संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3599 of 4582

Abhanga 3599

The verse

अंगा भरला ताठा । नये वळणी जैसा खुंटा ॥१॥ कैसें न कळे त्या डेंगा । हित आदळलें अंगा ॥ध्रु.॥ जीव जाते वेळे । भरे लकडा ताठी डोळे ॥२॥ मुसळाचें धनु । तुका म्हणे नव्हे अनु ॥३॥

Literal translation

Body-filled-with-stiffness — doesn't-bend-like-stake. Ḍēngā-doesn't-know — what-hita-struck-anga. At-jīva-leaving-body-wooden-eyes-stiff. Tukā: pestle-bow — no-other-anu.

What it means

★ A 3-verse anti-rigidity image. The stiff-body is like a stake — won't bend; even when good strikes it, the dim-wit doesn't know; at death the body becomes wooden, eyes go stiff; a bow made-of-pestle — there's no other-suitable (pestle is the wrong-material for a bow). Striking image of inherent-rigidity that no shaping can fix.

For someone today

Tukārām: the-pestle-can't-be-a-bow — some-rigidity-can't-be-shaped.

Where this applies

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