Abhanga 2212
Words about commitment are empty until they are tested by real sacrifice, so speak only after your resolve has actually been proven through action.
The verse
नाहीं जों वेचलों जिवाचिया त्यागें । तोंवरी वाउगें काय बोलों ॥१॥ जाणिवलें आतां करीं ये उदेश । जोडी किंवा नाश तुमची जीवें ॥ध्रु.॥ ठायींचे चि आलें होतें ऐसें मना । जावें ऐसें वना दृढ जालें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे मग वेचीन उत्तरें । उद्धेसिलें खरें जाल्यावरी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Until I've spent [myself] by jīva-tyāga — till then, what empty-words to speak? Let me now make this resolve — your-jīva either finds [me] or vanishes. This very thought arose from the place — to go to the vana — became firm. Tuka says: then I will spend words — only after the resolve becomes real.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नाहीं जों वेचलों जिवाचिया त्यागें | "until I've spent [myself] by jīva-tyāga" |
| तोंवरी वाउगें काय बोलों | "till then, what empty-words to speak" |
| जाणिवलें आतां करीं ये उदेश | "let me now make this resolve" |
| जोडी किंवा नाश तुमची जीवें | "your-jīva — either finds [me] or vanishes" |
| ठायींचे चि आलें होतें ऐसें मना | "this very thought arose from the place [my mind]" |
| जावें ऐसें वना दृढ जालें | "to go to the vana — became firm" |
| तुका म्हणे मग वेचीन उत्तरें | "Tuka says — then I will spend words" |
| उद्धेसिलें खरें जाल्यावरी | "only after the resolve becomes real" |
What it means
No-more-empty-words-till-jīva-tyāga + go-to-the-vana-resolve abhang. Second abhang of the niḍrā-cluster (2211-2230) — the forest-retreat resolve.
The opening — no-empty-words: nāhīm jōm vēchalōm jīvāchiyā tyāgē — tōmvarī vāugē kāya bōlōm — until I've spent [myself] by jīva-tyāga — till then, what empty-words to speak. Until I-have-spent-myself by-jīva-renunciation (= until the resolution-is-tested), what's-the-use of-empty-words?
The find-or-vanish: jāṇavilē ātām karīm yē udēśa — jōḍī kimvā nāśa tumacī jīvē — let me now make this resolve — your-jīva either finds [me] or vanishes. Udēśa = resolve, intention. Jōḍī = meets, joins. Nāśa = vanishes, perishes. Let me-make-this-resolve now: your-jīva (= my-life-which-is-yours) either-meets-(you) or-vanishes. An ultimatum to Viṭhṭhal: either-meet-me, or-let-me-die.
The forest-retreat resolve: ṭhāyīñchē chi ālē hōtē aisē manā — jāvē aisē vanā dṛḍha jālē — this very thought arose from the place [in my mind] — to go to the vana — became firm. Vana = forest, wilderness. Dṛḍha = firm. The thought arose-from-the-very-place-in-the-mind: to-go-to-the-vana (forest-retreat). The resolve has-become firm. Tukārām considering vana-prasthāna (forest-retreat) in-response-to-public-harassment — a classic-bhakta-response, but for-Tukārām unusual since-he-was-householder.
The closing — words-after-resolve-tested: Tukā mhaṇē maga vēchīna uttarē — uddhēsilē kharē jālyāvarī — Tuka says: then I will spend words — only after the resolve becomes real. Only-after the-resolve becomes-real, then-I-will spend-words again.
The poetry-renunciation thread: this abhang is consistent-with-the-kavitvā-buḍavaṇē moment — the bhakta resolves no-more-empty-poetry until-the-jīva-is-tested by tyāga.
[T]
For someone today
For today: until I've spent myself by jīva-tyāga — till then, empty-words are useless; let me resolve — your jīva finds me or vanishes; thought arose to go to the vana — firm; Tuka says — words spent only after resolve real.
Where this applies
- When you realize you have been talking about a commitment without ever actually testing it through real sacrifice
- When you decide to give an all-or-nothing ultimatum to yourself about a goal, rather than settling for half measures
- When you feel the pull to withdraw from public pressure or harassment and retreat somewhere quiet to find clarity
- When you decide to stay silent about your intentions until your actions have actually proven them real