संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 316 of 4582

Abhanga 316

This abhang names the bhāva-vs-vidhi distinction:

When rule-bound-service is being mistaken for bhakti — and the abhang says that = viṣaya-tyāga, not bhakti
When the main dharma is deva-in-chitta-throughout — and you have to recognize this central-rule
When tarka multiplies paths but bhāva triggers kṛpā — and you receive this contrast

The verse

विधीनें सेवन । विषयत्यागातें समान ॥१॥ मुख्य धर्म देव चित्तीं । आदि अवसान अंतीं ॥ध्रु.॥ बहु अतिशय खोटा । तर्कें होती बहु वाटा ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे भावें । कृपा करीजेते देवें ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Service by vidhi — same as viṣaya-tyāga. The main dharma is — deva in chitta — from ādi to avasāna. Excess — very khōṭā; by tarka — many vāṭā arise. Tuka says: by bhāvakṛpā is done by the deva.

मराठी: विधीनें सेवन — विषयत्यागातें समान. मुख्य धर्म देव चित्तीं — आदि अवसान अंतीं. बहु अतिशय खोटा — तर्कें होती बहु वाटा. तुकाराम म्हणतां — भावें — कृपा करीजेते देवें.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
विधीनें सेवन "service by vidhi (rule-bound)"
विषयत्यागातें समान "same as viṣaya-tyāga*"
मुख्य धर्म देव चित्तीं "the main dharma is — deva in chitta**"
आदि अवसान अंतीं "from ādi to avasāna (beginning to end)"
बहु अतिशय खोटा "excess (literalism) — very khōṭā (false)"
तर्कें होती बहु वाटा "by tarka — many vāṭā (paths) arise"
भावें कृपा करीजेते देवें "by bhāvakṛpā is done by the deva"

What it means

A short vidhi-vs-bhāva abhang. Three claims:

  1. विधीनें सेवन — विषयत्यागातें समानvidhi-bound-service = viṣaya-tyāga. The radical-equation. Service performed by-vidhi-rule is equivalent to viṣaya-tyāga (renunciation-of-objects). Reading: both are external-form-without-bhakta-content. Doing the right-actions-by-rule and renouncing-the-objects-by-rule are both vidhi-bound, both not-the-bhakta-mode. (Compare 315 vidhi-niṣedha lōpa, mārga uccheda; here, the vidhi-bound forms are equated as the not-the-path** modes.)

  2. मुख्य धर्म देव चित्तीं — आदि अवसान अंतींmain dharma — deva in chitta — beginning to end. The positive-claim. The main-dharma is — deva-in-chitta from beginning-to-end (continuous through-out). Not vidhi-bound action; not viṣaya-tyāga; but continuous-deva-presence-in-chitta. (Compare 281's to-the-deva orientation as the varma of dharma; same claim.)

  3. बहु अतिशय खोटा — तर्कें होती बहु वाटाexcess — very khōṭā; by tarka — many vāṭā arise. Excess-of-literal-rules (atiśaya — going-overboard with vidhi) is khōṭā (false). And tarka (logical-debate) creates many pathsthe bhakta-mārga is one; tarka multiplies it into many false-paths.

  4. तुका म्हणे भावें — कृपा करीजेते देवेंby bhāva — kṛpā is done by the deva. The closing-rule. Bhāva triggers kṛpā; not vidhi, not tarka, not viṣaya-tyāga. Bhāva alone is the trigger.

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For someone today

This abhang names the bhāva-vs-vidhi distinction:

  1. Rule-bound-service ≠ bhakti. Vidhīnē sevana = viṣaya-tyāgāte samāna. Doing-the-right-actions-by-rule is equivalent to renouncing-the-objects-by-rule; both are external-form, not bhakti.

  2. The main dharma is deva-in-chitta-from-beginning-to-end*. Continuous deva-presence in chitta. Not interrupted ritual-actions; not temporary-renunciation-events; but continuous-presence in chitta*.

  3. Excess (atiśaya) and tarka multiply vāṭā. Going-overboard with vidhi and engaging-in-logical-debate both create many false-paths. The bhakta-mārga is direct; tarka makes it indirect.

  4. Bhāva triggers kṛpā. Bhāvē — kṛpā karī-jate devē. The deva's kṛpā is triggered by bhāva, not by vidhi-or-tarka. The trigger-mechanism is bhāva.

For today: check your service-mode for vidhi-bound-rule-following; recognize that the main-dharma is continuous-deva-in-chitta; don't multiply vāṭā by tarka or atiśaya; trust that bhāva triggers kṛpā.

This abhang complements 315 (vidhi-niṣedha lōpa). 315 says the rule-system has lapsed as the path; 316 says the bhāva-mode triggers kṛpā. Together: vidhi out, bhāva in.

मराठी: ही ओवी bhāva-vs-vidhi distinction नाव सांगते:

  1. Rule-bound-service ≠ bhakti. विधीनें सेवन = विषयत्यागातें समान. Right-actions-by-rule करणं renouncing-objects-by-rule शी equivalent; दोन्ही external-form, bhakti नाही.

  2. Main dharma deva-in-chitta-beginning-to-end*. Chitta मध्ये continuous deva-presence. Interrupted ritual-actions नाही; temporary-renunciation-events नाही; continuous-presence*.

  3. Excess (atiśaya) आणि tarka वाटा multiply करतात. Vidhi मध्ये going-overboard आणि logical-debate engage करणं दोन्ही false-paths create करतात. Bhakta-mārga direct; tarka indirect करतो.

  4. Bhāva kṛpā trigger करतं. भावें — कृपा करीजेते देवें. देवाची kṛpā bhāva-ने triggered, vidhi-or-tarka-ने नाही. Trigger-mechanism bhāva.

आज: तुमचा service-mode vidhi-bound-rule-following साठी check करा; main-dharma continuous-deva-in-chitta आहे ओळखा; atiśaya किंवा tarka ने वाटा multiply करू नका; bhāva kṛpā trigger करतं विश्वास ठेवा.

ही ओवी 315 ला complement करते (vidhi-niṣedha lōpa). 315 — rule-system path-म्हणून lapse झाला; 316 — bhāva-mode kṛpā trigger करतो. एकत्र: vidhi out, bhāva in.

Where this applies

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