Abhanga 2315

Stop postponing behind books and rituals; call out to God now, out of love, because time and old age will not wait for you.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Anti-bookish + jump-for-the-Name + Pāṇḍuranga-takes-to-the-bank abhang.

The anti-bookish opening: nakō kāmhīm paḍōm granthāñchē bharīm — śīghra vrata karīm hē chi ēka — don't fall into the burden of books — do this one quick vow. Granthāñchē bharīm = into-the-burden-of-books. Śīghra vrata = quick vow. Don't-fall-into-book-burdens; do-this-one-quick-vow. Tukārām anti-bookish-bhakti position — the Name is-faster-than-all-grantha-study.

The Dēva-by-Dēva's-fondness: Dēvāchiyē chāḍē āḷavāvē Dēvā — ōsa dēha-bhāvā pāḍōniyām — invoke Dēva by Dēva's fondness — make deha-bhāva desolate. Invoke-Dēva-by-(your)-Dēva-fondness; make-deha-bhāva-desolate.

The sādhanas-fail critique: sādhanē ghālitī kāḷāchiyē mukhī — garbha-vāsa sēkīm na chukatī — sādhanas place [one] in Kāla's-mouth — garbha-vāsa finally doesn't avoid. Sādhanas place-one-in Kāla's-mouth (= they-don't-save-from-death); garbha-vāsa is-finally-not-avoided (= rebirth still-comes). Anti-formal-sādhana position.

The credit-mokṣa: udhārāchā mōkṣa hōya navhē aisā — patanāsī icchā āvaśyaka — credit-mokṣa may-or-may-not happen — the wish for fall is necessary. Udhāra = credit, on-loan. Credit-mokṣa (mokṣa-on-credit) may-or-may-not-happen; the wish-for-fall is-necessary (= one-must-actively-want-to-fall-from-the-Lord, i.e., move-away-from-samsāra).

The old-age: rōkaḍī pātalī anga-sangē jarā — ātām ujagarā kōṭhavari — old-age has come ready, body-bound — the awakening, till when. Old-age has-come-ready, body-bound; how-much-longer-the-awakening (delay)?

The closing — jump for the Name: Tukā mhaṇē ghālīm nāmā-sāṭhī uḍī — Pāṇḍuranga thaḍī pāvavīla — Tuka says: jump in for the Name's sake — Pāṇḍuranga will bring you to the bank. Jump-in for-the-sake-of-the-Name; Pāṇḍuranga will-bring-you to-the-(further)-bank.

[T]

For someone today

For today: don't fall into book-burdens — do this one quick vow; invoke Dēva by Dēva's fondness — make deha-bhāva desolate; sādhanas place one in Kāla's-mouth — garbha-vāsa not avoided; credit-mokṣa may or may not — wish for fall necessary; old-age has come, body-bound — awakening till when; Tuka says — jump for the Name's sake — Pāṇḍuranga takes to the bank.

Where this applies

• When you keep studying, reading, or preparing for a spiritual practice instead of actually starting it
• When you tell yourself you'll get serious about faith or change later, once things settle down
• When you notice age or time slipping by and realize you keep postponing what matters most
• When you're relying on rituals or routines out of habit without any real love behind them

Related verses

• Abhanga 2448 — The easiest path to God is repeating divine names with love at home, right where you are,
• Abhanga 2494 — Living in devotion turns an ordinary day into a festival and removes the fear of birth and
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center