Abhanga 2102
For today: by sight-and-imitation, they make a guru — the consideration not known; the varma doesn't fall in place — without Pāṇḍuranga, none; art-craft can be learned — prema isn't in anyone's hand; Tuka says — the essence — bhakti — the rustic doesn't know.
The verse
देखोवेखीं करिती गुरू । नाहीं ठाउका विचारु ॥१॥ वर्म तें न पडे ठायीं । पांडुरंगाविण कांहीं ॥ध्रु.॥ शिकों कळा शिकों येती । प्रेम नाहीं कोणां हातीं ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे सार । भक्ति नेणती गव्हार ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: By sight-and-imitation, they make a guru — the consideration not known. The varma doesn't fall in place — without Pāṇḍuranga, none. Art-craft can be learned — they come learning — prema isn't in anyone's hand. Tuka says: the essence — bhakti — the rustic doesn't know.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| देखोवेखीं करिती गुरू | "by sight-and-imitation, they make a guru" |
| नाहीं ठाउका विचारु | "the consideration not known" |
| वर्म तें न पडे ठायीं | "the varma doesn't fall in place" |
| पांडुरंगाविण कांहीं | "without Pāṇḍuranga, none" |
| शिकों कळा शिकों येती | "art-craft can be learned — they come learning" |
| प्रेम नाहीं कोणां हातीं | "prema isn't in anyone's hand" |
| तुका म्हणे सार | "Tuka says — the essence" |
| भक्ति नेणती गव्हार | "bhakti — the rustic doesn't know" |
What it means
Imitation-guru + prema-not-learnable + rustic-doesn't-know-bhakti abhang.
The opening — imitation-guru: dēkhō-vēkhīm karitī gurū — nāhīm ṭhā'ukā vichāru — by sight-and-imitation, they make a guru — the consideration not known. Dēkhō-vēkhīm = by-mere-observation. They-make-someone-a-guru by-mere-watching, without-real-consideration. Tukārām's-warning against false-gurus.
The varma without Pāṇḍuranga: varma tē na paḍē ṭhāyīm — Pāṇḍurangāviṇa kāhīm — the varma doesn't fall in place — without Pāṇḍuranga, none. The varma (secret) can't-be-found without-Pāṇḍuranga.
THE PREMA-NOT-LEARNABLE LINE: śikōm kaḷā śikōm yētī — prēma nāhīm kōṇām hātīm — art-craft can be learned — they come learning — prema isn't in anyone's hand. Crafts-can-be-learned but-prema is-not-in-anyone's-hand (to-give). Prema can only be received, not taught.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē sāra — bhakti nēṇatī gavhāra — Tuka says: the essence — bhakti — the rustic doesn't know. The essence is bhakti; the rustic (gavhāra = unrefined) doesn't-know-it.
[T]
For someone today
For today: by sight-and-imitation, they make a guru — the consideration not known; the varma doesn't fall in place — without Pāṇḍuranga, none; art-craft can be learned — prema isn't in anyone's hand; Tuka says — the essence — bhakti — the rustic doesn't know.
Where this applies
- Imitation-guru-no-real-consideration.* Dēkhō-vēkhīm-gurū-vichāru-na.
- Varma-only-with-Pāṇḍuranga.* Varma-na-paḍē-Pāṇḍurangāviṇa.
- Crafts-learnable-prema-isn't.* Śikōm-kaḷā-prēma-na-hātīm.
- Bhakti-the-rustic-doesn't-know.* Sāra-bhakti-gavhāra-nēṇatī.