संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4134 of 4582

Abhanga 4134

Tukārām's śāstrajñas-many-but-chitta-not-in-hand; Hari-ankita-rare-Achyuta-krpā; empty-chatter-no-good-without-chitta-knot canonical chitta-control

The verse

शास्त्रज्ञ हो ज्ञाते असती बहुत । परि नाहीं चित्त हाता आलें ॥१॥ क्षणा एका साटीं न धरवे धीर । तेणें हा रघुवीर अंतरतो ॥ध्रु.॥ तोळाभर सोनें रतिभार राई । मेळविल्या पाहीं नास होतो ॥२॥ हरीचे अंकित असती विरळागत । तयांसी अच्युत कृपा करी ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे काय धुडवण्या गोष्टी । जंव नाहीं गांठी चित्त आलें ॥४॥

Literal translation

Śāstrajñas-many — chitta-not-in-hand. Can't-hold-dhīra — Raghuvīra-distances. Tōḷa-gold-rati-mustard — mixed-destroyed. Hari-ankita-rare — Achyuta-krpā. Tukā: empty-chatter-no-good — until-chitta-knot.

What it means

A 4-verse chitta-control text. Śāstra-knowers and jñātas are many, but they haven't gotten the chitta into hand. They can't hold patience for even a moment; by that Rāma is distanced. An ounce of gold with a tiny-weight of mustard mixed in — destroyed. Those registered to Hari are rare; to them Achyuta shows krpā. What use is empty-chatter until the chitta is firmly in your knot? Tōḷā-of-gold-spoiled-by-rati-of-mustard is the standard purity-image — fine substance destroyed by even a small impurity.

For someone today

Tukārām: śāstra-knowers-many-but-chitta-not-in-hand; gold-spoiled-by-mustard; empty-chatter-no-good-without-chitta-knot.

Where this applies

Related verses