संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2430 of 4582

Abhanga 2430

For today: words pierce the antara like vajra — speak with care; swallow ahankāra — Nārāyaṇa dwells in the house .

When you feel tempted to fire off a sharp or cutting remark at someone.

When someone's harsh words are still bothering you even though they never touched you physically.

When you notice your ego flaring up and have a choice to hold it back instead of act on it.

The verse

वचन तें नाहीं तोडीत शरीरा । भेदत अंतरा वज्रा-ऐसें ॥१॥ कांहीं न सहावें काशा करणें । संदेह निधान देह बळी ॥ध्रु.॥ नाहीं शब्द मुखीं लागत तिखट । नाहीं जड होत पोट तेणें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जरी गिळेअहंकार । तरी वसे घर नारायण ॥३॥

Literal translation

Speech doesn't tear the body — but pierces the antara like vajra. What isn't borne — sandēha-treasure body-sacrifice. Word doesn't burn the mouth — doesn't make the stomach heavy. Tuka says: if [one] swallows ahankāra — Nārāyaṇa dwells in the house.

What it means

THE WORDS-PIERCE-ANTARA + SWALLOW-AHAṄKĀRA ABHANG.

The vajra-image: vachana tē nāhīm tōḍīta śarīrā — bhēdata antarā vajrā-aiśē — speech doesn't tear the body — pierces the antara like vajra. Speech doesn't-physically-tear; but-pierces the-antara (inner-being) like-vajra (thunderbolt-diamond). A psychology-of-words — harsh-speech is a-vajra to-the-soul, even-though it-leaves-no-physical-mark.

The not-burned-mouth: nāhīm śabda mukhīm lāgata tikhaṭa — nāhīm jaḍa hōta pōṭa tēṇē — word doesn't burn the mouth — doesn't make the stomach heavy. The speaker-feels-no-burn or weight; only the-hearer's antara-is-pierced.

THE SWALLOW-AHAṄKĀRA: Tukā mhaṇē jarī giḷē ahankāra — tarī vasē ghara Nārāyaṇa — if [one] swallows ahankāra — Nārāyaṇa dwells in the house. If-one swallows-ahankāra (= digests-and-renounces ego), Nārāyaṇa dwells-in-the-house. The ego-swallowing-condition for-divine-indwelling.

[T]

For someone today

For today: words pierce the antara like vajra — speak with care; swallow ahankāra — Nārāyaṇa dwells in the house .

Where this applies

When you're about to say something sharp to someone and think it doesn't really hurt because there's no physical mark.
When you've been on the receiving end of a cutting remark that still stings long after it was said.
When pride or ego is rising in you and you're tempted to prove yourself right at someone else's expense.
When you want more peace in your home and are looking for where to start.

Non-dual / Advaita Bhakti