Abhanga 1840
Once something has genuinely ended and you've moved forward, looking back only weakens you; let go fully rather than half-heartedly.
The verse
फळ देंठींहून झडे । मग मागुतें न जोडे ॥१॥ म्हणोनि तांतडी खोटी । कारण उचिताचे पोटीं ॥ध्रु.॥ पुढें चढे हात । त्याग मागिलां उचित ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे रणीं । नये पाहों परतोनि ॥३॥
Literal translation
The fruit, from the stem, falls — then doesn't reattach. Therefore haste is wrong — the cause is in the lap of the fitting. The hand goes ahead — abandoning the past is fitting. Tuka says: in battle, no looking back.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| फळ देंठींहून झडे | "the fruit — from the stem — falls" |
| मग मागुतें न जोडे | "then again doesn't reattach" |
| म्हणोनि तांतडी खोटी | "therefore — haste is wrong (tāntaḍī khōṭā)" |
| कारण उचिताचे पोटीं | "the cause — (is) in the lap of the fitting (ucita)" |
| पुढें चढे हात | "the hand goes ahead" |
| त्याग मागिलां उचित | "abandoning — the past — is fitting" |
| तुका म्हणे रणीं | "Tuka says — in battle" |
| नये पाहों परतोनि | "no looking back" |
What it means
Don't-look-back + past-let-go abhang.
The fruit-image: phaḷa dēṇṭhīhūna jhaḍē — maga māgutē na jōḍē — the fruit fallen from the stem doesn't reattach. What's-fallen is permanently-fallen; no-going-back.
The haste-line: mhaṇōni tāntaḍī khōṭā — kāraṇa ucitācē pōṭīm — therefore haste is wrong — the cause is in the lap of the fitting. Don't-be-hasty; the cause-of-things lies-in-the-lap-of-the-fitting (= the timely-and-appropriate).
The hand-line: puḍhē caḍhē hāta — tyāga māgilām ucita — the hand goes ahead — abandoning the past is fitting. Once-the-hand-moves-forward, abandoning-the-past is fitting.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē raṇī — nayē pāhōm paratōnī — Tuka says: in battle, no looking back. Battle-image: the warrior never-looks-back; if-he-does, he-falls. (= the bhakta on-the-spiritual-path must-not-look-back-at-samsāra.)
This abhang is a short-sharp counsel on moving-forward without-regret. Once-renounced, don't-go-back.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the fruit fallen from the stem doesn't reattach; therefore haste is wrong — the cause is in the lap of the fitting; the hand goes ahead — abandoning the past is fitting; Tuka says — in battle, no looking back.
Where this applies
- When you're tempted to rush a decision instead of waiting for the right timing
- When you keep glancing back with regret at a choice, relationship, or job you've already left behind
- When you've finally committed to a new direction and old habits or people keep pulling your attention backward
- When you're in the middle of a difficult effort and hesitation or looking back would cost you the whole attempt