Abhanga 1311
Rituals and distinctions have their purpose, but only the destination truly matters, and Tuka speaks not from scholarship but from Vitthal's grace alone.
The verse
यज्ञ भूतांच्या पाळणा । भेद कारीये कारणा । पावावया उपासना । ब्रम्हस्थानीं प्रस्थान ॥१॥ एक परी पडिलें भागीं । फळ बीजाचिये अंगीं । धन्य तो चि जगीं । आदि अंत सांभाळी ॥ध्रु.॥ आवशक तो शेवट । मागें अवघी खटपट । चालों जाणे वाट । ऐसा विरळा एखादा ॥२॥ तुका होवोनि निराळा । क्षराअक्षरावेगळा । पाहे निगमकळा । बोले विठ्ठलप्रसादें ॥३॥
Literal translation
Yajña — for the nurture of bhūtas; the bhēda has its purpose — to attain upāsanā, the prasthāna into the brahma-sthāna. One path is fallen to (this) lot — the phaḷa is in the bīja's body. Blessed in the world is he who guards ādi-and-anta. The essential is the end — behind it, all is khaṭapaṭa. Knows the path of going — such a viraḷā is rare. Tuka, having become nirāḷā — separate from kṣara-and-akṣara — sees the nigama-kaḷā — speaks by Viṭṭhala-prasāda.
मराठी: यज्ञ — भूतांच्या पाळण्यासाठीं — भेद हें कारणासाठीं — उपासना पावायला — ब्रह्म-स्थानीं प्रस्थान. एक परी (पंथ) भागीं पडलेला — फळ बीजाच्या अंगीं — धन्य तो जगीं — आदि-अंत सांभाळी. आवशक तो शेवट — मागें अवघी खटपट — चालून (वाट) जाणारा — असा विरळा एखादा. Tukā होऊनि निराळा — क्षरा-अक्षरा-वेगळा — निगम-कळा पाहतो — विठ्ठल-प्रसादें-च बोलतो.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| यज्ञ भूतांच्या पाळणा | "yajña — for the bhūtas' (beings') pāḷaṇā (nurture)" |
| भेद कारीये कारणा | "the bhēda — has its kāraṇa (purpose / cause)" |
| पावावया उपासना | "to attain (pāvāvayā) — upāsanā" |
| ब्रम्हस्थानीं प्रस्थान | "(and) the prasthāna (departure / setting-out) into the brahma-sthāna" |
| एक परी पडिलें भागीं | "one parī (manner / path) has fallen to (one's) bhāgī (lot)" |
| फळ बीजाचिये अंगीं | "the phaḷa (fruit) — is in the bīja (seed)'s anga (body)" |
| धन्य तो चि जगीं | "blessed is he in the jagat" |
| आदि अंत सांभाळी | "(who) guards (sāmbhāḷī) ādi-and-anta (beginning and end)" |
| आवशक तो शेवट | "the āvaśaka (necessary / essential) — is the śēvaṭa (end)" |
| मागें अवघी खटपट | "behind (it) — all is khaṭapaṭa (toil / scuffling)" |
| चालों जाणे वाट ऐसा विरळा एखादा | "knows the vāṭa (path) of going — such a viraḷā-ēkhādā (rare-some) is" |
| तुका होवोनि निराळा | "Tuka — having become nirāḷā (apart / distinct)" |
| क्षराअक्षरावेगळा | "separate from kṣara-and-akṣara (perishable-and-imperishable)" |
| पाहे निगमकळा | "(can) see the nigama-kaḷā (the art of the Vedas)" |
| बोले विठ्ठलप्रसादें | "speaks — by Viṭṭhala's prasāda" |
What it means
Tuka's self-statement of authority abhang. This is a remarkable composition where Tuka articulates his own teaching-position.
The opening defends yajña and bhēda: yajña has the purpose of bhūta-pāḷaṇā (nurturing beings); bhēda (the differentiations / categorizations) has its kāraṇa (purpose). They lead to upāsanā and the prasthāna (departure) into the brahma-sthāna. So Tuka is not anti-yajña or anti-bhēda in principle.
The middle: āvaśaka tō śēvaṭa — māgē avaghī khaṭapaṭa — the essential thing is theend; everything before iskhaṭapaṭa(toil). Yajña-bhēda-upāsanā are the toil; only the end (= the śēvaṭa, the destination) matters. Cālōm jāṇē vāṭa — aisā viraḷā ēkhādā — one who knows the path ofgoing— such a viraḷā is rare.
The closing self-positioning: Tukā hōvōnī nirāḷā — kṣarā-akṣarā-vēgaḷā — Tuka, having become nirāḷā (apart) — separate from kṣara-and-akṣara. Kṣara-akṣara (cf. 1291) — the perishable-and-imperishable — both halves of Brahman in Bhagavad-Gītā 15. Tuka is vēgaḷā (separate) from both, like the Puruṣottama who transcends them.
Pāhē nigama-kaḷā — (I) see the nigama-kaḷā (the art of the Vedas / nigamas). And — crucially — bōlē Viṭṭhala-prasādē — speak by Viṭṭhala-prasāda. The authority is grace-based, not śāstra-based.
This is among Tukaram's most explicit self-authorizing abhangs — distinct from his self-effacing register but consistent with his claim to direct Hari-conduit at 1304.
[T]
For someone today
For today: yajña-and-bhēda have purpose, but the end is essential; the viraḷā knows the path; Tuka, separate from both kṣara-and-akṣara, sees the Veda-art by Viṭṭhala-prasāda.
Where this applies
- When you're caught up in rules, rituals, or correct procedure and lose sight of why you're doing them
- When you meet someone who seems to genuinely know the way while most people are just going through motions
- When you doubt whether your spiritual insight counts because you lack formal credentials or scholarship
- When you need to explain that following tradition and seeking direct experience aren't opposites