Abhanga 2816
Don't confuse titles or outward appearance with real wisdom; be courteous to everyone, but reserve genuine respect for those whose hearts show real purity and love.
The verse
न मनीं ते ज्ञानी न मनीं ते पंडित । ऐसे परीचे एकएका भावें ॥१॥
धातू पोसोनियां आणिकां उपदेश । अंतरीं तो लेश प्रेम नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
न मनीं ते योगी न मनीं ते हरिदास । दर्शनें बहुवस बहुतां परीचीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे तयां नमन बाह्यात्कारी । आवडती परी चत्तिशुद्धीचे ॥३॥
Literal translation
Na manī te jñānī na manī te paṇḍita — I do not recognize-in-mind (na manī) them (as) jñānī, I do not recognize (them) (as) paṇḍita; aise parīñce eka-ekā bhāve — (those) of various-kinds-such, by their own bhāva. Dhātu pōsōnīyām āṇikām upadeśa — nourishing thedhātu(the metals/elements/body), (they give)upadeśato others; antarī to lēśa prema nāhī — inside — nolēśa(trace, atom) ofprema. Na manī te yōgī na manī te haridāsa — I do not recognize them (as) yōgī, do not recognize (them as) Haridāsa; darśane bahuvasa bahutām parīñcī — bydarśana(appearance) — ofbahuvasa(much-numerous) (kinds) — of many-people, of (their various) modes. Tukā says: tayām namana bāhyātkārī — mynamana(bow) to them isbāhyātkārī(external-only); āvaḍatī parī chittī-śuddhīñce — I love theparī(mode) ofchittī-śuddhi(chitta-purity).
What it means
A short discrimination-of-the-genuine verse. Na manī te jñānī na manī te paṇḍita — aise parīñce eka-ekā bhāve — I do not recognize-in-mind them as jñānī or paṇḍita — those of various kinds (who claim it) by their own bhāva. The bhakta refuses-internal-recognition of self-claimed jñānī/paṇḍita.
The dhrūpada gives the diagnostic: dhātu pōsōnīyām āṇikām upadeśa — antarī to lēśa prema nāhī — nourishing thedhātu(the body-elements), they give upadeśa to others — (yet) inside no trace of prema. The pattern: body-pampering and other-instructing — without prema inside. The teaching-of-others-while-pampering-the-body without-prema-inside is the failure-pattern.
The second verse extends the list: na manī te yōgī na manī te haridāsa — darśane bahuvasa bahutām parīñcī — I do not recognize them as yōgī, do not recognize them as Haridāsa — bydarśana(external-appearance) of many-people, of (their) various modes. The bhakta doesn't recognize yōgī or Haridāsa labels based on external-appearance alone.
The close: tayām namana bāhyātkārī — āvaḍatī parī chittī-śuddhīñce — my bowing to them is external-only; I love (only) theparī(mode) ofchittī-śuddhi(chitta-purity). The discipline: bow externally (because they wear-the-form), but reserve internal-love for chittī-śuddhi. The external-namaskāra is courtesy; the internal-recognition is reserved.
This pairs with 2725's avaguṇī daṇḍaṇa, guṇī pūjā — bow universally, discriminate qualitatively. And with 2761's laṭike te jñāna — jari Hari-kīrtana priya nāhī.
For someone today
This verse teaches how to tell the genuine from the merely titled. Tukaram refuses to inwardly regard someone as truly wise or learned just because they claim that status. He gives a sharp diagnostic: those who pamper their own bodies while lecturing others carry no trace of real love inside. He extends the same test to those called yogis or holy men, refusing to be swayed by outward appearance alone, however many people are impressed by it. He closes by describing his own practice: he bows to such people outwardly, out of ordinary courtesy, but keeps his real, inward respect only for those whose hearts show genuine purity. The lesson is that you can be polite to anyone wearing the outer form of holiness, but should reserve your real trust for people whose inner life actually shows love and purity of heart.
मराठी: खरे आणि केवळ पदवीधारी यांच्यातील फरक हा अभंग शिकवतो. कोणी स्वतःला ज्ञानी किंवा पंडित म्हणवत असले तरी तुकाराम त्याला मनापासून तसे मानायला नकार देतात. ते एक स्पष्ट कसोटी सांगतात — जे स्वतःचे शरीर पोसतात आणि इतरांना उपदेश करतात, त्यांच्या अंतरंगात प्रेमाचा लवलेशही नसतो. हीच कसोटी ते योगी किंवा हरिदास म्हणवणाऱ्यांनाही लावतात — बाह्य रूपावरून, कितीही लोक प्रभावित झाले तरी ते फसत नाहीत. शेवटी ते स्वतःची पद्धत सांगतात — अशा लोकांना ते वरवर नमस्कार करतात, केवळ सामान्य सौजन्य म्हणून, पण खरा, अंतःकरणातील आदर मात्र ज्यांच्या हृदयात खरी शुद्धता दिसते त्यांच्यासाठीच राखून ठेवतात. यातून हेच शिकायला मिळते की पावित्र्याचे बाह्य रूप धारण करणाऱ्या कोणाशीही सौजन्याने वागता येते, पण खरा विश्वास मात्र ज्यांच्या अंतरंगात खरे प्रेम आणि निर्मळता दिसते त्यांच्यासाठीच राखावा.
Where this applies
- The external-namaskāra-with-internal-discrimination discipline
- Recognizing that jñānī/paṇḍita/yōgī/Haridāsa labels can be without prema-inside
- The body-pampering + other-instructing + no-prema-inside pattern as failure-mode
- Chitta-śuddhi as the operative-criterion of internal-recognition