संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4224 of 4582

Abhanga 4224

Lamp-wick-illuminated — diamond-jyoti-svayambhū.

Tukārām's lamp-wick-illuminated-vs-diamond-self-glow; perfume-marks-chandana-only-donkey-confused; Hari-stamp-in-anga makes-vandya canonical inner-value-over-outer

The verse

उजळितां उजळे दीपकाची वाती । स्वयंभ ते ज्योति हिर्‍या अंगीं ॥१॥ एकीं महाकष्टें मेळविलें धन । एकासी जतन दैवयोगें ॥ध्रु.॥ परिमळें केलें चंदनाचे चिन्ह । निवडी ते भिन्न गाढव तो ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जया अंगीं हरिठसा । तो तरे सहसा वंद्य होय ॥३॥

Literal translation

Lamp-wick-illuminated — diamond-jyoti-svayambhū. One-amasses-by-effort — another-keeps-by-luck. Perfume-marks-chandana — only-donkey-doesn't-distinguish. Tukā: he-with-Hari-ṭhasā — crosses-over — becomes-vandya.

What it means

A 3-verse inner-value-over-outer text. A lamp's wick glows only when illuminated; the diamond has self-existing light in its body. One amasses wealth with great labor; another preserves it by luck. Fragrance marks the chandana — only a donkey doesn't see it separately. Tukā says: he who has the Hari-stamp in his body crosses over surely and becomes worship-worthy. The 3 contrast-pairs: (1) lamp-wick (extrinsic-illumination) vs diamond (svayambhū-jyoti); (2) labor-amassed dhana vs daiva-yōga-kept dhana; (3) fragrance-of-chandana (intrinsic) vs donkey-can't-distinguish. The closing: Hari-ṭhasā-in-body = self-illumination + intrinsic-value + worship-worthiness. Pair with 4197 (diamond-price-stable-santas-mistreated).

For someone today

Tukārām: the-wick-needs-external-light-but-the-diamond-shines-by-itself; he-who-has-the-Hari-stamp-in-the-body-becomes-worship-worthy.

Where this applies

Related verses