Abhanga 3954
Tukaram warns that pride from believing you are already saved breaks discipline, and self-certified progress without any outside witness leads people downward.
The verse
तरलों म्हणऊनि धरिला ताठा । त्यासी चळ जाला फांटा ॥१॥
वांयांविण तुटे दोड । मान सुख इच्छी मांड ॥ध्रु.॥
ग्वाहीविण मात । स्थापी आपुली स्वतंत्र ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे ऐसीं किती । नरका गेलीं अधोगती ॥३॥
Literal translation
Taralōm mhaṇaūni dharilā ṭāṭhā — (he) saidI was saved, took ṭāṭhā; tyāsī chaḷa jālā phāmṭā — his chaḷa became fragmented. Vāmyāmviṇa tuṭe dōḍa — in vain, the dōḍa broke; māna sukha ichchhī māṇḍa — wants māna-sukha on māṇḍa. Gvāhīviṇa māta — without witness, mata; sthāpī āpulī svatamtra — sets up his own svatamtra. Tukā mhaṇe aisīm kitī — Tukā says: how many such; narakā gelīm adhōgatī — went to naraka in adhōgati.
What it means
A 3-verse warning. Pride-after-(thinking)-saved breaks the conduct; without-witness, makes own-independent-claim; many-have-gone-down.
For someone today
Tukārām's warning: don't-take-pride after-feeling-saved; without-witness, self-certification leads-to-adhōgati.
Where this applies
- When you feel you have already arrived spiritually or morally and start coasting on that pride
- When you find yourself avoiding accountability, deciding on your own that you are doing fine without anyone checking you
- When you notice you care more about status or recognition than about staying disciplined
- When you are tempted to declare your own growth complete rather than staying open to correction