संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4330 of 4582

Abhanga 4330

Behind every different form, milk in its many products, gold in its many ornaments, clay in its many pots, runs one unchanging essence.

When you see very different things and try to recognize the one essence behind them.
When you judge something by its outward shape instead of what it's truly made of.
When you feel pulled apart by life's many roles and want to remember your single unchanging core.

The verse

पय दधि घृत आणि नवनीत । तैसें दृश्यजात एकपणें ॥१॥ कनकाचे पाहीं अलंकार केले । कनकत्वा आले एकपणें ॥ध्रु.॥ मृत्तिकेचे घट जाले नानापरी । मृत्तिका अवधारीं एकपणें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे एक एक ते अनेक । अनेकत्वीं एक एकपणा ॥३॥

Literal translation

Paya dadhi ghrta āṇi navanīta — taise drśyajāta ekapaṇe: milk-curd-ghee-and-butter — so all-perceived in-one-ness. Kanakāche pāhīm alankāra kele — kanakatvā āle ekapaṇe: gold's ornaments made — they came to gold-essence in-one-ness. Mrttikeche ghaṭa jāle nānāparī — mrttikā avadhārīm ekapaṇe: clay's pots made many-ways — know clay in-one-ness. Tukā mhaṇe eka eka te aneka — anekatvīm eka ekapaṇā: Tukā says: the one becomes many — in many-ness the one is the one-ness.

What it means

A compact 3-verse non-dual unity-text using 3 classical analogies — milk-curd-ghee-butter, gold-ornaments, clay-pots — to show ekatva-in-anekatva (one-essence-in-many-forms).

For someone today

Tukārām teaches: behind the many appearances is one essence — milk in all dairy, gold in all ornaments, clay in all pots.

Where this applies

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