Abhanga 886
Receiving something precious is not enough by itself; the real benefit comes only when you actually use and practice what has been given.
The verse
निवडुनि दिलें नवनीत । संचित ते भोगीत ॥१॥ आतां पुढें भावसार । जीवना थार पाहावया ॥ध्रु.॥ पारखियाचे पडिलें हातीं । चांचपती आंधळीं ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे सेवन घडे । त्यासी जोडे लाभ हा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Nivaḍuni — navanīta. Samcita — bhōgīta. Ahead — bhāva-sāra. Jīvana — thāra. Pārakhī — paḍilē. Andhaḷī — cāñcapatī. Tuka says: sēvana — jōḍē — lābha.
मराठी: निवडुनि नवनीत (लोणी) दिलें — तें संचित भोगीत आहे. आतां पुढें भाव-सार — जीवनाला थार (आधार) पाहावया. पारखियाचे (परीक्षकाच्या) हातीं पडिलें — आंधळीं फक्त चांचपती. Tuka म्हणे: सेवन घडे — त्यासि हा लाभ जोडे.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| निवडुनि दिलें नवनीत | "nivaḍuni — navanīta" |
| संचित ते भोगीत | "samcita — bhōgīta" |
| आतां पुढें भावसार | "ahead — bhāva-sāra" |
| जीवना थार पाहावया | "jīvana — thāra" |
| पारखियाचे पडिलें हातीं | "pārakhī — paḍilē" |
| चांचपती आंधळीं | "andhaḷī — cāñcapatī" |
| सेवन घडे | "sēvana — happens" |
| त्यासी जोडे लाभ हा | "to-him — jōḍē — lābha" |
What it means
A butter-separated-samcita-to-be-enjoyed-ahead-essence-of-bhāva-foothold-for-jīvana-fallen-in-the-assayer's-hand-blind-pats-when-sevana-happens-this-lābha-added abhang. Butter-and-assayer-image register. Three claims:
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निवडुनि-नवनीत — संचित-भोगीत — पुढे-भाव-सार — जीवना-थार. Butter-separated-and-now-bhāva-sāra-claim. Thenavanītawasnivaḍunigiven; thesamcitaisbhōgīta; now ahead — thebhāva-sāra; to find athāra(foothold) forjīvana. Butter-out; samcita-being-enjoyed; now-find-the-bhāva-sāra.
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पारखियाच्या-हातीं — आंधळीं-चांचपती. In-assayer's-hand-blind-pats-claim. (It / the butter) has fallen in thepārakhī's hand;the andhaḷī just cāñcapatī (pats, gropes-blindly).Assayer-recognizes; blind-only-pats. (Two-receivers: thepārakhīassays and recognizes thenavanīta; theandhaḷī only-gropes-without-knowing.)
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Tuka: सेवन-घडे — लाभ-जोडे. Sevana-and-this-lābha-added-claim. Tuka says: when sēvana happens (when the navanīta is actually-used in service);to-him, this lābha is jōḍē (joined, added).Use-of-the-butter-adds-the-lābha. (Closing-claim: it's not enough toreceivethenavanīta— it must beserved(sēvana). To the one-who-serves, thelābhaisadded.)
[T]
For someone today
This verse compares grace or wisdom to churned butter, the precious part already separated out and set before you to enjoy. But simply having it in your hand is not enough. One person, like a skilled assayer, recognizes what has been given and appreciates its worth. Another, like someone blind, just gropes at it without understanding what it is. Tukaram says the real benefit only comes when you actually put it to use in service, not merely when you possess or receive it.
मराठी: ही ओवी कृपेची किंवा ज्ञानाची तुलना घुसळलेल्या लोण्याशी करते, ज्याचा सारभाग आधीच वेगळा काढून तुमच्यासमोर ठेवलेला आहे. पण तो नुसता हातात असणं पुरेसं नाही. एखादा माणूस, पारखी असल्यासारखा, जे दिलं गेलं आहे ते ओळखतो आणि त्याची किंमत जाणतो; दुसरा माणूस आंधळ्यासारखा फक्त चाचपडत राहतो, ते काय आहे हेच न समजता. तुकाराम म्हणतात, खरा फायदा तेव्हाच मिळतो जेव्हा तुम्ही ते प्रत्यक्ष सेवेत, आचरणात आणता — केवळ बाळगून नाही.
Where this applies
- Butter-given. Essence.
- Assayer-recognizes. Discernment.
- Sevana-adds-lābha. Practice.