Abhanga 340

This abhang names the cook-without-vīṭa rule for bhakti-practice:

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A short cooking-as-bhakti abhang. Three claims:

1. वीट नेघे ऐसें रांधा — जेणें बाधा उपजे ना — cook so vīṭa doesn't take it — by which bādha doesn't arise. Vīṭa — revulsion, cloying, over-richness-that-induces-aversion. The cooking (= bhakti-practice) must be non-revulsing — not over-rich, not heavy, not aversion-causing. Bādha — harm, obstruction. Cook so that no harm-arises.

2. तरी च तें गोड राहे — निरें पाहे स्वयंभ — only then it stays sweet — looks pure, svayambhū. Only when revulsion doesn't take it — does it stay sweet. Nirē (pure / unmixed); svayambhū (self-existing). Looks self-existingly-pure. Properly-cooked bhakti has self-existing-purity-appearance.

3. आणिकां गुणां पोटीं वाव — दावी भाव आपुला — has place in others' guṇa — show your own bhāva. Vāva — space, room. The properly-cooked-thing has room in others' guṇa (= fits with their qualities). Show your own bhāva — let your devotion show.

4. तुका म्हणे शुद्ध जाती — ते मागुती परतेना — Tuka says: pure-jāti — once gone, doesn't return. The closing-warning: the śuddha-jāti (pure-kind / pure-quality) — once gone, does not return-back. The pure-quality is irreversible-in-its-loss; do not lose it.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the cook-without-vīṭa rule for bhakti-practice:

1. Cook so that vīṭa* doesn't take it. Vīṭa nēghē aisē rāmdhā. Don't over-do bhakti to the point of revulsion. Don't make it heavy, cloying, aversion-inducing. (Compare 335 atiśayē vāḍhē śiṇa* — same anti-excess register.)

2. Only revulsion-free practice stays gōḍa, svayambhū*. Properly-cooked bhakti has self-existing-sweetness. The over-cooked thing loses sweetness, gains revulsion*.

3. Properly-done practice has room in others' guṇa*. When your bhakti is not heavy, it fits with others — they can receive it; show your own bhāva. Heavy-bhakti repels; light-bhakti accommodates*.

4. Pure-jāti*, once gone, does not return. Śuddha-jāti tē māgutī paratēnā. Don't lose the pure-quality through over-cooking; once bhakti has become aversion-inducing, the pure-jāti has gone and does not return easily. Irreversibility-warning*.

For today: don't over-cook your bhakti; avoid revulsion-inducing intensity; let your practice stay sweet, self-existingly-pure, accommodating to others; protect the śuddha-jāti from being lost.

This abhang is companion to 335 (pūjā samādhānē — atiśayē vāḍhē śiṇa); both name the moderation-rule in bhakti-practice.

मराठी: ही ओवी cook-without-vīṭa rule for bhakti-practice नाव सांगते:

1. Vīṭa घेऊ नये असं रांधा. वीट नेघे ऐसें रांधा. Revulsion-point पर्यंत bhakti over-do करू नका. Heavy, cloying, aversion-inducing करू नका. (335 atiśayē vāḍhē śiṇa compare — same anti-excess.)

2. Revulsion-free practice च gōḍa, svayambhū* राहतं. Properly-cooked bhakti — self-existing-sweetness. Over-cooked thing sweetness हरवतं, revulsion gain करतं*.

3. Properly-done practice ला others' guṇa* मध्ये vāva. Bhakti heavy नसेल — others सोबत fit होतं; आपला bhāva दाखवा. Heavy-bhakti repels; light-bhakti accommodates*.

4. Śuddha-jāti एकदा गेली की परत येत नाही. शुद्ध जाती — ते मागुती परतेना. Over-cooking ने pure-quality हरवू नका; bhakti aversion-inducing झाली — śuddha-jāti गेली आणि सहज परत येत नाही. Irreversibility-warning.

आज: Bhakti over-cook करू नका; revulsion-inducing intensity टाळा; practice gōḍa, self-existingly-pure, others ला accommodating ठेवा; śuddha-jāti हरवू देऊ नका.

335 च companion (pūjā samādhānē — atiśayē vāḍhē śiṇa); दोन्ही bhakti-practice मध्ये moderation-rule नाव सांगतात.

Where this applies

• Cook so vīṭa doesn't take it. Anti-excess.
• Only then sweet, svayambhū. Moderate-pure.
• Has room in others' guṇa. Accommodating.
• Pure-jāti, once gone, doesn't return. Irreversibility.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2381
• Abhanga 3855 — Āpaṇā lāge kāma vāṇyā gharīm guḷa — if (I) need jaggery for work, (I go) to vāṇī's house;
• Abhanga 4205
• Abhanga 4273