Abhanga 4384
The verse
गुरुचिया मुखें होइल ब्रम्हज्ञान । न कळे प्रेमखुण विठोबाची ॥१॥
वेदातें विचारा पुराणातें पुसा । विठोबाचा कैसा प्रेमभाव ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे सांडा जाणिवेचा शीण । विठोबाची खूण जाणती संत ॥३॥
Literal translation
Guru-mukha-brahma-jñāna — but-Viṭhōba's-prema-khūṇa-not-known. Ask-veda-purāṇa — Viṭhōba's-prema-bhāva (they don't know). Tukā: abandon-jāṇiva-śīṇa — santas-know-Viṭhōba's-khūṇa.
What it means
★★ THE canonical 3-verse bhakti-supremacy-over-jñāna text. From the guru's mouth there will be brahma-jñāna — (but) the love-mark of Viṭhōba is not known (this way). Inquire from the Veda; ask the Purāṇa — what is Viṭhōba's love-mode? (They won't know.) Tukā says: abandon the fatigue of mere-knowing — the mark of Viṭhōba is known (only) by the santas. The 3-step argument: 1. Guru → brahma-jñāna (impersonal knowledge of brahman) — but not prema-khūṇa-of-Viṭhōba 2. Veda/Purāṇa → no prema-bhāva — even scriptures fail at-this 3. Santas → know the khūṇa — only the bhakti-saints know the mark
The hierarchy: santas > guru > Veda/Purāṇa for-knowing-Viṭhōba's-prema-khūṇa. A strong-bhakti-claim-over-traditional-Vedic-jñāna-routes. Pair with 4250 (sant-foot-superior-to-tīrtha), 4283 (Puṇḍalīka-FOUNDATIONAL-praise).
For someone today
Tukārām: the-guru-gives-brahma-jñāna but-not-Viṭhōba's-love-mark; even-the-Veda-and-Purāṇa-don't-know it; only-the-santas-know.
Where this applies
- ★★ Tukārām's THE santas-know-Viṭhōba's-prema-khūṇa-not-guru-not-veda canonical