संत साहित्य
Work in progress. Translations and commentary are AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies or hallucinations — please use your own judgement and check against the original sources.
संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 378 of 4582

Abhanga 378

English: Set thing — forgotten in hand — don't know what Hari has occupied in citta.

When the bhakta looks distracted but mind is in Govinda — and you have to recognize this register
When deha-bhāva is udāsīna while body does karma — and you accept this dual-state
When parā-bhakti is śuddha and should be known to people — and you receive this teaching

The verse

दिलें ठेवूं तें विसरसी हातीं । नेणों काय बैसला हरि चित्तीं वो ॥१॥ व्याली माय ते लाजविली रांड । नाहीं थार दो ठायीं जाला खंड वो ॥धृ ॥ नाहीं मर्यादा निःसंग बावरी । मन हें गोविंदीं देह काम करी वो ॥२॥ नाहीं अचळ सावरावा ठावे । देखों उदासीन तुज देहभावें वो ॥३॥ दोघे एकवाटा बोलावया मात । नाहीं लाज धरिली दिला हात वो ॥४॥ परा भक्ति हे शुद्ध तुम्ही जाणा । तुका म्हणें ऐसें कळों यावें जना वो ॥५॥

Literal translation

English: Set thing — forgotten in hand — don't know what Hari has occupied in citta. The māya who gave birth — disgraced rāṇḍa — no thāra in two places, break came. No maryādāniḥsanga, bāvarīmana in Govinda, deha does karma. No acaḷa — to be steadied — see you udāsīna — in deha-bhāva. Both — walking together — to speak the māta — no lāja held — gave the hand. Parā-bhaktiśuddha — know it. Tuka says: should be known — to people.

मराठी: दिलें ठेवूं तें विसरसी हातीं — नेणों काय बैसला हरि चित्तीं. व्याली माय ते लाजविली रांड — नाहीं थार दो ठायीं जाला खंड. नाहीं मर्यादा — निःसंग बावरी — मन हें गोविंदीं देह काम करी. नाहीं अचळ सावरावा ठावे — देखों उदासीन तुज देहभावें. दोघे एकवाटा बोलावया मात — नाहीं लाज धरिली दिला हात. परा भक्ति हे शुद्ध तुम्ही जाणा. तुकाराम म्हणतां — ऐसें कळों यावें जना.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
दिलें ठेवूं तें विसरसी हातीं "set thing — forgotten in hand"
नेणों काय बैसला हरि चित्तीं "don't know — what Hari has occupied in citta"
व्याली माय ते लाजविली रांड "the māya who gave birth — disgraced rāṇḍa"
नाहीं थार दो ठायीं जाला खंड "no thāra — in two places — break"
नाहीं मर्यादा निःसंग बावरी "no maryādāniḥsangabāvarī"
मन हें गोविंदीं देह काम करी "mana in Govindadeha does karma"
नाहीं अचळ सावरावा ठावे "no acaḷa (fixed-support) — to be steadied"
देखों उदासीन तुज देहभावें "see you udāsīna — in deha-bhāva"
दोघे एकवाटा बोलावया मात "both — walking together — to speak the māta"
नाहीं लाज धरिली दिला हात "no lāja held — gave the hand"
परा भक्ति हे शुद्ध तुम्ही जाणा "parā-bhaktiśuddha — know it"
ऐसें कळों यावें जना "should be known — to people"

What it means

A parā-bhakti distracted-but-absorbed abhang. Six claims:

  1. दिलें ठेवूं तें विसरसी हातीं — नेणों काय बैसला हरि चित्तींset thing forgotten in hand — don't know what Hari has occupied in citta. The opening-mark: the bhakta forgets things even held in handbecause Hari has baisalā (sat / occupied) in the citta. The forgetting is not negligence; it is absorption.

  2. व्याली माय ते लाजविली रांड — नाहीं थार दो ठायीं जाला खंडthe māya who gave birth disgraced as rāṇḍa — no thāra, in two places break. The social-disgrace claim: the bhakta is so socially-distracted, even the mother is disgraced; no thāra (rest) in either place; broken in both. (The parā-bhakta breaks worldly-thāra-status.)

  3. नाहीं मर्यादा — निःसंग बावरी — मन हें गोविंदीं देह काम करीno maryādā — niḥsanga, bāvarī — mind in Govinda, body does karma. The dual-state: no maryādā kept; niḥsanga (renunciate) and bāvarī (stunned); mind in Govinda — body does karma. The parā-bhakta's signature: mind elsewhere, body still moving.

