Abhanga 364

English: Sorrow grows by sorrow — those of himmata, dhīra — are gāḍha.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A short courage-against-self-pity abhang. Three claims:

1. शोकें शोक वाढे — हिमतीचे धीर गाढे — sorrow grows by sorrow — those of himmata are gāḍha. The opening-rule: self-sorrow grows on itself; the firm-of-himmata-and-dhīra are gāḍha (steady). The anti-self-pity claim: don't feed sorrow with more sorrow.

2. येथें केले नव्हे काई — लंडीपण खोटें भाई — have you done nothing here? — laṇḍī-paṇa (cowardice) is khōṭa, brother. The direct-challenge: have you really done nothing? — that's a coward's-false-claim, brother. Self-pity often hides as I-can-do-nothing; that helplessness-claim is khōṭa.

3. करिती होया होय — परी नव्हे कोणी साह्य — (people) say yes-yes — but no one is actual helper. The honest-social-fact: people say yes-yes but none is the actual sāhya (helper). Don't expect external help; don't be paralyzed by its absence.

4. तुका म्हणे घडी — साधिलिया एक थोडी — Tuka says: a ghaḍī — when achieved — is enough, even small. The closing-claim: one ghaḍī (a small unit of time, ~24 minutes) — when sādhilīyā (achieved) — is enough — even small. The small-achievement-is-sufficient claim. Don't despise the small ghaḍī of achievement; it is enough.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the courage-against-self-pity frame:

1. Don't feed sorrow with sorrow. Śōkē śōka vāḍhē. Self-pity is self-feeding; recognize the himmata-dhīra-gāḍha as the alternative. Steadiness is the antidote.

2. Don't claim helplessness* falsely. Yēthē kelē navhē kāī — laṇḍī-paṇa khōṭē bhāī. The I-can-do-nothing claim is often a coward's-false-claim. Test it; do you really not have any agency?*

3. People say yes; no one is the actual helper. Karitī hōyā-hōya — parī navhē kōṇī sāhya. Don't paralyze yourself waiting for external-help; the social yes-yes is mostly verbal. Act anyway.

4. A single ghaḍī* of achievement is enough. Ghaḍī sādhilīyā ēka thōḍī. Don't despise small-time-achievement; one ghaḍī (24 minutes) of sustained-bhakti / right-action is sufficient. Small is enough*.

For today: don't feed sorrow with sorrow; test your helplessness-claim — it is often false; don't wait for external help that won't come; value small ghaḍī-achievements — they are enough.

This abhang is practical-courage-charter: sorrow grows on sorrow; cowardice masks as helplessness; people don't help; but one ghaḍī of achievement is enough. Tukaram is unsentimental about social-help and self-pity.

मराठी: ही ओवी courage-against-self-pity frame नाव सांगते:

1. शोकाला शोकाने feed करू नका. शोकें शोक वाढे. Self-pity self-feeding; himmata-dhīra-gāḍha alternative ओळखा. Steadiness antidote.

2. Helplessness खोटी claim करू नका. येथें केले नव्हे काई — लंडीपण खोटें भाई. I-can-do-nothing claim सहसा coward's-false-claim. Test करा; खरंच कोणतंच agency नाही का?

3. लोक हो म्हणतात; कोणीच actual helper नाही. करिती होया होय — परी नव्हे कोणी साह्य. External-help साठी paralyze होऊ नका; Social yes-yes mostly verbal. तरी act करा.

4. एक ghaḍī* achievement पुरे. घडी साधिलिया एक थोडी. Small-time-achievement despise नका; एक ghaḍī (24 मिनिटं) sustained-bhakti / right-action sufficient. Small enough*.

आज: शोकाला शोकाने feed करू नका; Helplessness-claim test करा — सहसा खोटी; External help वाट पाहू नका — येणार नाही; Small ghaḍī-achievements value करा — पुरे.

Practical-courage-charter: Sorrow grows on sorrow; cowardice helplessness म्हणून mask; लोक help करत नाहीत; पण एक ghaḍī achievement पुरे. Tukaram social-help आणि self-pity बद्दल unsentimental.

Where this applies

• Sorrow grows on sorrow. Anti-self-pity.
• Cowardice masks as helplessness. Test the claim.
• No actual social helper. Don't paralyze.
• One ghaḍī of achievement is enough. Small-is-sufficient.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2374
• Abhanga 2377 — English: Gentle, sweet bāla-rūpa — that form from Kāḷī-time.
• Abhanga 2387
• Abhanga 2402