संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1789 of 4582

Abhanga 1789

For today: deva is not grasped by hyperbolic-speech — speak the inner secret-bhāva of the mind with śuddhi; Paramānanda knows the inner-bhēda — that is the one with whom conversation must be had; Tuka says — if (you want) your own welfare, make the chitta with śuddha-bhāva.

When you'd warn against hyperbolic-bhakti-speech + advise śuddha-bhāva — lāpanika-śabda-na-tuḍē; manī-guhya-bhāva-śuddha-bōlā; svahita-citta-śuddha-bhāva

The verse

लापनिकशब्दें नातुडे हा देव । मनिंचे गुह्य भाव शुद्ध बोला ॥१॥ अंतरिंचा भेद जाणे परमानंद । जयासी संवाद करणें लागे ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जरी आपुलें स्वहित । तरी करीं चत्ति शुद्धभावें ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Deva is not grasped by lāpanika-śabda — speak the inner secret-bhāva of the mind with śuddhi. Paramānanda knows the inner-bhēda — the one with whom conversation must be had. Tuka says: if (you want) your own welfare, make the chitta with śuddha-bhāva.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
लापनिकशब्दें नातुडे हा देव "by lāpanika-śabda (= hyperbolic / exaggerated speech) — this devais not grasped"
मनिंचे गुह्य भाव शुद्ध बोला "the inner-secret-bhāva of the mindspeak with śuddhi"
अंतरिंचा भेद जाणे परमानंद "the inner-bhēdaParamānanda knows"
जयासी संवाद करणें लागे "(the one) with whomconversationmust be had"
तुका म्हणे जरी आपुलें स्वहित "Tuka says — ifyour own welfare (svahita)"
तरी करीं चत्ति शुद्धभावें "thenmakethe chittawith śuddha-bhāva"

What it means

Anti-hyperbole + svahita-with-śuddha-bhāva abhang.

The opening: lāpanika-śabdēm nātuḍē hā dēva — manīñcē guhya bhāva śuddha bōlādeva is not grasped by hyperbolic-speech — speak the inner secret-bhāva with śuddhi. Lāpanika-śabda = hyperbolic / pompous speech (= the over-rhetorical bhakti-display, the verbose-stuti, the elaborate-stotra); manīñcē guhya bhāva = the inner-secret-bhāva of the mind; śuddha bōlā = speak with śuddhi (purity / clarity). The Lord is not-impressed-by elaborate-rhetoric; he wants the simple-secret-bhāva spoken-purely. (= anti-rhetorical-bhakti, pro-simple-honest-bhāva.)

The Paramānanda-line: antarīñcā bhēda jāṇē Paramānanda — jayāsī samvāda karaṇēm lāgēParamānanda knows the inner-bhēda — the one with whom conversation must be had. Antarīñcā bhēda = the inner-bhēda (= the inner-distinction / the secret-of-the-heart); Paramānanda = the supreme-bliss / Paramātmā. The Lord-of-paramānanda already knows-your-inner-secret; he is the one-with-whom you must-converse. No-need-for-rhetoric since-he-already-knows.

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē jarī āpulēm svahita — tarī karīm citta śuddha-bhāvēmTuka says: if (you want) your own welfare, make the chitta with śuddha-bhāva. Svahita = one's own welfare; citta śuddha-bhāvēm = the chitta with śuddha-bhāva (= the heart with pure-feeling). For svahita, only śuddha-bhāva works.

This abhang is a short, sharp methodological-counsel: don't perform-elaborate-bhakti-rhetoric; the Lord knows-the-inner-bhāva; speak-simply-with-śuddha-bhāva.

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For someone today

For today: deva is not grasped by hyperbolic-speech — speak the inner secret-bhāva of the mind with śuddhi; Paramānanda knows the inner-bhēda — that is the one with whom conversation must be had; Tuka says — if (you want) your own welfare, make the chitta with śuddha-bhāva.

Where this applies

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