Abhanga 2102
Picking a guru by mere imitation misses the point, because skills can be taught but true love and devotion cannot be handed to you, they must be genuinely felt.
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
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
- When you are choosing a teacher or mentor mainly because everyone else follows them, without thinking it through yourself
- When you have mastered techniques or rituals but still feel something essential, real feeling, is missing
- When you assume love or devotion can be taught step by step like a skill, and get frustrated that it will not come that way
- When you mistake outward learning or credentials for the deeper, felt connection that actually matters