Abhanga 355

This abhang names the unshakable-resolve at Viṭhobā's feet, prepared beforehand:

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A triple-vow of unshakable-resolve abhang within the Mambaji Gosavi persecution cluster (cf. 354 colophon, 356). Three claims:

1. न सोडीं न सोडीं न सोडीं — विठोबा चरण न सोडीं — I will not release, will not release, will not release — Viṭhobā's caraṇa. The triple-vow. Repeated-three-times — to make it unshakable. Viṭhobā's feet — I will not release. (The triple-formula echoes vrata-vow-formulas in the Sanskrit ritual-tradition; what is said three times is bound thrice.)

2. भलतें जड पडो भारी — जीवावरी आगोज — whatever great burden falls — even at stake of jīva. The unconditionality: no condition whatever — including the loss of life — will release the feet.

3. शतखंड देह शस्त्रधारी — करितां परी न भीयें — hundred-pieces of body by the sword-bearer — even so, I will not fear. The body-torture-clause: even if the body is cut into a hundred pieces by the sword — I will not fear. (In the Mambaji Gosavi persecution context, this is concrete: Mambaji is reported to have physically beaten Tukaram with a thorn-stick. The hundred-pieces-by-sword is hyperbolic but proximate to the actual-violence faced.)

4. तुका म्हणे केली आधीं — दृढ बुद्धी सावध — Tuka says: I made beforehand — firm buddhi, sāvadha. The closing-self-claim: I prepared the buddhi beforehand — firm and sāvadha (alert). The resolve was made-firm before the test; not improvised in the moment.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the unshakable-resolve at Viṭhobā's feet, prepared beforehand:

1. Make the triple-vow. Na sōḍīm na sōḍīm na sōḍīm. Don't be content with a single-claim; say it three times to make it bind. The triple-form is for unshakable-resolves.

2. Make it unconditional — even jīva* not exempt. Bhalatēm jaḍa paḍō bhārī — jīvāvarī āgōja. No condition will release the feet — not even loss of life. The unconditional-vow*.

3. Even body-torture does not release the feet. Śata-khaṇḍa dēha śastra-dhārī — karitām parī na bhīyē. Body-torture is the test; the resolve withstands. (Compare 213 kāyā-vāca-mana to feet; same body-as-offering register, here in torture-frame.)

4. Make the buddhi firm, sāvadha*, beforehand. Kēlī ādhīm dṛḍha buddhī sāvadha. The resolve must be prepared in advance; can't be improvised under attack. The beforehand-preparation rule*.

For today: when faced with a test that would make you release the feet — make the triple-vow; make it unconditional, even jīva-stakes; prepare the firm-sāvadha-buddhi beforehand, not in the moment; let no torture release the feet.

This abhang is biographical: it speaks from the Mambaji Gosavi persecution — Tukaram facing actual violence and remaining at the feet. The hundred-pieces-by-sword is hyperbolic but the violence was real. The triple-vow is Tukaram's lived response.

मराठी: ही ओवी Viṭhobā च्या पायाशी unshakable-resolve, beforehand prepared नाव सांगते:

1. Triple-vow करा. न सोडीं न सोडीं न सोडीं. Single-claim ने content नका; bind करायला तीनदा बोला. Triple-form unshakable-resolves साठी.

2. Unconditional करा — jīva* exempt नाही. भलतें जड पडो भारी — जीवावरी आगोज. कोणतीही condition feet release करणार नाही — life loss सुद्धा नाही. Unconditional-vow*.

3. Body-torture पण feet release करत नाही. शतखंड देह शस्त्रधारी — करितां परी न भीयें. Body-torture test; resolve withstand करतो. (213 kāyā-vāca-mana पायी — same body-as-offering register, here torture-frame.)

4. Buddhi firm, sāvadha*, beforehand. केली आधीं दृढ बुद्धी सावध. Resolve advance मध्ये prepared पाहिजे; attack खाली improvise होत नाही. Beforehand-preparation rule*.

आज: Feet release करायला लावणारा test आला — triple-vow करा; Unconditional, jīva-stakes सहित करा; Firm-sāvadha-buddhi beforehand prepare करा, moment मध्ये नाही; Torture पण feet release करणार नाही.

Biographical: Mambaji Gosavi persecution मधून बोलते — Tukaram actual violence face करत आहे आणि feet वर राहत आहे. Śata-khaṇḍa hyperbolic पण violence real होती. Triple-vow Tukaram च lived response.

Where this applies

• Triple-vow. न सोडीं न सोडीं न सोडीं.
• Unconditional, even jīva. No exemption.
• Body-torture endured. Resolve withstands.
• Buddhi firm beforehand. Prepare-in-advance.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2374
• Abhanga 2377 — English: Gentle, sweet bāla-rūpa — that form from Kāḷī-time.
• Abhanga 2387
• Abhanga 2402