Abhanga 1756
For today: one cooks by himself but holds the very doubt — others also drown in the samdēha-sea; only the rare-one knows — that place's sukha came to him — many are seen, but asking the way, mistaken; that one knows the truly-pure — investigates the roots of vikalpa — those caged in viṭāḷa-distinctions merely prattle; that one accomplishes the right-juncture, vigilant in three-times by buddhi — while samdēha's-juncture is merely bound and fabricated; their dhyāna is unbroken, sama-buddhi-samādhāna — but those with vain-disguise sit covered up; the goal for which one acts can't be caught by any-effort — Tuka says — the sale (of self) is made only without the wealth of chitta.
The verse
स्वयें पाक करी । संशय तो चि धरी । संदेहसागरीं । आणीक परी बुडती ॥१॥ जाणे विरळा एक । जालें तेथींचे हें सुख । देखिले बहुतेक । पुसतां वाट चुकले ॥ध्रु.॥ तो चि जाणे सोंवळें । शोधी विकल्पाचीं मुळें । नाचती पाल्हाळें । जे विटाळें कोंडिले ॥२॥ तो चि साधी संधी । सावध त्रिकाळ जो बुद्धी । संदेहाचा संधी । वेठी आणि करियेले ॥३॥ अखंड ते ध्यान । समबुद्धी समाधान । सोंग वांयांविण । ते झांकून बैसती ॥४॥ करणें जयासाटीं । जो नातुडे कवणे आटी । तुका म्हणे साटी । चित्तवित्तेवांचूनि ॥५॥
Literal translation
Cooks by himself — holds the very samśaya — in samdēha-sea — others also drown. Rare-one knows — that-place's sukha came — many seen — asking the way, mistaken. That one knows somvaḷa — investigates roots of vikalpa — prattling-dance — those caged in viṭāḷa. That one accomplishes samdhi — vigilant in three-times by buddhi — samdēha's samdhi — bound and made. Unbroken dhyāna — sama-buddhi-samādhāna — sōnga in vain — they sit covered. For-which-doing — (the goal) which doesn't catch by any effort — Tuka says — sale — without chitta-vitta.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| स्वयें पाक करी | "cooks by himself" |
| संशय तो चि धरी | "holds the very samśaya (doubt)" |
| संदेहसागरीं । आणीक परी बुडती | "in samdēha-sea — others also drown" |
| जाणे विरळा एक | "rare-one knows" |
| जालें तेथींचे हें सुख | "that-place's sukha came" |
| देखिले बहुतेक । पुसतां वाट चुकले | "many seen — asking the way, mistaken" |
| तो चि जाणे सोंवळें | "that one knows somvaḷa" |
| शोधी विकल्पाचीं मुळें | "investigates roots of vikalpa" |
| नाचती पाल्हाळें । जे विटाळें कोंडिले | "prattling-dance — those caged in viṭāḷa" |
| तो चि साधी संधी | "that one accomplishes samdhi" |
| सावध त्रिकाळ जो बुद्धी | "vigilant in three-times by buddhi" |
| संदेहाचा संधी । वेठी आणि करियेले | "samdēha's samdhi — bound and made" |
| अखंड ते ध्यान । समबुद्धी समाधान | "unbroken dhyāna — sama-buddhi samādhāna" |
| सोंग वांयांविण । ते झांकून बैसती | "sōnga in vain — they sit covered" |
| करणें जयासाटीं । जो नातुडे कवणे आटी | "for-which-doing — (the goal) which doesn't catch — by any effort" |
| तुका म्हणे साटी । चित्तवित्तेवांचूनि | "Tuka says — sale — without chitta-vitta" |
What it means
Anti-doubt + investigates-vikalpa-roots + samdhi-by-buddhi + chitta-vitta abhang. A 5-verse philosophical-meditation in long-meter.
The opening: svayē pāka karī — samśaya tō chi dharī — samdēha-sāgarīm — āṇīka parī buḍatī — cooks by himself — holds the very doubt — in samdēha-sea — others also drown. Self-cooking with-doubt-still-held leads-to-others-drowning in the sea-of-doubt.
The rare-one: jāṇē viraḷā ēka — jālēm tēthīñcē hēm sukha — dēkhilē bahutēka — pusatām vāṭa cukalē — rare-one knows — that-place's sukha came — many seen — asking the way, mistaken. Many appear-on-the-path but mistake-the-way; only-the-rare-one reaches.
The vikalpa-roots: tō chi jāṇē sōmvaḷēm — śōdhī vikalpācīm muḷē — nācatī pālhāḷē — jē viṭāḷēm kōṇḍilē — that one knows somvaḷa — investigates vikalpa-roots — prattling-dance — those caged in viṭāḷa. Vikalpa = the alternative-imaginary-construction; the true-knower investigates-its-roots. Pālhāḷa = long-pratting; those caged in viṭāḷa (= trapped-in-pollution-distinctions) merely-prattle.
The samdhi: tō chi sādhī samdhi — sāvadha tri-kāḷa jō buddhī — samdēhācā samdhī — vēṭhī āṇi kariyēlē — that one accomplishes the samdhi (juncture) — vigilant in three-times by buddhi — samdēha's samdhi — bound and made. Real-one accomplishes the right-juncture (= timely-action) by being-vigilant-in-past-present-future; while doubt-bondage is-merely-imposed-and-fabricated.
The covered-sōnga: akhaṇḍa tē dhyāna — sama-buddhī samādhāna — sōnga vāyām-vīṇa — tē jhānkūna baisatī — unbroken dhyāna — sama-buddhi-samādhāna — vain disguise — sit covered. (True-bhaktas have) unbroken dhyāna and sama-buddhi-satisfaction; (the false ones) — vain-disguise — sit-cover-up.
The closing: karaṇēm jayāsāṭīm — jō nātuḍē kavaṇē āṭī — Tukā mhaṇē sāṭī — chitta-vittē-vāñcūni — for-which doing — (the goal) which doesn't catch by any effort — Tuka says — sale — without chitta-vitta. Chitta-vitta = wealth-of-chitta. The goal which can't be caught by mere-effort — Tuka says — the sale (of self) is made only without-the-wealth-of-chitta (= only by giving-up the chitta-as-treasure).
[T]
For someone today
For today: one cooks by himself but holds the very doubt — others also drown in the samdēha-sea; only the rare-one knows — that place's sukha came to him — many are seen, but asking the way, mistaken; that one knows the truly-pure — investigates the roots of vikalpa — those caged in viṭāḷa-distinctions merely prattle; that one accomplishes the right-juncture, vigilant in three-times by buddhi — while samdēha's-juncture is merely bound and fabricated; their dhyāna is unbroken, sama-buddhi-samādhāna — but those with vain-disguise sit covered up; the goal for which one acts can't be caught by any-effort — Tuka says — the sale (of self) is made only without the wealth of chitta.
Where this applies
- When you keep generating your own doubts and end up dragging people who trust you into the same confusion
- When you see people claim to know the right path yet still lose their way even after asking for directions
- When you get tangled in arguments over who is more pure or correct instead of examining the doubt itself
- When you catch yourself performing calm or discipline for show rather than actually being settled inside