Abhanga 363

This abhang names the no-tapasya-needed and bhū-Vaikuṇṭha frame:

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A short famous Pandhari-as-bhū-Vaikuṇṭha abhang. Three claims:

1. वैकुंठा जावया तपाचे सायास — करणें जीवा नास — न लगे कांहीं — to go to Vaikuṇṭha — tapa-sāyāsa, jīva-nāśa — none needed. The opening-claim: no austerity-effort, no jīva-nāśa needed to reach Vaikuṇṭha. The traditional-route was thought to be tapasya; Tukaram dismisses this.

2. तया पुंडलिकें केला उपकार — फेडावया भार पृथीवीचा — Puṇḍalīka did the upakāra to lift earth's burden. The Puṇḍalīka-claim: the great upakāra (favor) of Puṇḍalīka — was to lift the burden of the earth. The bhū-bhāra (earth's burden) was lifted by Puṇḍalīka's act of bringing Vaikuṇṭha to the bhūmī.

3. तुका म्हणे सोपी केली पायवाट — पंढरी वैकुंठ भूमीवरी — Tuka says: He made the easy pāya-vāṭa — Pandhari is Vaikuṇṭha on bhūmī. The closing-radical-claim: He made an easy foot-path (pāya-vāṭa); Pandhari is Vaikuṇṭha on the earth. Vaikuṇṭha is not a far-elsewhere; it is here, in Pandhari.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the no-tapasya-needed and bhū-Vaikuṇṭha frame:

1. No tapa-sāyāsa or jīva-nāśa needed for Vaikuṇṭha*. Tapācē sāyāsa — jīvā nāśa — na lagē kāmhī. Don't believe in the strenuous-route-only claim. The deva has provided an easy way. (Compare 344 mārga sōpā sukharūpa*; same easy-path register.)

2. Puṇḍalīka's upakāra* lifted earth's burden. Puṇḍalīkē kelā upakāra — phēḍāvayā bhāra pṛthvīcā. The bhakti-historiography: Puṇḍalīka's act (= bringing Viṭhobā to stand on the brick at Pandhari) is the upakāra that lifted earth's burden. Puṇḍalīka is the founder-bhakta of bhū-Vaikuṇṭha*.

3. Pandhari is Vaikuṇṭha on the bhūmī*. Pandharī Vaikuṇṭha bhūmīvarī. The radical-claim: Vaikuṇṭha is not elsewhere; it is at Pandhari. The pilgrimage to Pandhari is the journey to Vaikuṇṭha*. (Compare 332's same claim; the Pandhari-bhū-Vaikuṇṭha doctrine.)

For today: don't believe the no-route-without-tapasya claim; honor Puṇḍalīka's upakāra of bringing Vaikuṇṭha to earth; recognize Pandhari as the bhū-Vaikuṇṭha; take the easy pāya-vāṭa.

This abhang is core to the Vārkarī-Pandhari doctrine: Vaikuṇṭha is here, not elsewhere; Puṇḍalīka brought it down; the path is easy, by foot. The anti-tapasya-pro-pilgrimage claim is the Vārkarī's distinctive frame.

मराठी: ही ओवी no-tapasya-needed and bhū-Vaikuṇṭha frame नाव सांगते:

1. Vaikuṇṭha साठी tapa-sāyāsa किंवा jīva-nāśa* लागत नाही. तपाचे सायास — जीवा नास — न लगे कांहीं. Strenuous-route-only-claim वर विश्वास नका. Deva ने सोपा way provided केलाय. (344 mārga sōpā sukharūpa* — same easy-path register.)

2. Puṇḍalīka च्या upakāra* ने earth's burden lift झाला. पुंडलिकें केला उपकार — फेडावया भार पृथीवीचा. Bhakti-historiography: Puṇḍalīka चा act (= Pandhari ला Viṭhobā ला विटेवर उभं केलं) — bhū-Vaikuṇṭha चा upakāra. Puṇḍalīka founder-bhakta of bhū-Vaikuṇṭha*.

3. Pandhari Vaikuṇṭha on bhūmī*. पंढरी वैकुंठ भूमीवरी. Radical-claim: Vaikuṇṭha elsewhere नाही; Pandhari ला आहे. Pandhari ची yātrā Vaikuṇṭha चा प्रवास*. (332 same claim — Pandhari-bhū-Vaikuṇṭha doctrine.)

आज: No-route-without-tapasya claim विश्वास नका; Puṇḍalīka च्या Vaikuṇṭha-to-earth upakāra ला honor करा; Pandhari bhū-Vaikuṇṭha म्हणून ओळखा; सोपा pāya-vāṭa घ्या.

Vārkarī-Pandhari doctrine ला core: Vaikuṇṭha इथे, elsewhere नाही; Puṇḍalīka ने आणला; path easy, foot-by-foot. Anti-tapasya-pro-pilgrimage claim Vārkarī चा distinctive frame.

Where this applies

• No tapa-sāyāsa, no jīva-nāśa needed. Anti-tapasya.
• Puṇḍalīka's upakāra. Earth's burden lifted.
• Pandhari is Vaikuṇṭha on earth. Bhū-Vaikuṇṭha doctrine.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2459
• Abhanga 4482
• Abhanga 2469 — English: Naturally attaining Bhagavanta — but vikalpas distance — why don't they hold the
• Abhanga 3871