Abhanga 1476

Just as a touchstone turns metal to gold and the Gangā stays pure despite what flows into it, Hari's grace can transform an ordinary or flawed person into something precious without weighing their merits against their faults.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Don't-count-my-faults-paris-turns-metal-to-gold abhang. A bouquet of transmutation-images. The opening paris-image: āpulyā mahimānē — dhātu parisēm kēlē sōnē — by hisown mahimā— theparis(= philosopher's-stone) — has made —dhātu(metal) —gold. The classical-Indian paris image: a touchstone-like-object that transmutes base-metal to gold. Paris doesn't ask 'is this metal noble enough?' — it just transmutes by its own mahimā. (Compare 1300's Gangā-na-dēkhē-viṭāḷa — Gangā doesn't see pollution; same theme.)

The application: taisēm na manī mājhē ātām — guṇa-dōṣa Paṇḍharī-nāthā — so — don't count myguṇa-dōṣa(= merits-and-faults) now, Paṇḍharī-nāthā. (= the Paṇḍharī-king is the paris; let his mahimā transmute me without counting my faults.)

The Gangā-image: gāmvā-khālīla vāhāḷa — Gangā na manī amangaḷa — thevāhāḷa(drainage-stream) — below the village; —Gangā— does not consider itamangaḷa(= inauspicious / unclean). The village-drainage flowing into Gangā doesn't contaminate the Gangā; Gangā doesn't see it as amangaḷa. (= the Gangā purifies; — Gangā = Hari = Paṇḍharī-nātha.)

The musk-image: Tukā mhaṇē mātī — kēlī kastūrīnēm saratī — Tuka says —mātī(= clay / dirt); —kastūrī(musk) — hasmade(it) —saratī(= acceptable / valued / passing-as-currency). Musk — when added even to plain clay — makes it valuable. (= one drop of musk makes mud valuable; one drop of Hari-grace makes the bhakta valuable.)

These are all transmutation-images: paris (metal → gold), Gangā (drainage → pure), musk (mud → valuable). All three say: Hari, your touch transmutes the unworthy.

[T]

For someone today

For today: the philosopher's-stone turns metal to gold by its own greatness; so, Paṇḍharī-nātha, don't count my merits and faults; Gangā doesn't consider village-drainage unclean; musk makes even clay valuable.

Where this applies

• When someone feels too flawed or unworthy to be loved or accepted as they are
• When a person keeps a mental tally of their own mistakes and fears it disqualifies them from grace or connection
• When someone worries that their past or their failings will permanently stain how others, or how God, sees them
• When a person doubts that a small act of grace or kindness could really change how valuable or worthy they feel

Related verses

• Abhanga 2377 — This detailed meditation on Vitthal standing on a brick at Pandharpur, out of love for his
• Abhanga 2402 — For today: happily take rebirths — IF among the Paṇḍharī-Vārkarīs ; Hari-dāsas' company is
• Abhanga 2448 — The easiest path to God is repeating divine names with love at home, right where you are,
• Abhanga 2459 — Liberation does not have to be earned through grueling effort or endless searching; it is