Abhanga 1463

Skill with words or decoration means nothing without the real flavor of grace, so take what is already freely given and use it for your good instead of manufacturing something impressive.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Every-house-poets-but-no-prasāda-flavor abhang. A self-aware lament about the kavi-inflation of Tuka's day. The opening: gharō-gharīm bahu jālē kavi — nēṇē prasādācī cavī — in every house — many poets have arisen; — they don't know —prasāda'scavī(= flavor). Many poets, but none knowing the prasāda-flavor. Prasāda — the graceful-style (in poetic-criticism) and grace from Hari (in bhakti) — both senses available. The kavi-mass-production of his day produces poets without prasāda-taste. (Compare 1407's kōraḍyā gōṣṭī ōla-na — dry talk, no moisture; same theme.)

The diagnosis: laṇḍā bhūṣaṇāñcī cāḍa — puḍhēm na vicārī nāḍa — thelaṇḍa(= rascal) — hascāḍa(= relish) — forbhūṣaṇas (= ornaments / alankāras / decorative-words); —ahead, doesn't consider —nāḍa(= cord / consequence / fall). Loves the alankāra-decorations but doesn't think of the consequence ahead. (= the poetic-ornament-as-vanity trap; cf. 1456's bhūṣaṇa-Vedāntins. Nāḍa puns: cord/rope + fall + sound/clamor — possibly the consequent reckoning.)

The pragmatic advice: kāḍhāvēm ā'itēm — tēm chi jōḍāvēm sva-hitēm — take out (kāḍhāvēm) — what isā'itēm(= ready / prepared); — that very thing —jōḍāvēm(= acquire / bind) — forsva-hita(own-welfare). Take what's ready (= the nāma, the bhakti-experience already-given) — bind that to your own-welfare. (= don't manufacture new ornament-poetry; take the ready-prasāda.)

The closing-paradox: Tukā mhaṇē kaḷē — parī hōtātī andhaḷē — Tuka says — (it) is known; — but — they becomeandhaḷē(blind). They know it (intellectually) — but become blind (= can't see the prasāda-flavor though they know about it). The bhāva-required-for-bhakti is missing; intellect alone produces andhaḷa-kavis.

[T]

For someone today

For today: every house has poets, but none know the flavor of prasāda; the rascal relishes ornaments and doesn't see the fall ahead; take out the ready-thing and bind it to your own welfare; they know it intellectually but become blind.

Where this applies

• When you are more focused on sounding impressive or clever than on saying something true
• When you find yourself chasing decoration, style, or image instead of substance
• When something simple and already available could serve you well, but you insist on creating something more elaborate instead
• When you understand a truth intellectually but notice your actions don't match what you know

Related verses

• Abhanga 2448 — The easiest path to God is repeating divine names with love at home, right where you are,
• Abhanga 2467 — What looks like your whole world, like a fig to the insect living inside it, is only a tin
• Abhanga 2494 — Living in devotion turns an ordinary day into a festival and removes the fear of birth and
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with