Abhanga 1719
The body cannot be preserved no matter how much you groom or care for it, so live simply and put your real effort into reaching Hari.
The verse
इच्छेचें पाहिलें । डोळीं अंतीं मोकलिलें ॥१॥ यांचा विश्वास तो काईं । ऐसें विचारूनि पाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥ सुगंध अभ्यंगें पाळितां । केश फिरले जाणतां ॥२॥ पिंड पाळितां ओसरे । अवघी घेऊनि मागें सरे ॥३॥ करितां उपचार । कोणां नाहीं उपकार ॥४॥ अल्प जीवन करीं । तुका म्हणे साधीं हरी ॥५॥
Literal translation
The icchā has seen — the eye, at the end, abandoned. What trust in these? — consider and see. By perfumes-anointings, preserving — the hair turned (gray), one knows. Piṇḍa preserved, recedes — taking everything, slips back. Making upacāra — no upakāra to anyone. Make the life small (alpa-jīvana) — Tuka says — perfect Hari.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| इच्छेचें पाहिलें | "icchā has seen" |
| डोळीं अंतीं मोकलिलें | "eye — at end — abandoned" |
| यांचा विश्वास तो काईं | "what trust — in these" |
| ऐसें विचारूनि पाहीं | "thus consider — and see" |
| सुगंध अभ्यंगें पाळितां | "by perfumes-anointings — preserving" |
| केश फिरले जाणतां | "hair turned — one knows" |
| पिंड पाळितां ओसरे | "piṇḍa preserved — recedes" |
| अवघी घेऊनि मागें सरे | "taking everything — slips back" |
| करितां उपचार | "making upacāra" |
| कोणां नाहीं उपकार | "no upakāra — to anyone" |
| अल्प जीवन करीं | "small life make" |
| तुका म्हणे साधीं हरी | "Tuka says — perfect Hari" |
What it means
Body-decay-anti-cosmetic + simple-life-perfect-Hari abhang.
The icchā-eye: icchēcēm pāhilēm — ḍōḷīm antīm mōkalilēm — the icchā has seen — at the end, the eye is abandoned. Eye-of-desire has-seen-much; at end-time, the eye abandons-(its-functioning).
The hair-graying: sugamdha abhyangē pāḷitām — kēśa phiralē jāṇatām — by perfumes-and-anointings preserving — yet the hair has turned (gray), one knows. Despite perfumes-and-oils, the body still-grayed.
The piṇḍa-recedes: piṇḍa pāḷitām ōsarē — avaghī ghē'uni māgē sarē — piṇḍa preserved, it recedes — taking everything, slips back. Despite all care, the body recedes-and-collapses, taking-everything-with-it.
The no-benefit: karitām upacāra — kōṇām nāhīm upakāra — making upacāra — no upakāra to anyone. Cosmetic-care benefits no-one.
The closing: alpa jīvana karīm — Tukā mhaṇē sādhīm Harī — make small life — Tuka says — perfect Hari. Alpa-jīvana = small / simple-life; sādhīm Harī = attain Hari (or perfect (your) Hari). Live simply; perfect (only) Hari.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the desire-eye has seen much — at the end, the eye itself is abandoned; what trust is in these (sense-organs)? — consider and see; even with perfumes and anointings preserving, the hair has turned gray — you know it; the body, even when preserved, recedes — and slips back, taking everything with it; making cosmetic-care brings no real benefit to anyone; Tuka says — make the life simple — perfect (only) Hari.
Where this applies
- When you catch yourself spending hours on appearance while ignoring what actually matters inside
- When you notice gray hair or aging skin and feel a jolt of fear about losing control of your body
- When you're recovering from illness and realize how fragile all your careful upkeep really is
- When you're deciding whether to simplify your life and give more time to prayer or reflection