Abhanga 2394
True inner gain never breaks and travels with you everywhere, so do not let outward appearances distract your eyes from what is already yours.
The verse
लाभ खरा नये तुटी । नाहीं आडखळा भेटी ॥१॥ जाय अवघिया देशा । येथें संचलाची तैसा ॥ध्रु.॥ मग न लगे पारखी । अवघीं सकट सारखीं ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे वोळे । रूपें भुलविले डोळे ॥३॥
Literal translation
True gain has no breakage — no obstacle in meeting. Go to all countries — here stored as such. Then no need to test — all are equal. Tuka says: they turn — the form deluded the eyes.
What it means
TRUE-GAIN-NO-BREAKAGE ABHANG.
THE OPENING: lābha kharā nayē tuṭī — nāhīm āḍakhaḷā bhēṭī — true gain has no breakage — no obstacle in meeting. True-gain has-no-breakage (tuṭī) — no-obstacle in-meeting. The bhakti-gain is-unbreakable.
The everywhere-stored: jāya avaghiyā dēśā — yēthē sanchalāchī taisā — go to all countries — here stored as such. Even-traveling to-all-countries, [the gain] is-stored-here (= in-the-Lord).
The no-test: maga na lagē pārakhī — avaghīm sakaṭa sārakhīm — then no need to test — all are equal. No-need-for-testing-(parakhī = goldsmith's-test); all-are-equal.
The form-delusion: Tukā mhaṇē vōḷē — rūpē bhulavilē ḍōḷē — Tuka says: they turn — the form deluded the eyes. The form (rūpa) deludes-the-eyes (= surface-appearances-mislead).
[T]
For someone today
For today: true gain has no breakage; go anywhere — here stored; no need to test; form deludes the eyes.
Where this applies
- When you keep searching outside yourself for something valuable that was actually within you all along
- When you doubt your own inner progress and feel you need outside proof to believe it is real
- When you're dazzled by someone's impressive appearance or reputation and forget to look any deeper
- When you travel or change your circumstances hoping to find a fulfillment you already carry with you