Abhanga 2465
Teaching forced on someone without real authority or readiness is empty performance; true guidance comes naturally, like rain falling on ready soil, and only counts when grounded in genuine, tested experience.
The verse
नसतां अधिकार उपदेशासी बळत्कार । तरि ते केले हो चार माकडा आणि गारूडी ॥१॥ धन धान्य राज्य बोल वृथा रंजवणें फोल । नाहीं तेथें ओल बीज वेची मूर्ख तो ॥ध्रु.॥ नये बांधों गांठी पदरा आण ऐसी तुटी । असोन कसोटी शिष्टाचार अनुभव ॥२॥ उपदेसी तुका मेघ वृष्टीनें आइका । संकल्पासी धोका सहज तें उत्तम ॥३॥
Literal translation
Without authority, forcing upadeśa — they made a deal between monkey and snake-charmer. Empty pleasing-words, fool sows seed where no moisture. Don't tie knots in the pallu — try with anubhava. Tukā teaches like cloud's-rain, listen — danger to sankalpa, natural is best.
What it means
THE ANTI-PRETENDER-GURU ABHANG.
The monkey-and-snake-charmer: mākaḍā āṇi gāruḍī — monkey and snake-charmer. Forcing-upadeśa-without-adhikāra is-like the-deal-between-monkey-and-snake-charmer — exploiting-the-monkey for-show-business. A vivid critique of pretender-gurus.
The dry-soil-seed: nāhīm tēthē ōla bīja vēnchī mūrkha tō — fool sows seed where no moisture. Sowing-seed in-dry-soil is-fool's-work.
The cloud-rain: upadēsī Tukā mēgha vṛṣṭīnē ā'ikā — Tukā teaches like cloud's-rain. Tukā's teaching is-like-rain — falls-naturally on-receptive-ground.
[T]
For someone today
For today: forcing upadeśa without authority = monkey-charmer deal; empty pleasing-words, sowing in dry soil; Tukā teaches like cloud's rain.
Where this applies
- When you're tempted to give advice or spiritual guidance to someone who hasn't asked for it or isn't ready to hear it
- When you try to talk or flatter someone into a promise or commitment they don't genuinely feel
- When you notice a teacher or leader performing wisdom rather than speaking from real, tested experience
- When you're eager to share what you know and need to remember that timing and receptivity matter more than persistence