Abhanga 2171
Holiness of place does not excuse wrongdoing real fasting needs real listening, real connection is inward, and simple, faithful devotion at the Lord's equal feet is enough.
The verse
पंढरीस घडे अतित्यायें मृत्य । तो जाय पतित अधःपाता ॥१॥ दुराचारें मोक्ष सुखाचे वसति । भोळी बाळमूर्ति पांडुरंग ॥ध्रु.॥ केला न सहावे तीर्थउपवास । कथेविण दोषसाधन तें ॥२॥ कालियापें भेद मानितां निवडे । श्रोत्रियांसी जोडे आंतेजेता ॥३॥ माहेरीं सलज्ज ते जाणा सिंदळी । काळिमा काजळी पावविते ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे तेथें विश्वास जतन । पुरे भीमास्नान सम पाय ॥५॥
Literal translation
At Pandharī, if untimely death befalls — that one falls fallen to the lower fall. By [crossing] durāchāra — the dwelling of moksha-sukha — the simple child-form Pāṇḍuranga. Don't take tīrtha-fast — without kathā it's a sādhana of doṣa. Holding bhēda with a kaliyug-person separates — śrōtriya joins inwardly. She who's shy at parents' house — know her a sinḍaḷī — she brings darkness, soot. Tuka says: there, guard the faith — Bhīmā-bath suffices — equal feet.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| पंढरीस घडे अतित्यायें मृत्य | "at Pandharī, if untimely death befalls" |
| तो जाय पतित अधःपाता | "that one falls fallen to the lower fall" |
| दुराचारें मोक्ष सुखाचे वसति | "by [crossing] durāchāra — the dwelling of moksha-sukha" |
| भोळी बाळमूर्ति पांडुरंग | "the simple child-form Pāṇḍuranga" |
| केला न सहावे तीर्थउपवास | "don't take tīrtha-fast" |
| कथेविण दोषसाधन तें | "without kathā it's a sādhana of doṣa" |
| कालियापें भेद मानितां निवडे | "holding bhēda with a kaliyug-person separates" |
| श्रोत्रियांसी जोडे आंतेजेता | "śrōtriya joins inwardly" |
| माहेरीं सलज्ज ते जाणा सिंदळी | "she who's shy at parents' house — know her a sinḍaḷī (immodest)" |
| काळिमा काजळी पावविते | "she brings darkness, soot" |
| तुका म्हणे तेथें विश्वास जतन | "Tuka says — there, guard the faith" |
| पुरे भीमास्नान सम पाय | "Bhīmā-bath suffices — equal feet" |
What it means
Pandharī-death-warning + Pāṇḍuranga-bhōḷī-bāḷa-mūrti + Bhīmā-snāna-sama-pāya abhang. A multi-verse teaching-piece.
The Pandharī-death warning: Pandharīsa ghaḍē atityāyē mṛtya — tō jāya patita adhaḥ-pātā — at Pandharī, if untimely death befalls — that one falls fallen to the lower fall. An untimely-death (atityāyē mṛtya = death-by-violation-of-religious-injunction, suicide, etc.) at Pandharī still-falls to-the-lower-fall. (= the place doesn't-save against improper-conduct.)
The Pāṇḍuranga-as-naive-child: durāchārē mōkṣa-sukhāchē vasati — bhōḷī bāḷamūrti Pāṇḍuranga — by [crossing] durāchāra — the dwelling of moksha-sukha — the simple child-form Pāṇḍuranga. Bhōḷī = simple, naive, gullible. Bāḷamūrti = child-form. Pāṇḍuranga is the-bhōḷī-bāḷa-mūrti (the simple-child-form) — but durāchāra is-still durāchāra; one-must-cross-durāchāra to-reach-mokṣa-sukha-dwelling. (= the Lord is naive-and-affectionate-as-a-child, but proper-conduct is-still-required.)
The tīrtha-and-kathā: kēlā na sahāvē tīrtha-upavāsa — kathēviṇa dōṣa-sādhana tē — don't take tīrtha-fast — without kathā it's a sādhana of doṣa. Without-kathā, tīrtha-and-fast become a-sādhana-of-doṣa (defect). Kathā (the-storytelling-of-the-Lord) is-the-essence; rituals-without-it-misfire.
The kaliyug-person and śrōtriya: kāliyāpē bhēda mānitām nivaḍē — śrōtriyāmsī jōḍē āntejēta — holding bhēda with a kaliyug-person separates — śrōtriya joins inwardly. Bhēda (discrimination) with-a-kaliyug-person isolates; with-a-śrōtriya (Veda-knower) one-joins-inwardly.
The māhēr-shyness: māhērīm salajja tē jāṇā sinḍaḷī — kāḷimā kājaḷī pāvavitē — she who's shy at parents' house — know her a sinḍaḷī — she brings darkness, soot. Māhēra = parents' house. Sinḍaḷī = unchaste woman. A married-woman who's-shy at-her-parents'-house is-actually a-sinḍaḷī (= her shyness reveals-her-misconduct elsewhere); she-brings darkness, soot (= disgrace). (= false-shyness in-the-natural-place-of-openness reveals true-impropriety.)
The closing — Bhīmā-snāna-equal-feet: Tukā mhaṇē tēthē viśvāsa jatana — purē Bhīmā-snāna sama pāya — Tuka says: there, guard the faith — Bhīmā-bath suffices — equal feet. Bhīmā = the Bhīmā river at Pandharī. Sama pāya = equal feet (of the Lord). Guard the-faith there; bathing-in-Bhīmā suffices — the-Lord's-equal-feet. (= true viśvāsa + Bhīmā-snāna + Viṭhṭhal's-sama-pāya-form is-enough.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: Pandharī-untimely-death still falls to lower fall; durāchāra crossed → moksha-sukha-dwelling, Pāṇḍuranga-bhōḷī-bāḷa-mūrti; tīrtha-fast no use without kathā; bhēda with kaliyug-person separates, śrōtriya joins inwardly; māhēr-shyness = sinḍaḷī; Tuka says — guard the faith — Bhīmā-snāna-sama-pāya.
Where this applies
- When you assume that visiting a holy place or performing a ritual will protect you no matter how you actually live.
- When you go through religious motions like fasting without ever really listening to or absorbing the teaching behind them.
- When you catch yourself judging or shutting out someone instead of building an honest, inward connection with people who truly understand.
- When you notice yourself acting overly reserved or modest around your own family, and realize that itself is a sign something is being hidden.