संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2885 of 4582

Abhanga 2885

Hōūm nakō kāmhī yā manā ādhīna — don't become subject in any way to this mind; nāike vachana yāñce kāmhī — don't hear any of its vachana (words).

The canonical don't-become-mana-adhīna mind-discipline
Recognizing the mind's-words as not-to-be-heard
Hold-Viṭhōbā's-sōī instead — bhakti-side over mind-side

The verse

होऊं नको कांहीं या मना आधीन । नाइकें वचन याचें कांहीं ॥१॥ हटियाची गोष्टी मोडून टाकावी । सोईं ही धरावी विठोबाची ॥ध्रु.॥ आपुले आधीन करूनियां ठेवा । नाहीं तरि जीवा घातक हें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जाले जे मना आधीन । तयांसी बंधन यम करी ॥३॥

Literal translation

Hōūm nakō kāmhī yā manā ādhīnadon't become subject in any way to this mind; nāike vachana yāñce kāmhīdon't hear any of its vachana (words). Haṭiyāñcī gōṣṭi mōḍūn ṭākāvīthe haṭiyāñcī gōṣṭi (stubborn-tale, mind's stubborn-talk) — should be broken-and-cast-aside; sōī hī dharāvī Viṭhōbāñcīhold the sōī (supporting-side) of Viṭhōbā. Āpule ādhīna karōnīyām ṭhevākeep (yourself) under your own ādhīna (control); nāhī tari jīvā ghātaka heotherwise this is jīva-ghātaka (jīva-killer). Tukā says: jāle je manā ādhīnathose who become subject-to-the-mind; tayāmsī bandhana yama karīto them — yama makes bandhana (bondage).

What it means

A short mind-discipline verse. Hōūm nakō kāmhī yā manā ādhīna — nāike vachana yāñce kāmhīdon't become subject to this mind — don't hear any of its words. The opening-discipline: the mind is not-to-be-obeyed; don't-listen-to-its-words.

Haṭiyāñcī gōṣṭi mōḍūn ṭākāvī — sōī hī dharāvī Viṭhōbāñcīthe stubborn-mind-tale should be broken-and-cast — hold Viṭhōbā's supporting-side. The strategy: break-the-mind's-stubborn-narrative; replace-with-Viṭhōbā-support.

Āpule ādhīna karōnīyām ṭhevā — nāhī tari jīvā ghātaka hekeep yourself under your own control — otherwise this is jīva-killer. The choice: self-control or jīva-destruction.

Tukā mhaṇe jāle je manā ādhīna — tayāmsī bandhana yama karīthose who become mind-subject — to them yama makes bandhana. The eschatological-claim: mana-ādhīna people are bandhana-bound by yama.

For someone today

A canonical mind-discipline. Don't become subject to this mind — don't hear any of its words. The stubborn-mind-tale — break and cast aside. Hold Viṭhōbā's supporting-side. Keep yourself under your own control — otherwise this is jīva-killer. Those who become mind-subject — yama binds them. The verse permits clear-anti-mind-discipline: (1) don't obey the mind; (2) don't hear its words; (3) break its stubborn-narratives; (4) hold Viṭhōbā's side; (5) maintain self-control. The diagnostic: mind-subjection leads to yama-bandhana. The discipline: replace mind-side with Viṭhōbā-side.

Where this applies

Related verses