  4. नाहीं अचळ सावरावा ठावे — देखों उदासीन तुज देहभावेंno acaḷa to be steadied — see you udāsīna in deha-bhāva. The no-fixed-support claim: no place to steady oneself; you (the bhakta) appear udāsīna in deha-bhāva. Body-relation is indifferent.

  5. दोघे एकवाटा बोलावया मात — नाहीं लाज धरिली दिला हातboth walking together to speak the māta — no lāja held, gave the hand. The both-together claim: the bhakta and the deva walk together to speak the māta (matter); no lāja kept; gave the hand. Mutual-companionship in the parā-bhakti state.

  6. परा भक्ति हे शुद्ध तुम्ही जाणा — तुका म्हणे ऐसें कळों यावें जनाparā-bhakti, śuddha — know it; Tuka says: should be known to people. The closing-teaching: this is parā-bhakti (highest devotion), śuddha (pure); should be known to people. Don't mistake the distracted-absorbed-state for negligence; it is the parā-bhakti mark.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the parā-bhakti distracted-looking-but-absorbed register:

  1. Forgetting things-in-hand is not negligence — it is absorption. Dilē ṭhēvūm tē visarasī hātīm — naiṇam kāya baisalā Hari cittīm. Hari has occupied the citta; the worldly-grip on objects loosens.

  2. Worldly-maryādā breaks in parā-bhakti*. Nāhīm maryādā — niḥsanga, bāvarī. Don't expect maryādā to be kept by the deeply-absorbed bhakta; the niḥsanga-bāvarī state is the mark*.

  3. Mind in Govinda, body does karma*. Mana hē Govindīm — dēha kāma karī. The dual-state-rule: outwardly the body works; inwardly the mind is in Govinda. Don't judge by the outer alone*.

  4. Deha-bhāva appears udāsīna. Dēkhōm udāsīna tuja deha-bhāvē. Body-relation looks indifferent; because attention is elsewhere*.

  5. Both walking together — parā-bhakti* is mutual-companionship. Dōghē ēka-vāṭā bōlāvayā māta. In parā-bhakti, the deva walks-together with the bhakta. Mutual-companionship, not solitary-pursuit*.

  6. Recognize this as parā-bhakti, śuddha*. Parā-bhakti hē śuddha tumhī jāṇā. Don't mistake the distraction for failure; it is the highest-pure devotion*.

For today: if you find yourself forgetting worldly things, deha-indifferent, niḥsanga-bāvarī, with mind in deva while body worksrecognize this is parā-bhakti, śuddha. Don't apologize; don't be ashamed. And recognize others in this state — don't judge by the outer.

This abhang is Tukaram naming the parā-bhakti markfor self-recognition and other-recognition. The teaching-purposeshould be known to people — is explicit.

मराठी: ही ओवी parā-bhakti distracted-looking-but-absorbed register नाव सांगते:

  1. हातातलं विसरणं negligence नाही — absorption. दिलें ठेवूं तें विसरसी हातीं — नेणों काय बैसला हरि चित्तीं. Hari ने citta occupy केलं; Worldly-grip on objects loosens.

  2. Parā-bhakti मध्ये worldly-maryādā* तुटतं. नाहीं मर्यादा — निःसंग बावरी. Deeply-absorbed bhakta कडून maryādā expect करू नका; Niḥsanga-bāvarī state mark*.

  3. Mana Govinda मध्ये, deha karma* करते. मन हें गोविंदीं देह काम करी. Dual-state-rule: Outwardly body work करते; inwardly mana Govinda मध्ये. फक्त outer ने judge करू नका*.

  4. Deha-bhāva udāsīna दिसते. देखों उदासीन तुज देहभावें. Body-relation indifferent दिसते; attention elsewhere म्हणून*.

  5. दोघे चालतात — parā-bhakti* mutual-companionship. दोघे एकवाटा बोलावया मात. Parā-bhakti मध्ये deva bhakta सोबत walks-together. Mutual-companionship, solitary-pursuit नाही*.

  6. हे parā-bhakti, śuddha* म्हणून ओळखा. परा भक्ति हे शुद्ध तुम्ही जाणा. Distraction ला failure समजू नका; Highest-pure devotion*.

आज: तुम्ही worldly-things विसरत असाल, deha-indifferent, niḥsanga-bāvarī, mana देवात असताना body work करत असेलहे parā-bhakti, śuddha म्हणून ओळखा. Apologize करू नका; ashamed नका. आणि असे इतरांना ओळखा — outer ने judge नका.

Tukaram parā-bhakti mark name करतोयself-recognition आणि other-recognition साठी. Teaching-purpose explicitलोकांना कळावं.

Where this applies

Related verses