Abhanga 3179
External pilgrimage often only relocates the inner state. Sit at the root of the mind. Don't feed every desire that arises — digest it inward and that very energy returns as sukha. Samkalpa is the seed that becomes your prārabdha.
The verse
तीर्थाचिये आस पंथ तो निट देव । पाविजेतो ठाव अंतराय ॥१॥
म्हणऊनि भलें निश्चळ चि स्थळीं । मनाचिये मुळीं बैसोनियां ॥ध्रु.॥
संकल्पारूढ तें प्रारब्धें चि जिणें । कार्य चि कारणें वाढतसे ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे कामा नाहीं एक मुख । जिरवितां सुख होतें पोटीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
Tīrthāchiyē āsa pantha tō niṭa Deva — for the longing of tīrtha, the direct path is Deva himself; pāvijētō ṭhāva antarāya — the place is gained — (and so is) antarāya. Mhaṇaūni bhalē niśchala chi sthaḷīm — manāchiyē muḷīm baisōniyām — therefore (it is) good in a niścala sthaḷa — sitting at the mūla of the mana. Samkalpārūḍha tem prārabdhēm chi jiṇē — kārya chi kāraṇē vāḍhatasē — that which is samkalpa-mounted is the life of prārabdha — kārya itself grows by kāraṇa. Tukā mhaṇe kāmā nāhīm ēka mukha — jiravitām sukha hōtem pōṭīm — Tukā says: kāma has not one mouth — by digesting (it), sukha sits in the pōṭa.
What it means
A 4-verse inwardness-text. Tīrtha-yātrā externalizes longing — but the direct path is Deva, not the destination; and travel itself produces antarāya (interruptions, hazards). Better: sit at the root of the mana in a motionless place. Samkalpa shapes prārabdha. Kāma (desire) is hydra-mouthed — it multiplies if fed; digested inwardly, it becomes belly-sukha.
For someone today
External pilgrimage often only relocates the inner state. Sit at the root of the mind. Don't feed every desire that arises — digest it inward and that very energy returns as sukha. Samkalpa is the seed that becomes your prārabdha.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's direct-tīrtha-is-Deva; digest-desire-inward canonical
- Companion to 2942 (true-samnyāsa = samkalpa-destruction)