Abhanga 3869
Staying sincere and close to what truly matters is worth more than sweet words, cleverness, or pride, and real faith shows itself as mercy and calm toward every being.
The verse
मधुरा उत्तरासवें नाहीं चाड । अंतरंगीं वाड भाव असो ॥१॥
प्राणावेगळा न करी नारायण । मग नसो ज्ञान मूर्ख बरा ॥ध्रु.॥
जननिंदा होय तो बरा विचार । थोरवीचा भार कामा नये ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे चित्तीं भाव निष्टावंत । दया क्षमा शांत सर्वां भूतीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
No-chāḍa-for-sweet-uttara — inner-bhāva-vāḍa. Don't-separate-prāṇa-from-Nārāyaṇa — mūrkha-better-without-jñāna. Jana-nindā-becomes-vichāra — thōravī-bhāra-not-useful. Tukā: chitti-bhāva-niṣṭhāvanta — dayā-kṣamā-śānta-all-bhūta.
What it means
A 3-verse inner-bhāva text. I have no preference for sweet replies — let the inner-bhāva be wide. Don't separate me from Nārāyaṇa — even if no knowledge remains, the fool (with Lord) is better. People's-blame becomes good insight; the burden of greatness is useless. In my heart the bhāva is firm — mercy, forbearance, peace toward all beings. The closing virtue-list (dayā-kṣamā-śānta-toward-all-bhūta) is a fine social-ethics prescription. Compare 2657 (bhakti = bowing to jīva-jantu-bhūta).
For someone today
Tukaram says he does not care about being told pleasant, flattering things, as long as what is inside him stays sincere and wide open. What matters far more to him is never being separated from God, so much that he would rather be an unlearned fool who stays close to God than a wise person who has drifted away. He even says that being criticized by people can become good insight, since carrying the weight of your own greatness or pride serves no real purpose. In the end, he says his heart is fixed in faith, and it shows itself as mercy, forgiveness, and calm toward every living being.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की त्यांना गोड, खुशामतीचे शब्द ऐकायची अजिबात गरज नाही, फक्त आतले मन प्रामाणिक आणि मोकळे राहावे. त्यांच्यासाठी सगळ्यात महत्त्वाचे म्हणजे देवापासून कधीही वेगळे न होणे, इतके की ज्ञानी असूनही देवापासून दूर राहण्यापेक्षा अडाणी राहून देवाजवळ राहणे बरे असे ते म्हणतात. लोकांची निंदाही चांगली अंतर्दृष्टी ठरू शकते असे ते सांगतात, कारण स्वतःच्या मोठेपणाचा किंवा अहंकाराचा भार वागवण्यात काही उपयोग नसतो. शेवटी ते म्हणतात की त्यांचे मन श्रद्धेत स्थिर झाले आहे, आणि ते सगळ्या सजीवांबद्दलच्या दया, क्षमा आणि शांततेतून व्यक्त होते.
Where this applies
- When you're more concerned with being liked or flattered than with staying honest inside
- When you'd rather stay close to what truly matters than gain knowledge that pulls you away from it
- When criticism from others actually helps you see yourself more clearly
- When you want your inner faith to show up as mercy, forgiveness, and calm toward everyone, not just people you like