Abhanga 2717
The buddhi is vibhramśilī (fallen-from-position, deluded) at the dehānta (body's-end) nearby; in the akāḷa (wrong-time, untimeliness) of kāḷa (death/time), there is vāyachāḷā (futile-wandering).
The verse
विभ्रंशिली बुद्धि देहांत जवळी । काळाची अकाळीं वायचाळा ॥१॥
पालटलें जैसें देंठ सोडी पान । पिकलें आपण तयापरी ॥ध्रु.॥
न मारितां हीन बुद्धि दुःख पावी । माजल्याची गोवी तयापरी ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे गळ लागलिया मत्स्या । तळमळेचा तैसा लवलाहो ॥३॥
Literal translation
The buddhi is vibhramśilī (fallen-from-position, deluded) at the dehānta (body's-end) nearby; in the akāḷa (wrong-time, untimeliness) of kāḷa (death/time), there is vāyachāḷā (futile-wandering). Changed (pālaṭalē) — as the deṇṭha (stalk) releases the pāna (leaf); having pikalē (ripened) by āpaṇa (itself), in that way. Na māritā (without being struck), the inferior-buddhi suffers; like the mājalyā (the spoiled-one)'s entanglement. Tukā says: as when the fish has been gaḷa lāgaliyā (caught on the hook) — that is the same kind of taḷamaḷēñcā lavalāhō (restless-thrashing acceleration).
What it means
A short, elegant natural-release vs forced-release meditation. Vibhramśilī buddhi dehānta javaḷī — kāḷāñcī akāḷī vāyachāḷā — the buddhi is deluded at the body's-end nearby; the akāḷa of kāḷa brings futile-wandering. The dehānta (body's-end) is the death-near moment. Akāḷa (wrong-time, untimely) + kāḷa (death/time): in the untimely-death-moment, vāyachāḷā (futile-wandering) is what the unprepared-buddhi does.
The dhrūpada offers the central image: pālaṭalē jaisē deṇṭha sōḍī pāna — pikalē āpaṇa tayāparī — changed like the leaf releases its stalk — ripens by itself, that way. The ripe leaf releases-itself from the stalk without effort; the ripening happens āpaṇa (by itself, on its own). The verb is precise: deṇṭha sōḍī pāna — the leaf releases the stalk (or, by inversion, the stalk releases the leaf). The point: at full-ripeness, separation happens by-itself.
The second verse contrasts: na māritā hīna buddhi duḥkha pāvī — mājalyāñcī gōvī tayāparī — the inferior buddhi suffers without being struck; like the spoiled-one's entanglement. The inferior-buddhi generates its own suffering without external-blow. Mājalyā (the spoiled-one, the one-grown-pride-with-luxury) gets entangled in his own gōvī (knot, complication). The contrast with the ripe-leaf: the ripe-leaf releases naturally; the unripe-but-spoiled gets-tangled.
The close: gaḷa lāgaliyā matsyā — taḷamaḷēñcā lavalāhō — the hooked fish — the same kind of restless-thrashing. The inferior-buddhi + unripe-mind + fish-on-hook — all share the same taḷamaḷa (restlessness-thrashing) lavalāhō (acceleration). The thrashing increases the hook's hold; struggling makes it worse.
For someone today
The verse offers a beautiful meditation on ripeness vs hooking. The ripe leaf releases the stalk by itself; that is the model of natural-completion. The hooked fish thrashes restlessly; that is the model of forced-resistance. Inferior-buddhi suffers without being struck — its own knots make it suffer. The lesson: ripen, do not struggle. When ripeness has-actually-come, separation happens āpaṇa (by itself). When you find yourself thrashing-like-a-hooked-fish, recognize: the hook is already in; the thrashing makes it worse. Wait for the pikaḷaṇē (ripening) rather than for the violent-untangling.
Where this applies
- The natural-release vs forced-release meditation
- The ripe-leaf releases-the-stalk-by-itself image
- Recognizing the thrashing-like-hooked-fish symptom of inferior-buddhi
- Waiting for ripeness rather than fighting the hook