Abhanga 1667
Tukaram asks God not to deceive his sincere heart with hollow rewards like powers, mirages, or reflections, but to let his honest effort genuinely reach God's feet.
The verse
दावूनियां कोणां कांहीं । ते चि वाहीं चाळविलीं ॥१॥ तैसें नको करूं देवा । शुद्धभावा माझिया ॥ध्रु.॥ रिद्धिसिद्धी ऐसे आड । येती नाड नागवूं ॥२॥ उदकाऐसे दावुनि ओढी । उर फोडी झळईं ॥३॥ दर्पणींचें दिलें धन । दिसे पण चरफडी ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे पायांसाटीं । करीं आटी कळों द्या ॥५॥
Literal translation
By showing some something — those very ones in the flow have been deceived. Such, don't do, Devā — to my śuddha-bhāva. Ṛddhi-siddhi — like that — block, come as bait to strip. Water-like showing, it draws — splits the chest with thirst. Money given in mirror — appears, but agitates. Tuka says: for the feet's sake — make the effort, let it be known.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| दावूनियां कोणां कांहीं | "by showing — to some — something" |
| ते चि वाहीं चाळविलीं | "those very ones — in flow — deceived" |
| तैसें नको करूं देवा | "such — don't do, Devā" |
| शुद्धभावा माझिया | "to my śuddha-bhāva" |
| रिद्धिसिद्धी ऐसे आड | "ṛddhi-siddhi — like that — block" |
| येती नाड नागवूं | "come — bait — to strip" |
| उदकाऐसे दावुनि ओढी | "water-like — showing — draws" |
| उर फोडी झळईं | "splits the chest — with thirst" |
| दर्पणींचें दिलें धन | "money — given — in mirror" |
| दिसे पण चरफडी | "appears — but — agitates" |
| तुका म्हणे पायांसाटीं | "Tuka says — for the feet's sake" |
| करीं आटी कळों द्या | "make effort — let know" |
What it means
Anti-deceptive-show + don't-deceive-my-śuddha-bhāva abhang.
The opening: dāvūniyām kōṇām kāhīm — tē chi vāhīm cāḷavilīm — by showing some something — those very-ones in flow have been deceived. Cāḷavaṇē = to deceive, to lead-astray; vāhīm = in (the) flow. People who got into-the-flow-of-it have been deceived by mere-showing.
The petition: taisēm nakō karūm Devā — śuddha-bhāvā mājhiyā — don't do that, Devā, to my śuddha-bhāva.
Three-deception-images for what-not-to-give:
Image 1 — ṛddhi-siddhi-as-bait: ṛddhi-siddhī aisē āḍa — yētī nāḍa nāgavūm — ṛddhi-siddhi block (the way), come as bait to strip. The yogic-powers act as bait (nāḍa = bait); they strip (nāgavaṇē = to strip naked) the seeker.
Image 2 — mirage-water: udakā-aisē dāvuni ōḍhī — ura phōḍī jhaḷa'īm — like water shown, it draws — splits the chest with thirst. The mirage-water draws the thirsty seeker; the chest splits-with-thirst (jhaḷa'ī) when the water-isn't-real.
Image 3 — mirror-money: darpaṇīñcēm dilēm dhana — disē paṇa carapha-ḍī — money given in mirror — appears, but agitates. Money-in-the-mirror is visible but ungraspable; causes agitation (carapha-ḍa).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē pāyām-sāṭīm — karīm āṭī kaḷōm dyā — Tuka says: for the feet's sake, make the effort — let it be known. For (the gift) of the feet, make the genuine-effort; let me know it. (= don't give me deceptive-rewards; give me your-real-feet.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: by showing some thing, those very-ones who got caught in the flow have been deceived; don't do that, Devā, to my pure-bhāva; the yogic-powers act like blocks — coming as bait to strip the seeker bare; like mirage-water shown to thirst, it draws and splits the chest; money seen in a mirror appears, but only causes agitation; Tuka says — for the sake of your feet, make the genuine-effort — let it be known to me.
Where this applies
- When you're chasing a spiritual power or special experience instead of the simple sincerity that started your practice
- When something promises quick relief but leaves you emptier than before, like a mirage that never quenches thirst
- When you can see a reward clearly but it stays just out of reach, like money reflected in a mirror
- When you want confirmation that your honest effort is actually being received, not just performed