संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 330 of 4582

Abhanga 330

This abhang gives the established-tradition-comfort:

When the road has many travelers and saints have gone this way — and you have to recognize don't off-track

When the cleared paths don't need asking — and you accept this established-tradition-trust

When pātakas and garuḍa-ṭakē glitter — and you receive this warkari-procession imagery

The verse

मारगीं बहुत । या चि गेले साधुसंत ॥१॥ नका जाऊ आडराणें । ऐसीं गर्जती पुराणें ॥ध्रु.॥ चोखाळिल्या वाटा । न लगे पुसाव्या धोपटा ॥२॥ झळकती पताका । गरुड टके म्हणे तुका ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Many on the mārga — sādhu-sants have gone this very (path). Don't go aḍa-rāṇa — the purāṇas roar. The cōkhāḷilīyā vāṭā — no need to ask the dhōpaṭa. Pātakas glitter — garuḍa-ṭakē — Tuka says.

मराठी: मारगीं बहुत — या चि गेले साधुसंत. नका जाऊ आडराणें — ऐसीं गर्जती पुराणें. चोखाळिल्या वाटा — न लगे पुसाव्या धोपटा. तुकाराम म्हणतां — झळकती पताका — गरुड टके.

Word-by-word gloss

Marathi	Meaning
मारगीं बहुत	"many on the mārga**"
या चि गेले साधुसंत	"sādhu-sants have gone this very (path)"
नका जाऊ आडराणें	"don't go aḍa-rāṇa (off-track / wilderness)"
ऐसीं गर्जती पुराणें	"the purāṇas roar (this)"
चोखाळिल्या वाटा	"the cōkhāḷilīyā vāṭā (well-cleared paths)"
न लगे पुसाव्या धोपटा	"no need to ask about the dhōpaṭa (well-trodden way)"
झळकती पताका	"pātakas (banners) glitter"
गरुड टके	"garuḍa-ṭakē (Vishnu-eagle banners)*"

What it means

A short established-paths abhang. Three claims:

मारगीं बहुत — या चि गेले साधुसंत — many on the road — sādhu-sants have gone this. The opening-comfort. You are not alone on this path; many have walked, including saints. The path is established.
नका जाऊ आडराणें — ऐसीं गर्जती पुराणें — don't go off-track — purāṇas roar this. The warning. Aḍa-rāṇa — off-track wilderness, side-path, untrodden — don't go there. The purāṇas (= the inherited textual-tradition, the saints' biographical-traditions) — roar this warning.
चोखाळिल्या वाटा — न लगे पुसाव्या धोपटा — cleared paths — no need to ask about the dhōpaṭa. Cōkhāḷilīyā — well-cleared, well-walked-flat. Dhōpaṭa — the broad well-trodden way. No need to ask directions; the road is obvious.
तुका म्हणे झळकती पताका — गरुड टके — Tuka says: pātakas glitter — garuḍa-ṭakē. The warkari-procession image. Pātaka — banner / flag. Garuḍa-ṭakē — the Garuḍa-banners (Vishnu's eagle-mount as the procession-emblem). Glittering banners and Garuḍa-emblems — the visible-marks of the established-warkari-procession.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang gives the established-tradition-comfort:

You are not alone on this path; saints have walked this very-path. Mārgī bahuta — yā chi gele sādhu-sants. The path-establishment is real. Don't think you are pioneering alone; the saints' footprints are on this path.
Don't go off-track into the wilderness. Nakā jāū aḍa-rāṇa. The purāṇas warn this. Established-paths are safer than novel-individual-discoveries.
The cleared paths don't need asking. Cōkhāḷilīyā vāṭā — na lagē pusāvyā dhōpaṭa. The road is obvious; follow the well-trodden way.
Pātakas glitter; Garuḍa-ṭakē are visible. The warkari-procession's visible-marks confirm the path. The pataka-glitter is proof you are on the right road.

For today: recognize that the path is established; don't go off-track; follow the cleared way without demanding pioneer-novelty; let the pataka-glitter of the warkari-tradition be your confirmation.

This abhang is important against individualist-spirituality claims: the bhakta is part of a sādhu-procession, not a solo-explorer. The tradition-established-path is itself the comfort.

(Caveat: this is not anti-individual-experience; it is anti-individualist-pioneering-on-untrodden-paths. The individual-experience is real, but on the established-path.)

मराठी: ही ओवी established-tradition-comfort देते:

तुम्ही या path वर एकटे नाहीत; saints याच-path वर चालले आहेत. मार्गी बहुत — या चि गेले साधुसंत. Path-establishment real. एकट्याने pioneer करत आहात समजू नका; saints चे footprints या path वर आहेत.
Off-track wilderness मध्ये जाऊ नका. नका जाऊ आडराणें. Purāṇas हे warn करतात. Established-paths novel-individual-discoveries पेक्षा safer.
Cleared paths ना asking आवश्यक नाही. चोखाळिल्या वाटा — न लगे पुसाव्या धोपटा. Road obvious; well-trodden way follow करा.
Pātakas glitter; Garuḍa-ṭakē दिसतात. Warkari-procession चे visible-marks path confirm करतात. Pataka-glitter तुम्ही right road वर आहात याचा proof.

आज: Path established आहे ओळखा; off-track जाऊ नका; cleared way follow करा pioneer-novelty demand न करता; Warkari-tradition चं pataka-glitter तुमची confirmation असू द्या.

ही ओवी individualist-spirituality claims विरुद्ध महत्त्वाची: bhakta sādhu-procession चा भाग, solo-explorer नाही. Tradition-established-path स्वतःच comfort.

(Caveat: हे anti-individual-experience नाही; anti-individualist-pioneering-on-untrodden-paths. Individual-experience real, पण established-path वर.)

Where this applies

Many on the path; sants have gone this. Path-establishment.
Don't go aḍa-rāṇa. Stay on cleared way.
No need to ask directions. Road is obvious.
Pātakas glitter; garuḍa-ṭakē. Tradition's confirmation.