Abhanga 3479
Stop pounding empty husks and sucking dry pulp for juice that is not there, and ask instead for the real presence to come close and speak.
The verse
जेथें पाहें तेथें कांडिती भूस । चिपाडें चोखूनि पाहाती रस ॥१॥
काय सांगों देवा भुलले जीव । बहु यांची येतसे कींव ॥ध्रु.॥
वेठीचें मोटळें लटिकें चि फुगे । पेणिया जाऊनि भिक्षा मागे ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे कां उगे चि खोल । जवळी दाखवी आपणां बोल ॥३॥
Literal translation
Pounding-bhūsa-husk, sucking-chipāḍa-residue. Jīvas-bhulalē — pity-arises. Vēṭha-bundle-bloats-falsely — goes-to-pēṇa-begging-bhikṣā. Tukā: why-stay-deep — speak-show-yourself-near.
What it means
A sharp 3-verse text with 3 concrete-images of empty-pursuit: (1) pounding-chaff for nonexistent-grain; (2) chewing already-chewed-cane-residue for nonexistent-juice; (3) the corvée-bundle bloats falsely but the one carrying it begs at the next-stop. Strong critique of futile-busyness.
For someone today
Tukaram paints sharp pictures of wasted effort, people pounding empty husks hoping to find grain, sucking on already-squeezed cane pulp hoping for juice that is no longer there. He says it fills him with real pity to watch souls fool themselves this way. Even a bundle gathered through forced, unwilling labor only looks full, it is hollow inside, and when that person reaches the next stopping place they are still reduced to begging. Tuka turns to God at the end and asks him not to stay hidden and silent, but to come close and speak plainly. It is a warning against chasing effort and possessions that look substantial but are actually empty, and a plea for the real presence you actually need instead.
मराठी: तुकाराम वाया गेलेल्या प्रयत्नांची तीन तीक्ष्ण चित्रे रेखाटतात, कोणी भुसाचे कांडप करत धान्य शोधतो, कोणी आधीच पिळून टाकलेली चिपाडे चोखून रस शोधतो. अशा प्रकारे भ्रमित झालेल्या जीवांची त्यांना खरी कीव येते, असे ते सांगतात. वेठबिगारीने जमवलेले गाठोडेसुद्धा फक्त फुगलेले दिसते, आतून ते पोकळच असते, आणि पुढच्या मुक्कामी पोहोचल्यावरही त्या माणसाला भीक मागावीच लागते. शेवटी तुका देवाला विचारतात की तू असा खोल लपून का राहतोस, जवळ ये आणि बोल. वरवर भरीव दिसणाऱ्या पण आतून पोकळ असलेल्या प्रयत्नांच्या आणि संपत्तीच्या मागे धावण्याविरुद्ध हा इशारा आहे, आणि खऱ्या गरजेच्या उपस्थितीसाठी केलेली ही आर्त विनवणी आहे.
Where this applies
- When you keep working hard at something that has already given all it can give
- When accumulated effort or possessions turn out to be hollow once you actually need them
- When you feel real pity watching yourself or others chase something that clearly has nothing left in it
- When you want God, or truth, to stop staying distant and show up plainly instead