Abhanga 2031
A stone only becomes an image of God by enduring the chisel, so the mind becomes steady for spiritual practice the same way, by enduring what shapes it rather than avoiding it.
The verse
साहोनियां टांकीघाये । पाषाण देव चि जाला पाहें ॥१॥ तया रीती दृढ मन । करीं साधाया कारण ॥ध्रु.॥ बाण शस्त्र साहे गोळी । सुरां ठाव उंच स्थळीं ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे सती । अग्न न देखे ज्या रीती ॥३॥ ॥२॥
Literal translation
Enduring the chisel-blows — the stone became Deva itself, see. By that very way make the mind firm — for the cause of sādhanā. Arrow, weapon, bullet endure — the valiant get high place. Tuka says: as the satī — doesn't see fire by that very way. ॥2॥
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| साहोनियां टांकीघाये | "enduring the chisel-blows" |
| पाषाण देव चि जाला पाहें | "the stone became Deva itself, see" |
| तया रीती दृढ मन | "by that very way — make the mind firm" |
| करीं साधाया कारण | "for the cause of sādhanā" |
| बाण शस्त्र साहे गोळी | "arrow, weapon, bullet endure" |
| सुरां ठाव उंच स्थळीं | "the valiant get high place" |
| तुका म्हणे सती | "Tuka says — as the satī" |
| अग्न न देखे ज्या रीती | "doesn't see fire by that very way" |
| ॥२॥ | "colophon-2 — closes 2-abhang sub-cluster (2030-2031)" |
What it means
Stone-becomes-Deva-by-enduring-chisel + satī-doesn't-see-fire abhang. CLOSES 2-ABHANG SUB-CLUSTER (2030-2031).
THE FOUNDATIONAL IMAGE — stone-becomes-Deva: sāhōniyām ṭānkī-ghāyē — pāṣāṇa Dēva chi jālā pāhē — enduring the chisel-blows — the stone became Deva itself. Ṭānkī = the sculptor's-chisel. The raw-stone becomes-a-Deva-mūrti only-by-enduring chisel-blows. One of Tukārām's most-famous endurance-images — the saint endures-criticism (the chisel) and-becomes-Deva.
The application: tayā rītī dṛḍha mana — karī sādhāyā kāraṇa — by that very way make the mind firm — for the cause of sādhanā. Make-the-mind-firm-this-way for-sādhanā.
The valiant: bāṇa śastra sāhē gōḷī — surām ṭhāva uñcha sthaḷī — arrow, weapon, bullet endure — the valiant get high place. The valiant-warrior (sūra) endures arrows-weapons-bullets, gets the-high-place (= heaven).
The satī image: Tukā mhaṇē satī — agna na dēkhē jyā rītī — Tuka says: as the satī — doesn't see fire by that very way. The satī, when-burning, doesn't-see-the-fire-as-fire (= her single-pointed-focus on-the-pati transcends-the-fire). Three endurance-images: stone, valiant-warrior, satī — all-three-transcend through-resolute-endurance.
Colophon ॥२॥ confirms 2-abhang sub-cluster (2030-2031).
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For someone today
For today: enduring chisel-blows — the stone became Deva; by that way make mind firm for sādhanā; arrow-weapon-bullet endure — valiant get high place; Tuka says — as satī — doesn't see fire by that way.
Where this applies
- When you are going through a difficult training, discipline, or practice that feels like constant chipping away
- When you want to give up on a spiritual practice because it feels slow or painful
- When you are facing hardship or opposition and need a reason to hold your ground with a steady mind
- When you notice that the hardest periods of your life were also the ones that shaped you most