Abhanga 4191
The verse
अथॉविण पाठांतर कासया करावें । व्यर्थ चि मरावें घोकूनियां ॥१॥
घोकूनियां काय वेगीं अर्थ पाहे । अर्थरूप राहे होऊनियां ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे ज्याला अथाअ आहे भेटी । नाहीं तरी गोष्टी बोलों नका ॥३॥
Literal translation
Artha-vihīna-pāṭha-kasāyā — vyartha-mar-by-ghōkaṇē. Ghōkūn-what — quickly-see-artha — become-artha-rūpa-staying. Tukā: he-who-met-artha — otherwise don't-speak-stories.
What it means
★★ THE canonical 3-verse anti-rote-memorization text. Without meaning, why do memorization? One only dies in vain by mechanical-recitation. Recite — what (good)? Quickly see the meaning, staying, become the form-of-meaning itself. Tukā says: he who has met the meaning (can speak); otherwise, don't speak the stories. Three-stage doctrine: (1) artha-vihīna-pāṭha = vyartha-death (rote-without-meaning = wasted-death); (2) quickly-look-at-meaning-and-become-the-form-of-meaning (artha-rūpa-rāhē-hōūnīyām); (3) only-meaning-met can speak; others must keep silent. Pair with 3064 (anti-rote-ahamtā-must-fall), 4186 (anti-foolish-talk).
For someone today
Tukārām: rote-memorization-without-meaning is-just-dying-in-vain; become-the-form-of-meaning-itself; if-you-haven't-met-the-meaning-don't-speak-the-stories.
Where this applies
- ★★ Tukārām's THE anti-rote-pāṭha — become-artha-rūpa foundational