Abhanga 380

When devotion has truly taken root in you, answer the gossip with quiet confidence, because the connection was God's doing and your story isn't over.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A bridal-mystic post-meeting abhang. Continues the bridal-register of 375-376. Four claims:

1. गोवी सांगती सकळ ही जन — होतें संचित आणियेलें तेणें — everyone tells the gōvī — what was sañcita He brought. The opening-fact: people are talking — about thegōvī(entanglement); what wassañcita(stored, accumulated) — He himself brought. The bhakta's-deva-relationship is gossiped about; but the sañcita-cause is His doing.

2. अंगीं जडला मग उरलें तें काई — आतां राखतां गुमान भलें बाई — stuck to the anga — what remains? — now keeping gumāna is good, friend. The response-rule: once stuck to the body, what remains (to argue)? — now keepinggumāna(silence, deliberate-quiet) is good, friend.Don't engage the gossip; keep gumāna.

3. आजि मी टाकोनि आलें सकळिक — तंव रचिलें आणिक कवतुक — today I have abandoned all — yet another kautuka arranged. The abandonment-and-continuation: today I have abandoned all (worldly attachment); yet another kautuka (wonder, play) has been arranged. Abandonment doesn't end the play; the deva arranges another.

4. सुखें निर्भर जालियें त्याच्या गुणें — तुका म्हणे खुंटलें येणें जाणें — sukha-nirbhara by His guṇa — Tuka says: coming-and-going stopped. The closing-rest-claim: I have becomesukha-nirbhara(joy-loaded) by Hisguṇa; coming-and-going has stopped (= rebirth, restless-movement, ended). The post-bhēṭa rest is sukha-nirbhara.

[T]

For someone today

People will gossip about your closeness to God, but don't let that unsettle you — whatever brought you here was arranged by him, not by your own doing. When love has taken root this deeply, there is nothing left to argue; the best answer is a quiet, unbothered silence rather than a defense. Giving up worldly attachment doesn't end the story either — God simply arranges another wonder to draw you further in. And through his grace you become full of a settled joy, so at peace that the restless coming and going finally comes to rest.

मराठी: लोक तुमच्या देवाशी असलेल्या जवळिकीबद्दल कुजबुज करतील, पण त्यामुळे अस्वस्थ होऊ नका — तुम्हाला इथवर जे आणलं ते त्यानेच स्वतः घडवलं आहे, तुमच्या हातचं नाही. भक्ती इतकी खोलवर रुजली की आता वाद घालण्यासारखं काही उरत नाही; बचाव करण्यापेक्षा शांत, निर्ढावलेली गप्प राहणं हेच उत्तम उत्तर आहे. सांसारिक आसक्ती सोडून दिली तरी कथा तिथेच संपत नाही — देव तुम्हाला आणखी जवळ ओढण्यासाठी आणखी एक अद्भुत खेळ रचतो. आणि त्याच्या कृपेने मन इतकं तृप्त, इतकं स्थिर आनंदाने भरून जातं की सतत चाललेली अस्वस्थ ये-जा अखेर थांबते.

Where this applies

• People gossip the gōvī. Sañcita-cause is His.
• Gumāna is the response. Don't argue.
• Abandonment, then more kautuka. Play continues.
• Sukha-nirbhara; coming-going stopped. Rest.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2374 — Rather than scattering devotion among many lesser deities who demand offerings, Tukaram sa
• Abhanga 2377 — This detailed meditation on Vitthal standing on a brick at Pandharpur, out of love for his
• Abhanga 2387 — Accept whatever life brings with reverence, and place the burden on God rather than carryi
• Abhanga 2402 — For today: happily take rebirths — IF among the Paṇḍharī-Vārkarīs ; Hari-dāsas' company is