Abhanga 3836
The verse
नाहीं हित ठावें जननीजनका । दाविले लौकिकाचार तींहीं ॥१॥
अंधळ्याचे काठी अंधळें लागलें । घात एकवेळे मागेंपुढें ॥ध्रु.॥
न ठेवावी चाली करावा विचार । वरील आहार गळी लावी ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे केला निवाडा रोकडा । राऊत हा घोडा हातोहातीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
No-hita-from-jananī-janaka — they-show-only-laukika-āchāra. Blind-with-blind's-stick — destruction-both-ways. Don't-keep-this-chālī — do-vichāra. Outside-bait — hook-around-neck. Tukā: rōkaḍā-nivāḍā-made — rider-and-horse-hand-in-hand.
What it means
★ A 3-verse anti-parental-conformity text. The mother-father don't know your welfare — they only showed worldly customs. (Like) the blind taking the stick of (another) blind — destruction both backward and forward. Don't keep walking this way — reflect for yourself. Outside-bait — (the fisher) puts the hook around the neck. I have made the on-the-spot decision — rider and horse are hand-in-hand. Three sharp images: (1) blind-leading-blind for laukika-paramparā; (2) fish-bait-and-hook for sensory-temptation; (3) rōkaḍā-nivāḍā-rāūta-ghōḍā (rider-and-horse-on-the-spot — i.e., the decision is now, no procrastination). Pair with 2787 (bhakti-redeems-fallen — bhajana is pramāṇa, burn the greatness).
For someone today
Tukārām: parents-show-only-worldly-customs — don't-walk-this-blind-with-blind — make-the-on-the-spot-decision.
Where this applies
- ★ Tukārām's parents-show-only-laukika; blind-leading-blind; outside-bait-is-hook; rider-and-horse-on-the-spot canonical
- Anti-parental-conformity / make-your-own-vichāra