संत साहित्य
Work in progress. Translations and commentary are AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies or hallucinations — please use your own judgement and check against the original sources.
संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4273 of 4582

Abhanga 4273

The verse

पर्वकाळीं धर्म न करी नासरी । खर्ची राजद्वारीं द्रव्यरासी ॥१॥ सोइर्‍याची करी पाहुणेर बरा । कांडवी ठोंबरा संतांलागीं ॥ध्रु.॥ बाइलेचीं सर्व आवडीनें पोसी । मातापितरांसी दवडोनी ॥२॥ श्राद्धीं कष्टी होय सांगतां ब्राम्हण । गोवार मागून सावडीतो ॥३॥ नेतो पानें फुलें वेश्येला उदंड । ब्राम्हणासी खांड नेदी एक ॥४॥ हातें मोर्‍या शोधी कष्ट करी नाना । देवाच्या पूजना कांटाळतो ॥५॥ सारा वेळ धंदा करितां श्रमेना । साधूच्या दर्शना जातां कुंथे ॥६॥ हरिच्या कीर्तनीं गुंगायासि लागे । येरवीं तो जागे उगला चि ॥७॥ पुराणीं बैसतां नाहीं रिकामटी । खेळतो सोंगटी अहोरात्रीं ॥८॥ देवाच्या विभुती न पाहे सर्वथा । करी पानवथा नेत्रभिक्षा ॥९॥ गाईंला देखोनी बदबदां मारी । घोड्याची चाकरी गोड लागे ॥१०॥ ब्राम्हणाचें तीर्थ घेतां त्रास मोटा । प्रेमें घेतो घोंटा घटघटां ॥११॥ तुका म्हणे ऐसे प्रपंचीं गुंतले । जन्मोनि मुकले विठोबासी ॥१२॥

Literal translation

No-dharma-parva-kāḷa — dhana-at-rāja-dvāra. Sōiyā-pāhuṇēra-good — ṭhōmbarā-to-santas. Wife-supports — kicks-out-parents. Bothered-by-brāhmaṇa-in-śrāddha — calls-gōvāra. Pānē-phulē-to-vēśyā — not-a-piece-to-brāhmaṇa. Cleans-drain — bored-by-deva-pūjā. Day-work-no-tire — groans-at-sant-darshan. Sleeps-in-Hari-kīrtana — awake-otherwise. No-rikāmā-for-purāṇa — dice-day-night. No-deva-vibhūti — pānavathā-nētra-bhikṣā. Beats-cow — horse-service-sweet. Bothered-brāhmaṇa-tīrtha — drinks-alcohol-with-prema. Tukā: bound-in-prapancha — lost-Viṭhōbā.

What it means

★★ THE canonical 12-verse anti-hypocrisy-householder mis-prioritization diagnostic — among the longest in the Gathā. 12 paired-contrasts of misallocated-effort: (1) skips holy-day-dharma but wastes money at king's-court; (2) hospitality-for-in-laws / millet-to-santas; (3) supports wife's side / kicks out parents; (4) brāhmaṇa-troubles in śrāddha / calls cowherds afterward; (5) heaps of betel-flowers for vēśyā / not a piece for brāhmaṇa; (6) hand-cleans-drains / bored by deva-pūjā; (7) all-day-work no-tire / groans at sant-darshan; (8) sleeps in kīrtana / awake everywhere else; (9) no leisure for purāṇa / dice day-and-night; (10) doesn't see deva-vibhūti / eye-begs at woman-place; (11) beats cow / loves horse-service; (12) bothered by brāhmaṇa-tīrtha (water-of-sacred-feet) / gulps alcohol with prema. Verdict: bound-in-prapancha, having-been-born he has lost-himself-from-Viṭhōbā. Pair with 3052-3057 (4-abhang anti-distorted-priorities cluster), 4201 (outer-show-vs-inner anti-hypocrisy).

For someone today

Tukārām: if-your-time-energy-and-affection-go-to-everything-except-Deva-and-santas — you-have-lost-yourself-having-been-born.

Where this applies

Related verses