Abhanga 2116
Knowingly doing wrong is far worse than an honest mistake, wisdom is wasted on those who refuse to listen, and each person should honestly follow what truly feels right to their own mind.
The verse
न कळतां कोणीं मोडियेलें व्रत । तया प्रायिश्चत्त चाले कांहीं ॥१॥ जाणतियां वज्रलेप जाले थोर । तयांस अघोर कुंभपाक ॥ध्रु.॥ आतां जरी कोणी नाइके सांगतां । तया शिकवितां तें चि पाप ॥२॥ काय करूं मज देवें बोलविलें । माझें खोळंबिलें काय होतें ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे जना पाहा विचारूनी । सुख वाटे मनीं तें चि करा ॥४॥
Literal translation
If anyone unknowingly broke a vow — some prāyaścitta works. For knowing-ones — great vajra-lēpa happened — aghora-kumbhī-pāka for them. Now if anyone doesn't listen when told — teaching such-a-one is itself sin. What to do — the Deva made me speak — what was held-back of mine? Tuka says: o people, look with consideration — do what feels sukha to the mind.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| न कळतां कोणीं मोडियेलें व्रत | "if anyone unknowingly broke a vow" |
| तया प्रायिश्चत्त चाले कांहीं | "some prāyaścitta works" |
| जाणतियां वज्रलेप जाले थोर | "for knowing-ones — great vajra-lēpa happened" |
| तयांस अघोर कुंभपाक | "aghora-kumbhī-pāka for them" |
| आतां जरी कोणी नाइके सांगतां | "now if anyone doesn't listen when told" |
| तया शिकवितां तें चि पाप | "teaching such-a-one is itself sin" |
| काय करूं मज देवें बोलविलें | "what to do — the Deva made me speak" |
| माझें खोळंबिलें काय होतें | "what was held-back of mine" |
| तुका म्हणे जना पाहा विचारूनी | "Tuka says — o people, look with consideration" |
| सुख वाटे मनीं तें चि करा | "do what feels sukha to the mind" |
What it means
Unknowing-breaks-expiable + knowing-breaks-vajra-lēpa abhang.
The distinction: na kaḷatām kōṇī mōḍiyēlē vrata — tayā prāyaśchitta chālē kāhīm — if anyone unknowingly broke a vow — some prāyaścitta works. Unknowing-breaking of-vow can-be-expiated.
The knowing-breaker: jāṇatiyām vajra-lēpa jālē thōra — tayāmsa aghōra kumbha-pāka — for knowing-ones — great vajra-lēpa happened — aghora-kumbhī-pāka for them. Vajra-lēpa = thunderbolt-coating (the seal that-cannot-be-broken). Kumbhī-pāka = boiling-cauldron-hell. The knowing-breaker gets vajra-lēpa-seal of-sin; aghora-kumbhī-pāka awaits.
The non-listener: ātām jarī kōṇī nā'ikē sāngatām — tayā śikavitām tē chi pāpa — now if anyone doesn't listen when told — teaching such-a-one is itself sin. Teaching the-unlistener is-itself-sin (= wasting wisdom on-the-deaf).
The disclaimer: kāya karūm maja Dēvē bōlavilē — mājhē khōḷambilē kāya hōtē — what to do — the Deva made me speak — what was held-back of mine. Disclaim of authorship: the Lord-made-me-speak; nothing-of-mine held-back.
The closing — discretion: Tukā mhaṇē janā pāhā vichārūnī — sukha vāṭē manīm tē chi karā — o people, look with consideration — do what feels sukha to the mind. Consider-carefully; do-what-feels-sukha-to-the-mind.
[T]
For someone today
For today: if anyone unknowingly broke a vow — some prāyaścitta works; for knowing-ones — great vajra-lēpa — aghora-kumbhī-pāka; now if anyone doesn't listen when told — teaching is sin; what to do — the Deva made me speak; Tuka says — o people, look with consideration — do what feels sukha to mind.
Where this applies
- When you make a genuine mistake out of ignorance versus when you knowingly do wrong despite knowing better.
- When you keep giving advice to someone who has made clear they won't listen.
- When you wonder whether your own words or teaching truly come from a selfless place.
- When you're deciding between several paths and need to trust your own honest sense of what's right.