Tukaram Gatha Abhang 69 - Bhorpyane song paalatile varee

भोरप्यानें सोंग पालटिलें वरी । बक ध्यान धरी मत्स्या जैसें ।।१।।

टिळे माळा मैंद मुद्रा लावी अंगीं । देखों नेदी जगीं फांसे जैसे ।।२।।

ढीवर या मत्स्या चारा घाली जैसा । भीतरील फांसा कळों नेदी ।।३।।

खाटिक हा स्नेहवादें पशु पाळी । कापावया नळी तया साठीं ।।४।।

तुका म्हणे तैसा भला मी लोकांत । परी तूं कृपावंत पांडुरंगा ।।५।।

 English Script

1. Bhorpyane song paalatile varee, bak dhyaan dharee Matsya jaise

2. Tile mala mainda mudraa lavee angee, dekho nedee jagee faase jaise

3. Dheevar yaa matsya chara ghalee jaisa, bhitareel fasa kalo nedee

4. Khatik haa snehavaade pashu palee, kapavayaa nalee tayaa sathee

5. Tuka mhane taisa bhala mee lokaant, paree tu krupavant Panduranga.

 Translation

The mind of a man is governed by three' Gunas'. 'Guna' means, in this context, 'virtue, attribute or property'. This is a key concept in Hindu philosophy. There are three gunas, according to this worldview, that have always been and continue to be present in all things and beings in the world. These three gunas are called: Sattva (goodness, constructive, harmonious), Rajas (passion, active, confused), and Tamas (darkness, destructive, chaotic). All these gunas are present in everyone and everything, but their proportions are different in different things. The interplay of these gunas defines the character of someone or something, of nature and determines the progress of life.

That results in giving two faces to the mind of a human being. The brighter side or the good part of the mind and the opposite of it, i.e. the dark side or the ignorant side. The dark side can make mistakes because of ignorance; specifically, the lack of knowledge that only good behavior will attract good things to the man. Perilous acts will result in his own destruction.

In this abhanga, Saint Tukaram is giving several examples to explain the inherent influence of the three gunas on the mind, especially the 'rajas' and 'tamas'. Under their influence, the mind can get tempted to do evil acts. However, when a person has full faith in God and is loved by God, God Himself saves him from the influence of the dark side of the mind.

 1. Oh Lord, a man who takes on multiple guises to trick people, but inside the mask, he is in reality, a different person. A stork pretends to be meditating peacefully in the lake, but internally his mind is very eager to catch a fish!

2. A man who waylays people on the road may wear many holy garlands and may anoint his body with sandalwood paste, but inside him, he is just the opposite, a looter! He doesn't let the world know his skill in catching wayside people in his hold!

3. A fisherman attaches a bait to the fishing angle to tempt a fish with food and he doesn't give the fish any chance to see the deadly hook inside!

4. A butcher shepherds sheep and goats, outwardly with a lot of love, but his real intention is only to butcher them for their meat!

5. Tuka says, in a similar manner, I seem to be a good man to the people, but inside me, I am not yet that pure. However, I am being saved from the perilous nature of the mind by Your ever blessing grace.

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