Abhanga 4429
Tukārām warns that whoever you keep company with starts to shape you into their likeness, so he says he flees far away from company that would pull him off course. A greedy person, he notes, will draw you into greed too, tying you up in knots you can't easily escape. For himself, he says, all he needs is to talk about the Name and to meet with God directly, nothing more is required. It's a simple but pointed reminder that the people you surround yourself with quietly become part of who you are.
The verse
आपुलिया ऐसें करी । संग धरी ज्याचा हो ॥१ ॥
म्हणउनि परपरते । वरवरते पळतसें ॥ध्रु.॥
लोभिक तें लोभा लावी । बांधल्या गोवी वांचूनि ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे नामगोठी । पुरे भेटी तुझी देवा ॥३॥
Literal translation
One-makes-like-self — sanga-held. Flee-far-back-from-others. Lobhika-binds-greedy — without-escape. Tukā: nāma-gōṭhī-suffices — bhēṭa-Deva.
What it means
A 3-verse anti-other-sanga text. Whoever's company one holds — he makes (one) like himself. Therefore I flee far-far-back. The greedy-one attaches (one) to greed; binding with knots without-escape. Tukā says: just the Name-talk suffices — only your darśana, Deva. Pair with 4259 (4-image dual-svabhāva-contrast), 4192 (kusanga-corruption-mind-runs).
For someone today
Tukārām warns that whoever you keep company with starts to shape you into their likeness, so he says he flees far away from company that would pull him off course. A greedy person, he notes, will draw you into greed too, tying you up in knots you can't easily escape. For himself, he says, all he needs is to talk about the Name and to meet with God directly, nothing more is required. It's a simple but pointed reminder that the people you surround yourself with quietly become part of who you are.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की तुम्ही ज्याच्या सोबतीत राहता तो तुम्हाला हळूहळू स्वतःसारखे बनवतो, म्हणून ते अशा सोबतीपासून दूर पळून जातात जी त्यांना मार्गावरून ढळवू शकते. लोभी माणूस तुम्हालाही लोभात ओढतो आणि अशा गाठी बांधतो ज्यातून सुटका सोपी नसते. स्वतःसाठी ते म्हणतात की केवळ नामाची गोष्ट आणि देवाची भेट एवढेच पुरेसे आहे, आणखी काही नको. आपण कोणाच्या सोबतीत राहतो, ती सोबतच हळूहळू आपले व्यक्तिमत्त्व घडवते, हे या अभंगातून सहज पण ठाम इशारा दिला आहे.
Where this applies
- When you notice your habits or attitude shifting after spending time with a particular group of people
- When you're tempted to stay close to someone whose greed or negativity keeps pulling you along
- When you're choosing which friendships or communities to invest your time in
- When you feel like simple devotion and honest connection matter more than chasing status through your social circle