Abhanga 242

This abhang names what kind of deity calls for what kind of surrender:

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A deva-without-status, surrender-with-jīva-bhāva abhang. Three claims:

1. धांव कान्होबा गेल्या गाई — न म्हणे मी कोण ही काई — run, Kānhobā — cows have gone — (he) does not say who-am-I or what-am-I. The bhaktas order Krishna — run, the cows have gone. And Krishna does not say: who-am-I to be ordered? what-am-I to run for cows? The no-status-claim. The deity does not stand on dignity; he runs because he was asked.

2. आपुलियांचें वचन देवा — गोड सेवा करीतसे — to the deva — the word of his own-people — sweet-service is done. The deity takes his own-people's word as command; sweet-service is performed. The own-people — the bhāvikas — are the commanders; the deity serves sweetly.

3. मागतां आधीं द्यावा डाव — बळिया मी तो नाहीं भाव — if asked, give the turn first; I am not the strong-one — (only) bhāva. The generosity-rule: if asked, give the turn first. Don't make people compete for it. And the self-recognition: I am not strong-by-force; I have only bhāva. The bhāva, not strength, is the bhakta's only resource.

4. तुका म्हणे ऐशा सवें — अनुसरावें जीवेंभावें — Tuka says: with such (a one) — anusarāvē with the jīva-bhāva. The closing-rule. With such a deity (= one who doesn't claim status, runs at the call, takes the bhakta's word as command, accepts sweet-service) — anusarāvē (follow / surrender) with jīva-bhāva (the life-feeling, whole-life devotion-feeling). The appropriate response to a no-status deity is jīva-bhāva surrender.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names what kind of deity calls for what kind of surrender:

1. The deity does not claim status. Na mhaṇē mī koṇa hī kāī. Don't expect dignity-defending behavior from the real-presence. If the loved-one runs at your call, takes your word as command, gives the turn first when asked — that is the no-status mode of the real-presence.

2. Generosity-rule: give the turn first when asked. Māgatām ādhī dyāvā ḍāva. Don't make people compete for what you can give freely. The first-asking is enough. Give the turn. (Compare 219's deva knows your āvaḍī; here, the deva gives if-asked.)

3. Recognize: only bhāva, not strength. Baḷiyā mī tō nāhīm bhāva. Be honest about the resource you bring: not strength, only bhāva. The bhāva-resource is the only resource the bhakta has.

4. With such a deity, anusarāvē with jīva-bhāva. The appropriate response to a no-status deity is not another no-status response; it is jīva-bhāva surrender — whole-life feeling. The deity's no-status humility is matched by the bhakta's jīva-bhāva-fullness.

For today: recognize when the loved-one is in no-status mode (runs at your call, takes your word, gives the turn); don't exploit the no-status; respond with jīva-bhāva (whole-life devotion-feeling).

मराठी: ही ओवी कोणत्या प्रकारच्या देवाला कोणत्या प्रकारची surrender लागते नाव सांगते:

1. देव status claim करत नाही. न म्हणे मी कोण ही काई. Real-presence कडून dignity-defending behavior expect करू नका. प्रिय-व्यक्ती तुमच्या call वर धावते, तुमचा शब्द command म्हणून घेते, if-asked turn first देते — real-presence चं no-status mode.

2. Generosity-rule: मागितलं — turn first द्या. मागतां आधीं द्यावा डाव. जे freely देऊ शकता त्यासाठी लोकांना compete करायला लावू नका. First-asking पुरेसं. Turn द्या.

3. ओळखा: फक्त भाव, बळ नाही. बळिया मी तो नाहीं भाव. तुम्ही जे आणता ते honestly नाव सांगा: बळ नाही, फक्त भाव. भाव-resource bhakta चं एकमेव resource.

4. अशा देवासह, जीवें-भावें अनुसरावें*. No-status देवाला appropriate response अजून-no-status response नाही; jīva-bhāva surrender — whole-life feeling. देवाची no-status humility bhakta च्या jīva-bhāva-fullness ने match*.

आज: प्रिय-व्यक्ती no-status mode मध्ये कधी आहे (तुमच्या call वर धावते, तुमचा शब्द घेते, turn देते) ओळखा; no-status exploit करू नका; jīva-bhāva (whole-life devotion-feeling) ने respond करा.

Where this applies

• Deity does not claim status. Don't expect dignity-defense.
• Give-the-turn-first when asked. Generosity-rule.
• Only bhāva, not strength. Honest resource-claim.
• Anusarāvē with jīva-bhāva. Whole-life response to no-status deity.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2467
• Abhanga 4481
• Abhanga 4482
• Abhanga 4497