संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1639 of 4582

Abhanga 1639

For today: I don't know what is the upward path, what is the downward — I have placed my niścinti at your feet; I don't know the way of karma-dharma — I have placed my bhāva at your feet; I don't know how to discount pāpa-puṇya, don't even know what they are — therefore I have seized your feet; foolish-I, without right-thinking, don't know any vicāra — my burden is on you, Pāṇḍurangā; Tuka says — what won't happen if you do? — what is my own upāya in any of this?

When you'd surrender from complete-ignorance — don't-know-gati; karma-dharma; pāpa-puṇya; vicāra; burden-on-you; my-upāya-nothing

The verse

नेणे गति काय कवण अधोगति । मानिली निश्चिंती तुझ्या पायीं ॥१॥ कर्म धर्म कोण नेणें हा उपाव । तुझ्या पायीं भाव ठेवियेला ॥ध्रु.॥ नेणें निरसं पाप पुण्य नेणें काय । म्हणऊनि पाय धरिले तुझे ॥२॥ वेडा मी अविचार न कळे विचार । तुज माझा भार पांडुरंगा ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे तुज करितां नव्हे काय । माझा तो उपाय कवण तेथें ॥४॥

Literal translation

English: Don't know gati or adhō-gati — I have considered niścinti at your feet. Don't know the upāya of karma-dharma — placed bhāva at your feet. Don't know how to discount pāpa-puṇya, don't know what it is — therefore seized your feet. Foolish-I, avicāra, don't know vicāra — my burden is yours, Pāṇḍurangā. Tuka says: what won't happen if you do? — what is my own upāya there?

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
नेणे गति काय कवण अधोगति "don't knowgatiwhatadhō-gati"
मानिली निश्चिंती तुझ्या पायीं "consideredniścintiat your feet"
कर्म धर्म कोण नेणें हा उपाव "karma-dharmawho knowsupāya?"
तुझ्या पायीं भाव ठेवियेला "at your feetbhāvaplaced"
नेणें निरसं पाप पुण्य नेणें काय "don't know how to discountpāpa-puṇyadon't know what"
म्हणऊनि पाय धरिले तुझे "thereforeseizedyour feet"
वेडा मी अविचार न कळे विचार "foolishIavicāra; — don't knowvicāra"
तुज माझा भार पांडुरंगा "to youmy burden — Pāṇḍurangā"
तुका म्हणे तुज करितां नव्हे काय "Tuka says — what won't happenif you do"
माझा तो उपाय कवण तेथें "myupāyawhatthere"

What it means

Complete-ignorance-surrender abhang. A fivefold confession of ignorance with a single-resolution: feet-of-the-Lord.

Confession 1 — gati: don't know gati or adhō-gati (= the upward and downward courses-of-the-soul); therefore I have considered niścinti at your feet.

Confession 2 — karma-dharma upāya: don't know the upāya of karma-dharma; therefore placed bhāva at your feet.

Confession 3 — pāpa-puṇya discounting: don't know how to discount pāpa-puṇya; don't know even what it is; therefore seized your feet.

Confession 4 — vicāra: foolish-I, without-vicāra, don't know vicāra; my burden is yours, Pāṇḍurangā.

Closing — own-upāya nothing: what won't happen if you do? — what is my own upāya there?

The pattern: every confession-of-ignorance results in feet-resort. The complete-ignorance is the very-condition for total-surrenderif I knew the path, I might walk it; not-knowing, only your-feet remain.

[T]

For someone today

For today: I don't know what is the upward path, what is the downward — I have placed my niścinti at your feet; I don't know the way of karma-dharma — I have placed my bhāva at your feet; I don't know how to discount pāpa-puṇya, don't even know what they are — therefore I have seized your feet; foolish-I, without right-thinking, don't know any vicāra — my burden is on you, Pāṇḍurangā; Tuka says — what won't happen if you do? — what is my own upāya in any of this?

Where this applies

Related verses