Abhanga 4081
No amount of appearance or posturing can substitute for real inner substance, because a true expert sees through it and your own heart already knows the truth.
The verse
तांबगी हें नाणें न चले खर्या मोलें । जरी हिंडविलें देशोदेशीं ॥१॥
करणीचें कांहीं न मने सज्जना । यावें लागे मना वृद्धांचिया ॥ध्रु.॥
हिरयासारिका दिसे शिरगोळा । पारखी ते डोळां न पाहाती ॥२॥
देऊनियां भिंग कामाविलें मोतीं । पारखिया हातीं घेतां नये ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे काय नटोनियां व्यर्थ । आपुलें हें चित्त आपणा ग्वाही ॥४॥
Literal translation
Copper-doesn't-pass-at-real-price-roaming-country. Fakes-don't-please-sajjana — vrddha-mana-must-accept. Shirgōḷā-like-hīrā — pārakhī-doesn't-look. Bhinga-over-flawed-mōtī — pārakhī-won't-touch. Tukā: naṭōnīyā-vyartha — own-chitta-witness.
What it means
A 4-verse authenticity-by-test text. A copper coin doesn't pass at the real price, even if you take it country-to-country. Mere doing doesn't please the gentleman; it must come to the elder's mind (be acceptable to experienced judgment). A worthless pebble may look like a diamond — but the expert appraiser doesn't even look at it. Even putting a glass-cover over a flawed pearl — the expert won't take it. What's the use of vain posturing? — your own chitta is your witness. Pair with 3088 (Kāmadhēnu-recognized-only-by-knower).
For someone today
Tukaram says a fake coin never gains real value no matter how far you carry it or how many places you try to pass it off. In the same way, going through the motions without real inner sincerity never satisfies people of genuine wisdom and experience; a pebble may look like a diamond, but a true expert simply won't be fooled by appearance. Even dressing up a flawed pearl with a fine cover doesn't change what it really is underneath. So there is no point in putting on a show, because your own heart already knows the truth about you and will always be the real witness.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की खोटे नाणे कितीही दूरवर नेले किंवा कितीही ठिकाणी खपवण्याचा प्रयत्न केला तरी त्याला खरी किंमत कधीच मिळत नाही. तसेच खरी अंतःकरणाची प्रामाणिकता नसताना केवळ दिखावा केल्याने अनुभवी, शहाण्या माणसांचे समाधान होत नाही; खडा हिऱ्यासारखा दिसू शकतो, पण खरा पारखी त्याच्या दिखाव्याला फसत नाही. सदोष मोत्याला सुंदर आवरण चढवले तरी त्याचे खरे स्वरूप बदलत नाही. त्यामुळे दिखावा करण्यात काही अर्थ नाही, कारण तुमचे स्वतःचे मन तुमच्याविषयीचे सत्य आधीच जाणते आणि तेच खरे साक्षीदार असते.
Where this applies
- When you try to impress people with appearances instead of building real substance underneath
- When you wonder why your efforts aren't convincing someone who has real experience and judgment
- When you are tempted to cover up a flaw with a good presentation instead of fixing it honestly
- When you need to remember that your own conscience knows the truth even if you fool everyone else