Abhanga 96
In Kaliyuga, do kirtan — the deity will appear. You don't need to abandon livelihood or take up forest-asceticism. Without the Name, every other means is empty.
The verse
युक्ताहार न लगे आणिक साधनें । अल्प नारायणें दाखविलें ॥१॥ कलियुगामाजी करावें कीर्तन । तेणें नारायण देइल भेटी ॥ध्रु.॥ न लगे हा लौकिक सांडावा वेव्हार । घ्यावें वनांतर भस्म दंड ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे मज आणि उपाव । दिसती ते वाव नामाविण ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Right-diet and other (austere) practices are not needed; Narayana has shown a little (= an easy way). In Kaliyuga, do kirtan; by that, Narayana will give meeting. There is no need to abandon worldly business, take up forest-life, ash, the renunciate's staff. Tuka says: other means appear — without the Name they are empty.
मराठी: युक्ताहार आणि अन्य साधनं लागत नाहीत; नारायणाने अल्प (सोपं) दाखवलं आहे. कलियुगात कीर्तन करावं; त्यानेच नारायण भेटी देईल. हा लौकिक व्यवहार सोडायला नको, वनांतर-भस्म-दंड घ्यायला नको. तुकाराम म्हणतात — आणि उपाय दिसतात — नामाशिवाय ते वाव.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| युक्ताहार न लगे आणिक साधनें | "(restricted) right-diet and other practices are not needed" |
| अल्प नारायणें दाखविलें | "Narayana has shown a little (= a small / accessible way)" |
| कलियुगामाजी करावें कीर्तन | "in Kaliyuga — perform kirtan" |
| तेणें नारायण देइल भेटी | "by that, Narayana will give meeting" |
| न लगे हा लौकिक सांडावा वेव्हार | "this worldly business need not be abandoned" |
| घ्यावें वनांतर भस्म दंड | "(no need to) take up forest-dwelling, ash, staff" |
| आणि उपाव दिसती ते वाव नामाविण | "other means look — they are empty without the Name" |
What it means
A Kaliyuga-practice abhang. The structural claim: the previous yugas' demanding austerities (युक्ताहार, वनांतर, भस्म, दंड) are not required in Kaliyuga; Narayana has shown a little — meaning, an accessible compressed practice: kirtan. The verse rejects four traditional renunciations (right-diet, forest-dwelling, ash-marks, ascetic-staff) and replaces them with one practice. The closing — नामाविण ते वाव — without the Name, the rest is empty — is the abhang's compression. [T] [Tradition]
For someone today
This abhang is permission to not abandon your life in order to have a spiritual life. The instinct to imagine that real practice requires retreats, dietary rigor, dramatic life-change is what Tukaram is dismantling. अल्प नारायणें दाखविलें — Narayana has shown a little. The compressed practice for now is the practice that fits this age and this life. Other means without the Name are empty; the Name within ordinary life is sufficient.
मराठी: ही ओवी आपलं आयुष्य न सोडता आध्यात्मिक जीवन घ्यायची परवानगी आहे. खरी साधना म्हणजे retreat, कडक आहार, dramatic life-change असं वाटतं — तेच तुकाराम मोडत आहेत. अल्प नारायणें दाखविलें. आत्ताची साधना ती जी या युगात आणि या जीवनात बसते. नामाशिवाय इतर उपाय वाव; सामान्य जीवनात नाम पुरेसा.
Where this applies
- Told you must abandon livelihood for practice. Tukaram's plain refusal.
- Imagining forest would help. Present setup sufficient.
- Name feels too simple. Other means without it are empty.