संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2373 of 4582

Abhanga 2373

Human life is a rare chance to walk a clear path while there is still daylight, so do not willfully blind yourself, because the chance will not come around again so easily.

When you catch yourself avoiding a clear opportunity because you fear future criticism

When you recognize this moment of clarity in your life will not last or repeat easily

When you choose to speak up anyway, hoping the right person hears you

The verse

येऊनि नरदेहा झांकितील डोळे । बळें चि अंधळे होती लोक ॥१॥ उजडासरसी न चलती वाट । पुढील बोभाट जाणोनियां ॥ध्रु.॥ बहु फेरे आले सोसोनि वोळसा । पुढें नाहीं ऐसा लाभ मग ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जाऊं सादावीत वाट । भेटे तरी भेटो कोणी तरी ॥३॥

Literal translation

Having come to human-body, they close their eyes — by force, people become blind. With daylight, they don't walk the path — knowing future uproar. Many rounds came, sufferings borne — afterward not-such-gain. Tuka says: let's go calling-out the path — if anyone meets, let them meet.

What it means

HUMAN-BIRTH-OPPORTUNITY-MISSED ABHANG.

THE OPENING: yē'ūni nara-dēhā jhānkitīla ḍōḷē — baḷē chi andhaḷē hōtī lōka — having come to human-body, they close their eyes — by force, people become blind. Having-come to-human-body, [people] close-their-eyes; by-force, become-blind. Human-birth is-the-rare-opportunity but-people willfully-blind-themselves.

The daylight-walked: ujaḍāsarasī na chalatī vāṭa — puḍhīla bōbhāṭa jāṇōniyām — with daylight, they don't walk the path — knowing future uproar. With-daylight-(the-rare-human-birth's-clarity), they-don't-walk-the-path; knowing-the-future-uproar (= consequences-to-come).

The many-rounds: bahu phērē ālē sōsōni vōḷasā — puḍhē nāhīm aiśā lābha maga — many rounds came, sufferings borne — afterward not-such-gain. Many-rounds came, sufferings-borne; afterward (= after-this-human-birth) no-such-gain-again.

The closing — call-out-the-path: Tukā mhaṇē jāūm sādāvīta vāṭa — bhēṭē tarī bhēṭō kōṇī tarī — Tuka says: let's go calling-out the path — if anyone meets, let them meet. Let's-go calling-out-the-path; if-anyone-meets, let-them-meet. The bhakta's-public-call — Tukārām commits to-shouting-the-bhakti-path in-public, hoping-at-least-someone-will-meet.

[T]

For someone today

For today: human-body received, eyes closed by force; daylight unwalked; many rounds before, no such gain after; let's call out the path — let someone meet.

Where this applies

When you keep postponing a change you know you need to make right now
When fear of what others will say stops you from doing the right thing today
When you realize a rare opportunity in front of you will not repeat itself easily
When you decide to speak up for something good even if only a few people respond

Bhakti