Abhanga 4246
Tukaram delivers a blunt warning against a man keeping a mistress, saying the consequences reach far beyond himself, all the way to his own ancestors, who end up standing at hell's door because of what he has done. He admits openly that saying this out loud pleases no one, people do not want to hear it, but he says it anyway. He urges careful reflection on a hard question, who actually stands by you at the very end of your life, when everything else falls away. His closing line is harsh and direct, warning that this path leads straight to the realm of Yama, the lord of death and judgment. The lesson is about facing an uncomfortable truth: choices that seem private and personal can carry consequences for your whole family line, and it is worth asking honestly who will truly be there for you when life ends.
The verse
दासीचा जो संग करी । त्याचे पूर्वज नर्का द्वारीं ॥१॥
ऐसे सांगों जातां जना । नये कोणाचिया मना ॥ध्रु.॥
बरें विचारूनी पाहें । तुज अंतीं कोण आहे ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे रांडलेंका । अंतीं जासिल यमलोका ॥३॥
Literal translation
Anti-dāsī-sanga — ancestors-at-naraka-door. Saying-pleases-no-one. Consider — who-is-yours-at-end. Tukā: rāṇḍa-lēmkā — yamaloka.
What it means
A 3-verse anti-dāsī-sanga text. He who keeps the company of a kept-woman — his ancestors stand at hell's door. When we say this to people, it pleases no one. Consider carefully — who is yours at the end? Tukā says: son-of-a-whore — you'll go to Yama-loka at the end. Sharp Deccan-period anti-prostitution polemic; the ancestors-at-naraka-door image carries weight by the Hindu pitr-soteriology (one's-sin damages-also-one's-pitrs). Pair with 2966-2967 (anti-bad-wife cluster), 4223 (rāṇḍa-made-donkey-of-husband).
For someone today
Tukaram delivers a blunt warning against a man keeping a mistress, saying the consequences reach far beyond himself, all the way to his own ancestors, who end up standing at hell's door because of what he has done. He admits openly that saying this out loud pleases no one, people do not want to hear it, but he says it anyway. He urges careful reflection on a hard question, who actually stands by you at the very end of your life, when everything else falls away. His closing line is harsh and direct, warning that this path leads straight to the realm of Yama, the lord of death and judgment. The lesson is about facing an uncomfortable truth: choices that seem private and personal can carry consequences for your whole family line, and it is worth asking honestly who will truly be there for you when life ends.
मराठी: तुकाराम एका माणसाने ठेवलेल्या उपपत्नीच्या नात्याविरुद्ध स्पष्ट इशारा देतात, आणि सांगतात की याचे परिणाम त्याच्यापुरतेच मर्यादित न राहता त्याच्या पूर्वजांपर्यंत पोहोचतात, जे त्याच्या या कृत्यामुळे नरकाच्या दारात उभे राहतात. ते उघडपणे कबूल करतात की हे बोलणे कोणालाच आवडत नाही, लोकांना हे ऐकायचे नसते, तरीही ते हे सांगतात. ते एका कठीण प्रश्नावर काळजीपूर्वक विचार करण्याचा आग्रह करतात - आयुष्याच्या शेवटी, जेव्हा बाकी सगळे गळून पडते, तेव्हा खरोखर तुमच्याजवळ कोण उभे राहते? त्यांची शेवटची ओळ कठोर आणि थेट आहे, हा मार्ग सरळ यमलोकाकडे नेतो असा इशारा ते देतात. वैयक्तिक आणि खाजगी वाटणाऱ्या निवडींचे परिणाम संपूर्ण कुटुंबावर पडू शकतात हे अस्वस्थ करणारे सत्य स्वीकारणे, आणि आयुष्याच्या शेवटी खरोखर कोण तुमच्यासोबत असेल हा प्रामाणिक प्रश्न स्वतःला विचारणे हाच यातील बोध आहे.
Where this applies
- When you are tempted to hide a relationship you know will hurt your family if it comes to light
- When you avoid an uncomfortable truth because you know no one wants to hear it
- When you assume a personal choice only affects you and no one else
- When you find yourself wondering who will truly stand by you at the end of your life