Abhanga 2846
Displaying sacred marks and titles to win honor from people is empty show if your inner life is still ruled by craving; that path leads nowhere good.
The verse
टळिा टोपी उंच दावी । जगीं मी एक गोसावी ॥१॥
अवघा वरपंग सारा । पोटीं विषयांचा थारा ॥ध्रु.॥
मुद्रा लावितां कोरोनि । मान व्हावयासी जनीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे ऐसे किती । नरका गेले पुढें जाती ॥३॥
Literal translation
Ṭīḷā ṭōpī uñca dāvī — (he) showsṭīḷā(forehead-mark) (and)ṭōpī(cap) (held-)uñca(high); jagī mī ēka gōsāvī — (claiming) in the world: I am the one (and only)gosāvī(renunciate-yogi). Avaghā vara-panga sārā — the wholevara-panga(outside-show, surface-display) (is) just (such); pōṭī viṣayāñcā thārā — (in the)pōṭī(belly) is thethārā(resting-place) ofviṣaya(sense-objects). Mudrā lāvitām kōrōnī — engraved (kōrōnī)mudrā(sectarian-marks, body-stamps) — (he) applies (them); māna hvāvayāsī janī — formāna(honor) to-come-about amongjana(people). Tukā says: aisē kitī — how many such; narakā gele puḍhē jātī — have gone tonaraka— (and) will keep-going-ahead.
What it means
The 3rd-verse of the 4-abhang anti-fake-renunciate cluster (2844-2847). Targets the pseudo-gosāvī — the ostentatious renunciate with-sect-marks-and-claims.
Ṭīḷā ṭōpī uñca dāvī — jagī mī ēka gōsāvī — (he) showsṭīḷā(forehead-mark) andṭōpī(cap) high — (claims) in the world: I am the onegosāvī. Theṭīḷā— thesectarian forehead-mark. Theṭōpī— perhaps therenunciate-cap. He displays themuñca(high, prominently) and claimsmī ēka gōsāvī—I am the (one and only) gosāvī.
Avaghā vara-panga sārā — pōṭī viṣayāñcā thārā — whole vara-panga (outside-decoration) just-such; (in the) belly, the resting-place of viṣaya. Vara-panga — the outside-display. The belly (interior, hidden) holds the viṣaya-thārā — the sense-object-resting-place. The interior is opposite-to-the-exterior.
Mudrā lāvitām kōrōnī — māna hvāvayāsī janī — engraved mudrās he applies — for the sake of māna among jana. Mudrā — the sectarian body-stamps (sometimes-tattooed or branded-on the chest or arms). Kōrōnī — engraved, carved-in. The motivation: māna hvāvayāsī janī — to-obtain honor among people. The body-marking is for social-status, not for sādhana.
The close: Tukā mhaṇe aisē kitī — narakā gele puḍhē jātī — Tukā: how many such — have gone to naraka — will keep going-ahead. The forward-projection: many have gone to hell for this; many more will go. The narrative continues.
For someone today
This is Tuka's critique of the show-off renunciate. He describes a man who wears his forehead mark and cap high and proud, proclaiming himself the one true holy man in the world. But all of that outward display is just decoration — inside, his belly is still full of craving for sense pleasures. Even the sect-marks he has engraved on his body are only there to win honor and respect from other people, not for genuine spiritual practice. Tuka warns that many people like this have already gone to ruin, and many more will follow the same path, because the display is empty when the inner life stays unchanged.
मराठी: हे तुकाराम महाराजांचे दिखाऊ साधुत्वावरचे भाष्य आहे. एक माणूस टिळा आणि टोपी अभिमानाने उंच मिरवत, स्वतःला जगातील एकमेव खरा गोसावी म्हणवतो. पण हे सगळे बाह्य प्रदर्शन केवळ सजावट आहे — आतून त्याचे पोट अजूनही विषयवासनांनी भरलेले असते. त्याच्या शरीरावर कोरलेल्या पंथचिन्हांचाही उद्देश केवळ लोकांकडून मान मिळवणे हा असतो, खरी साधना नव्हे. तुकाराम महाराज इशारा देतात की असे अनेक जण आधीच नरकात गेले आहेत आणि आणखी जातील, कारण आतले आयुष्य न बदलता केलेला हा देखावा पोकळच असतो.
Where this applies
- When someone displays religious symbols prominently to be seen as the most devout person in the room
- When a person's public image of holiness doesn't match the cravings and desires you know they still chase
- When you catch yourself adopting spiritual markers mainly to gain respect or status among others
- When you're tempted to measure someone's devotion by how visible or elaborate their outward symbols are