Abhanga 2816
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.
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 the dhātu (the metals/elements/body), (they give) upadeśa to others; antarī to lēśa prema nāhī — inside — no lēśa (trace, atom) of prema. 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 — by darśana (appearance) — of bahuvasa (much-numerous) (kinds) — of many-people, of (their various) modes. Tukā says: tayām namana bāhyātkārī — my namana (bow) to them is bāhyātkārī (external-only); āvaḍatī parī chittī-śuddhīñce — I love the parī (mode) of chittī-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 the dhātu (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 — by darśana (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) the parī (mode) of chittī-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
A useful discrimination-of-the-genuine verse. I don't recognize them as jñānī or paṇḍita — those of various-kinds-by-their-own-bhāva. Nourishing the body, teaching others — yet no trace of prema inside. I don't recognize them as yōgī or Haridāsa by external-appearance. My bowing is external-only — I love only the mode of chitta-śuddhi. The discipline: external-namaskāra + internal-discrimination. You can bow to anyone wearing-the-form (politeness, social-courtesy), but reserve internal-recognition for those who-display chittī-śuddhi. The body-pampering + other-instructing + no-prema-inside pattern is the canonical-warning.
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