संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1208 of 4582

Abhanga 1208

For today: truth doesn't need force — patience is the only means; no cintā fits truth — let śaraṇa come from bhāva.

When you are tempted to use baḷa (force, manipulation) to get bhakti's fruit — Tuka says satya works on its own; only dhīra is needed

The verse

सत्य सत्यें देतें फळ । नाहीं लागत चि बळ ॥१॥ ध्यावे देवाचे ते पाय । धीर सकळ उपाय ॥ध्रु.॥ करावी च चिंता । नाहीं लागती तत्वता ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे भावें । शरण म्हणवितां बरवें ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Truth gives fruit through truth — no baḷa is required. Meditate the Deva's feet — dhīra is the only and entire means. No need at all to bear cintā — it doesn't apply to tattva. Tuka says: with bhāva, saying-surrender is good.

मराठी: सत्य सत्यानें-च फळ देतें — कोणतें-हि बळ लागत नाहीं. देवाचे पाय ध्यावेत — धीर हाच सकळ उपाय. चिंता करण्याचें कारण नाहीं — तत्वतः लागत नाहीं. Tukā म्हणे — भावानें शरण म्हणवून घेणें — बरवें (चांगलें).

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
सत्य सत्यें देतें फळ "truth (satya) gives fruit through truth (no other means)"
नाहीं लागत चि बळ "no force (baḷa) is required at all"
ध्यावे देवाचे ते पाय "meditate (dhyāvē) on the Deva's feet"
धीर सकळ उपाय "dhīra (patience/firmness) is all (sakaḷa) the means"
करावी च चिंता नाहीं लागती तत्वता "(no) need at all to do cintā — it doesn't apply to tattva (truth)"
भावें शरण म्हणवितां बरवें "with bhāva, saying-saraṇa is good"

What it means

Effortless-bhakti aphorism. Three short formulations: 1. Satya satyē dētēm phaḷa — truth doesn't need leverage; it bears fruit on its own. Baḷa (forcing the situation, manipulating outcomes) is unneeded. 2. Dhīra sakaḷa upāya — patience (firmness, settled-ness) is the whole means; not one tool among many. 3. Bhāvē śaraṇa mhaṇavitām baravēm — let the saying-of-surrender come from bhāva, not from striving.

[T]

For someone today

For today: truth doesn't need force — patience is the only means; no cintā fits truth — let śaraṇa come from bhāva.

Where this applies

Related verses