संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2327 of 4582

Abhanga 2327

Inner faith has to take root on its own; no amount of outside wishing or effort can force it, just as a stubborn grain never softens no matter how long it cooks.

When you catch yourself hoping someone will change just because you want it for them, without real inner readiness on their part.

When you notice that going through the motions of devotion isn't the same as genuine faith taking root in you.

When you're tempted to force a spiritual practice from the outside instead of letting real conviction grow from within.

The verse

अविश्वासीयाचें शरीर सुतकी । विटाळ पातकी भेद वाही ॥१॥ काय त्याचे वेल जाईंल मांडवा । होता तैसा ठेवा आला पुढें ॥ध्रु.॥ मातेचा संकल्प व्हावा राजबिंडा । कपाळीचें धोंडा उभा ठाके ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जैसा कुचराचा दाणा । परिपाकीं अन्ना न मिळे जैसा ॥३॥

Literal translation

The body of the un-faithful is sūtaka-stained — carries viṭāḷa-pātaka bhēda. What trellis will its vine reach — what was stored, that came forth. Mother's sankalpa: let-him-be a royal-bīṇḍā — but the kapāḷa's-stone stands [as it was]. Tuka says: as the kuchara's grain — doesn't mix into cooked anna.

What it means

Unfaithful-impurity + destiny-overrides-mother's-wish + kuchara-grain-doesn't-cook abhang.

The opening — un-faithful body: aviśvāsīyāchē śarīra sūtakī — viṭāḷa pātakī bhēda vāhī — the body of the un-faithful is sūtaka-stained — carries viṭāḷa-pātaka bhēda. Aviśvāsī = un-faithful. Sūtaka = ritual-impurity from-birth-or-death-in-family. Viṭāḷa-pātaka = impurity-from-defilement-and-from-sin. The body-of-the-un-faithful is-sūtaka-stained; carries viṭāḷa-pātaka-difference.

The trellis-question: kāya tyāchē vēla jā'īmla māṇḍavā — hōtā taisā ṭhēvā ālā puḍhē — what trellis will its vine reach — what was stored, that came forth. What-trellis (māṇḍavā) will-its-vine-(of-bhakti)-reach? What-was-stored (= his-samskāras), that-came-forth (as fruit).

The mother-and-kapāḷa-stone: mātēchā sankalpa vhāvā rāja-bīṇḍā — kapāḷīchē dhōṇḍā ubhā ṭhākē — mother's sankalpa: let-him-be a royal-bīṇḍā — but the kapāḷa's-stone stands [as it was]. Rāja-bīṇḍā = royal-bīṇḍa, royal-person. Kapāḷīchē dhōṇḍā = the stone (= destiny) on-the-forehead. The mother's-sankalpa (resolve) is: let-him-be-a-royal-person; but the kapāḷa's-stone (= the forehead-destiny-mark) stands as-it-was. Even the-mother's-resolve cannot-override the-prior-destiny.

The closing — kuchara-grain image: Tukā mhaṇē jaisā kucharāchā dāṇā — pari-pākīm annā na miḷē jaisā — Tuka says: as the kuchara's grain — doesn't mix into cooked anna. Kuchara = non-coalescing, the-stubborn-grain. Pari-pāka = complete-cooking. As the kuchara's-grain doesn't-mix-into-cooked-anna (= some-grains never-cook-with-the-rest) — likewise the un-faithful-mind never-blends-with-bhakti.

[T]

For someone today

For today: body of un-faithful is sūtaka-stained — carries viṭāḷa-pātaka; what trellis will its vine reach — stored samskāras come forth; mother's wish: royal-bīṇḍā — but kapāḷa's-stone stands; Tuka says — kuchara's-grain doesn't mix into cooked anna.

Where this applies

When you keep hoping someone will change simply because you want it badly for them, despite no real shift happening inside them.
When you notice that effort and outward wishing alone aren't enough to make faith or devotion take root in someone.
When a parent or loved one dreams of a better path for someone but that person's own inner readiness doesn't match the dream.
When you're trying to force yourself into a devotional practice that hasn't truly taken root inside you yet.

Non-dual / Advaita Bhakti Mother / Family bond