संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3806 of 4582

Abhanga 3806

A sudden rush of zeal or showy renunciation soon stalls, but only patient, genuine devotion gathers real depth over time.

When you feel a burst of enthusiasm and choose to pace yourself instead of making dramatic promises

When you notice yourself performing devotion for others rather than living it sincerely

When you value slow, steady, patient practice over a quick but shallow show of zeal

The verse

तातडीची धांव अंगा आणि भाव । खोळंबा तो मग निश्चियाचा ॥१॥ म्हणउनि बरी विचारावी चाली । उरीचि ते बोली कामा येते ॥ध्रु.॥ कोरडें वैराग्य माजिरा बडिवार । उतरे तो शूर अंगींचें तें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे बरी झर्‍याची ते चाली । सांचवण्या खोली कैसीयांची ॥३॥

Literal translation

Quick-rush-on-anga-with-bhāva — then-niścaya-stuck. Therefore-chāli-be-considered — essential-bōli-comes-to-use. Kōraḍē-vairāgya-middle-show — only-innate-shūra-descends-real. Tukā: spring-flow-is-good — for-what-depth-of-gathering?

What it means

A 3-verse anti-dry-renunciation text. A quick rush on the body, and on bhāva — then the firm-decision stalls in a stuck-state. Therefore, consider the pace; only the essential word comes to use. Dry renunciation is just middle-stage show-off — only the courage-of-innate-quality actually descends-and-remains. A spring's flow is fine — but as a gathering-reservoir, what depth does it have? The image jharaḍyā-chālī-vs-sānchavaṇyā-khōlī (the small-spring's flow vs the reservoir's depth) — i.e., the dramatic-flash of beginner's-vairāgya vs the steady accumulating-depth of innate-bhakti. Compare 3866 anti-fake-renunciate cluster motifs.

For someone today

Tukaram warns against rushing into spiritual enthusiasm: a sudden burst of feeling and resolve often stalls out later, so it's better to pace yourself and speak only from what's truly essential in your heart. He calls showy, forced renunciation just a kind of performance, and says only the courage that's genuinely part of who you are will actually last and stay with you. He closes with a lovely image: a small spring may flow quickly and impressively, but it has nowhere near the depth of a slowly gathered reservoir — meaning a burst of zeal cannot match the depth of patient, steady devotion.

मराठी: तुकाराम अचानक उफाळून येणाऱ्या धार्मिक उत्साहाबद्दल सावध करतात: भावनेचा आणि निश्चयाचा अचानक उद्रेक अनेकदा नंतर थांबून जातो, त्यामुळे स्वतःची गती संभाळावी आणि फक्त मनापासून आलेलेच बोलावे. दिखाऊ, जबरदस्तीने केलेला वैराग्य म्हणजे केवळ प्रदर्शन आहे असे ते म्हणतात, आणि खरोखर आपल्या स्वभावाचाच भाग असलेले धैर्यच शेवटी टिकते आणि सोबत राहते. शेवटी ते एक सुंदर प्रतिमा देतात: एखादा छोटा झरा वेगाने आणि आकर्षकपणे वाहू शकतो, पण साठवलेल्या तलावाइतकी खोली त्याला नसते — म्हणजेच क्षणिक उत्साहाची तुलना संयमी, स्थिर भक्तीच्या खोलीशी होऊ शकत नाही.

Where this applies

When you feel a sudden burst of religious zeal and are tempted to make dramatic vows you may not keep
When you're putting on a show of renunciation or discipline rather than living it quietly
When you compare your quick enthusiasm to someone else's slow, steady depth of practice
When you want to speak only what truly comes from your heart instead of performing for others

Autobiographical