संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1688 of 4582

Abhanga 1688

For today: what is not done in the mind does not count as renunciation — there is no boredom-and-distress in the chitta of the truly-renounced; only Deva knows the inner-bhāva — the outer-color-display is false; if the dhyāna of the renounced thing remains within, then all that kind of tyāga is mere mockery; Tuka says — examine yourself — who is this second person who can tell you?

When you claim to have given something up but still think about it constantly.

When you dress up an outward show of discipline to impress other people.

When you want someone else to confirm your inner change instead of checking honestly for yourself.

The verse

केलें नाहीं मनीं तया घडे त्याग । उबगें उद्वेग नाहीं चित्ती ॥१॥ देव चि हा जाणे अंतरींचा भाव । मिथ्या तो उपाव बाह्य रंग ॥ध्रु.॥ त्यागिल्याचें ध्यान राहिलें अंतरीं । अवघी ते परी विटंबना ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आपआपण्यां विचारा । कोण हा दुसरा सांगे तुम्हां ॥३॥

Literal translation

Not done in mind — to that one is the tyāga (= no real tyāga); no boredom-distress in chitta. Deva alone knows the inner bhāva — the outer-color upāya is false. The dhyāna of the renounced thing remained within — all that kind is viṭambana. Tuka says: examine yourself — who is this second to tell you?

Word-by-word gloss

Marathi	Meaning
केलें नाहीं मनीं तया घडे त्याग	"not done in mind — to that one — is tyāga"
उबगें उद्वेग नाहीं चित्ती	"boredom-and-distress — not — in chitta"
देव चि हा जाणे अंतरींचा भाव	"Deva alone — knows — the inner bhāva"
मिथ्या तो उपाव बाह्य रंग	"false — that upāya — of outer-color"
त्यागिल्याचें ध्यान राहिलें अंतरीं	"of-the-renounced — dhyāna — remained — within"
अवघी ते परी विटंबना	"all that kind — is viṭambanā"
तुका म्हणे आपआपण्यां विचारा	"Tuka says — examine yourself"
कोण हा दुसरा सांगे तुम्हां	"who is this second — to tell you?"

What it means

Internal-renunciation > external-renunciation abhang.

The opening: kēlēm nāhīm manīm tayā ghaḍē tyāga — ubagēm udvēga nāhīm chittī — what's not done in mind, to that one is the tyāga (= the only real tyāga is in mind); no boredom-distress in chitta. External-tyāga without inner-renunciation is no tyāga at all; real tyāga has no inner-distress about what's been left.

The Deva-knows: Deva chi hā jāṇē antarīñcā bhāva — mithyā tō upāva bāhya ranga — only Deva knows the inner bhāva; the outer-color upāya is false. Outer-display-tactics fool people but not Deva.

The retained-dhyāna: tyāgilyācēm dhyāna rāhilēm antarīm — avaghī tē parī viṭambana — the dhyāna of the renounced remained within — all that kind is viṭambana. Viṭambana = mockery, shameful-show, parody. If you renounced X but X still occupies your dhyāna, the renunciation is mere viṭambana / a parody.

The closing self-examination: Tukā mhaṇē āpa-āpaṇyām vicārā — kōṇa hā dusarā sāngē tumhām — Tuka says: examine yourself — who is this second to tell you? (= the only one who can tell you whether your renunciation is real is yourself; no second-witness needed.)

[T]

For someone today

Where this applies

When you've given something up publicly but still crave it privately
When you're performing spiritual discipline mainly for others to notice
When you want someone else to validate that you've truly changed
When you catch yourself dwelling on what you supposedly let go of

Cosmology / Avatāra Bhakti