lazy; prapancha-knowledge is large. Their unbroken-love is for the wife; they don't know the place of bhajana. Their kathā-kīrtana is of wealth; all the time they dance in pleasures. Paṇḍharī-rāyā — such are born in vain. (b) 3-verse sindhaḷī-burns reflection: When the kīrti of the faithful-wife is praised, the unchaste-woman's forehead burns (with shame-jealousy). Our talk is natural — no one arranged it by deliberation. The one with defect — it strikes into his skull — many sparks fly. What can we do — the blow falls on the Master. The two verses connect: (a) diagnoses-the-falsely-pious; (b) defends-Tukārām-against-their-anger by pointing out — our-talk-is-natural; if-the-shoe-fits, it-fits — but-the-blow-actually-falls-on-the-Lord-who-makes-us-speak. Pair with 2940 (sāḷunkī Lord-speaks-through-me).
For someone today
Tukaram describes people who chase wealth and status while letting devotion slide to the back burner: bored and restless during spiritual gatherings, yet sharp and energetic when it comes to worldly business, loyal to their family but never learning where to actually pray. Such a life, he says, is essentially wasted, since it revolves around money and pleasure and never turns toward what actually matters. He then adds a sharp defense of plain speech: when a faithful woman is praised, it is the unfaithful one whose head burns with shame, and that reaction is not Tukaram's doing. His words are simply natural and honest, not aimed at anyone in particular, so if the truth stings someone, that says something about them, and any reckoning for what gets exposed belongs to God who puts the words in his mouth, not to Tukaram himself.
मराठी: तुकाराम अशा माणसांचं वर्णन करतात जे संपत्ती आणि प्रतिष्ठेच्या मागे धावतात आणि भक्ती मात्र दुय्यम ठरवतात. कथा-कीर्तनात त्यांचं मन आळशी आणि अस्वस्थ असतं, पण संसाराच्या व्यवहारात मात्र ते चपळ आणि हुशार असतात. कुटुंबावर त्यांचं अतूट प्रेम असतं, पण भजनाची जागाच त्यांना माहीत नसते. असं आयुष्य, तुकाराम म्हणतात, व्यर्थ जन्माला आल्यासारखं आहे, कारण ते पैसा आणि सुखोपभोगाभोवतीच फिरत राहतं, खऱ्या गोष्टीकडे कधीच वळत नाही. पुढे ते आपल्या स्पष्टवक्तेपणाचं समर्थनही करतात — पतिव्रतेची स्तुती ऐकली की व्यभिचारिणीचं डोकं तळपायाची आग मस्तकात जाते तसं तळमळतं, यात तुकारामांचा काहीच हात नाही. त्यांचे शब्द सहज आणि प्रामाणिक असतात, कोणाला लक्ष्य करून बोललेले नसतात; सत्य टोचलं तर ते ऐकणाऱ्याच्या मनातलं काहीतरी दाखवतं, आणि त्यातून जे उघड होतं त्याचा हिशोब देवाकडे आहे, तुकारामांकडे नाही, कारण देवच त्यांच्या तोंडून बोलवत असतो.
Where this applies
- When you notice you are alert and diligent about money but distracted and bored during prayer or quiet reflection
- When your devotion to family or possessions has quietly replaced your devotion to anything higher
- When honest words about right and wrong unsettle you more than they should, and you wonder why
- When you speak a plain truth and someone reacts defensively, as if you had attacked them personally