संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3677 of 4582

Abhanga 3677

When you are near a true source of wisdom, take freely from it without overanalyzing, because genuine truth naturally reveals itself and its abundance is not rationed.

When you have a rare chance to learn from someone wise and should take it fully instead of hesitating

When you catch yourself overanalyzing instead of simply trusting and accepting good guidance

When you find generous abundance in one relationship or place after struggling with scarcity elsewhere

The verse

वैरागरापाशीं रत्नाचिया खाणी । हे चि घ्यावी धणी फावेल तों ॥१॥ येथें नाहीं तर्कवितर्काची चाड । होतसे निवाड खर्‍या खोट्यां ॥ध्रु.॥ उगा च सारावा वाढिला तो ठाव । वाढितिया भाव कळतसे ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे टांचणीचें पाणी । येथें झरवणी जैशातैसें ॥३॥

Literal translation

Near-jeweler-ratna-khāṇī — take-dhaṇī-while-available. No-tarka-vitarka — kharā-khōṭā-sorted. Quietly-eat-served — server's-bhāva-known. Tukā: ṭāñchaṇī-water — flow-as-it-is.

What it means

A 3-verse jeweler-mines text. Near the jeweler are jewel-mines — take a full-measure while it's available; no need for analysis — the assay sorts the real from the fake; just quietly eat what's served, the server's intent is known; where water is rationed (elsewhere), here the spring flows as-it-is.

For someone today

Tukaram compares being near a true teacher to standing beside a jeweler's mine, full of riches, and he says take as much as you can while it is there to take. There is no need to sit around analyzing and second-guessing, because the truth naturally sorts itself out from the fake without your constant scrutiny. Just quietly accept what is offered to you, since the giver's good intent is already clear. Where elsewhere water is scarce and rationed, here it flows freely as it is, without limit.

मराठी: तुकाराम खऱ्या गुरूजवळ असणे म्हणजे जणू रत्नांच्या खाणीजवळ उभे राहण्यासारखे आहे असे सांगतात, आणि म्हणतात की जोपर्यंत संधी आहे तोपर्यंत जितके घेता येईल तितके घ्या. इथे बसून तर्कवितर्क करत बसण्याची गरज नाही, कारण खरे-खोटे आपोआप वेगळे होते, तुमच्या सतत छाननीशिवाय. जे दिले जाते ते शांतपणे स्वीकारा, कारण देणाऱ्याचा हेतू आधीच स्पष्ट आहे. जिथे इतरत्र पाणी दुर्मीळ आणि मर्यादित असते, तिथे इथे ते मुक्तपणे, मर्यादेविना वाहत असते.

Where this applies

When you have access to a wise teacher or good guidance and hesitate instead of making the most of it
When you overthink and doubt something instead of trusting that truth will reveal itself in time
When someone offers you help or wisdom in good faith and you second-guess their intentions
When you find real abundance in one place after struggling with scarcity everywhere else

Autobiographical Bhakti