Abhanga 99
This abhang asks the what-accompanies question with unusual precision. Tally what you've been gathering: most of it stops at the threshold. The only thing that walks through is sanchit — accumulated action. The cure is not abandoning gathering; it is recognizing what accompanies and putting effort into that. The swiftly in विचारा रे हित लवलाहीं is the abhang's pressure: delay itself is harm, because सांचित (accumulated stock) is built one day at a time, and unbuilt days don't come back.
The verse
मृगजळ दिसे साचपणा ऐसें । खोटियाचें पिसें ऊर फोडी ॥१॥ जाणोन कां करा आपुलाले घात । विचारा रे हित लवलाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥ संचित सांगातीं बोळवणें सवें । आचरलें द्यावें फळ तेणें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे शेखी श्मशान तोंवरी । संबंध गोवरी अंगीं सवें ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: The mirage looks real; the false-thing's mania breaks the chest. Knowing — why bring harm on yourselves? Consider your benefit swiftly. Sanchit is the only companion who accompanies you; what was done — that gives the fruit. Tuka says: at the end — until the cremation-ground — only the dung-cake stays attached to the body.
मराठी: मृगजळ खरं वाटतं; खोट्याचा वेड (डोक्यात गेल्यासारखा) उर फोडतो. जाणून का स्वतःचा घात करता? त्वरेने हित विचारा. संचितच एकमेव सांगाती जो तुमच्यासोबत येतो; जे आचरलं तेच फळ देतं. तुकाराम म्हणतात — शेवटी — श्मशानापर्यंत — फक्त गोवरी (शेणाचा गोळा) अंगाशी असते.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मृगजळ दिसे साचपणा ऐसें | "the mirage looks real" |
| खोटियाचें पिसें ऊर फोडी | "the false-thing's mania breaks the chest" |
| जाणोन कां करा आपुलाले घात | "knowing — why bring harm on yourselves?" |
| विचारा रे हित लवलाहीं | "consider your benefit swiftly" |
| संचित सांगातीं बोळवणें सवें | "sanchit (accumulated karma) is the only companion who walks with (you)" |
| आचरलें द्यावें फळ तेणें | "what was done — that gives the fruit" |
| शेखी श्मशान तोंवरी | "at the end — until the cremation-ground" |
| संबंध गोवरी अंगीं सवें | "the dung-cake stays attached to the body" |
What it means
Three structural images: (1) mirage looks real — the seeking of what isn't there is mania, not pursuit; (2) sanchit (accumulated karma) is the only companion that accompanies — wealth, status, family stop at the threshold; (3) the dung-cake stays attached till the cremation-ground — even the body's accessories drop off; only the gowari (dung-cake) used in last rites remains. The closing image is precise: what accompanies you at the end is what you produced (good or bad action). The exhortation विचारा रे हित लवलाहीं — consider your benefit swiftly — frames delay itself as harm. [T]
For someone today
This abhang asks the what-accompanies question with unusual precision. Tally what you've been gathering: most of it stops at the threshold. The only thing that walks through is sanchit — accumulated action. The cure is not abandoning gathering; it is recognizing what accompanies and putting effort into that. The swiftly in विचारा रे हित लवलाहीं is the abhang's pressure: delay itself is harm, because सांचित (accumulated stock) is built one day at a time, and unbuilt days don't come back.
मराठी: ही ओवी सोबत-काय-येतं प्रश्न असामान्य अचूकतेने विचारते. जे जमा करत आहात त्याचं हिशोब करा: बहुतेक उंबरठ्यावर थांबतं. एकमेव चालून येणारी गोष्ट संचित — accumulated कृती. उपाय जमा करणं सोडणं नाही — काय सोबत येतं ते ओळखणं आणि त्यात effort. लवलाही (त्वरेने) मध्ये ओवीचा दबाव: विलंब हीच हानी — कारण संचित एका दिवसात एक टाक्याने बांधलं जातं, आणि न-बांधलेले दिवस परत येत नाहीत.
Where this applies
- Chasing mirage that won't survive scrutiny. Sanchit-test.
- Tally what actually accompanies. Most doesn't.
- Delay = harm. लवलाही is operative.