संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3603 of 4582

Abhanga 3603

Simple, sincere longing, even when it grows into restlessness, can sharpen your mind and your words rather than merely wearing you down.

When you approach someone or something with plain, sincere faith rather than calculation

When your longing keeps growing even though nothing visible has answered it yet

When repeated heartfelt effort ends up sharpening your thinking and how you express yourself

The verse

आम्ही भाविकें हे काय जाणों खोडी । आइकोनि प्रौढी विनविलें ॥१॥ नाहीं ऐसें येथें जालेती असतां । वाढविली चिंता अधिक सोसें ॥ध्रु.॥ न कळे चि आधीं करितां विचार । न धरितां धीर आहाचता ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आतां वचनें वचन । वाढले तिक्षिण बुद्धि जाली ॥३॥

Literal translation

We-bhāvikē — what-of-khōḍī. Hearing-prauḍhī-petitioned. Even-not-here — chintā-grows-with-sōsa. No-vichāra — no-dhīra — āhāchatā. Tukā: words-grown — buddhi-tikṣiṇa.

What it means

A 3-verse innocent-petition text. We who are innocent-faith-folk don't know any guile; we petitioned hearing of your greatness; the longing-with-suffering has grown; without examination and patience, restlessness; words have grown sharp, intellect has grown sharp.

For someone today

Tukārām speaks here for simple, sincere people of faith who don't know any cunning or trickery. They petitioned only because they heard of God's greatness, and even when that presence seemed absent, their longing kept growing, carried with real patience and endurance. Without stopping to reason things out or hold steady, restlessness takes over. But he notices something useful too, word by word, this longing has sharpened his mind and made his speech more pointed and clear.

मराठी: तुकाराम इथे साध्या, प्रामाणिक श्रद्धाळू लोकांच्या वतीने बोलतात, ज्यांना कुठलीही धूर्तता माहीत नाही. देवाच्या महतीबद्दल ऐकल्यामुळेच त्यांनी विनवणी केली, आणि जरी ती उपस्थिती जाणवत नसली तरी त्यांची आर्तता सोशीकपणे वाढतच राहिली. विचार न करता, धीर न धरता, अस्वस्थता वाढते. पण त्यांना एक उपयोगी गोष्टही जाणवते, शब्दागणिक ही आर्तता त्यांची बुद्धी तीक्ष्ण करत गेली आणि त्यांचं बोलणं अधिक स्पष्ट, नेमकं झालं.

Where this applies

When you approach something in simple faith, without cunning, just because you've heard how good it is
When longing keeps growing even in the absence of any visible response
When impatience or restlessness builds because you haven't paused to reason things through
When repeated heartfelt longing ends up sharpening your thinking and your words

Autobiographical