Abhanga 397

English: Where can I keep Your sanga — the jaga set behind me.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A jaga-against-but-deva-inside-the-jīva abhang. Four claims:

1. कोठें मी तुझा धरूं गेलें संग — लावियेलें जग माझ्या पाठीं — where can I keep Your sanga? — the jaga is set behind me. The opening-protest: where can I keep Your sanga (company) — the world has been set against me. The world's-opposition makes outer-sanga difficult.

2. सर सर रे परता अवगुणाच्या गोवळा — नको लावूं चाळा खोटा येथें — pass by, avaguṇāñcyā gōvaḷā — don't play khōṭā tricks here. The playful-rebuke: pass by, cowherd-of-vices; don't play khōṭā (false) tricks here. The bhakta names the deva playfully as the cowherd-of-vices (= the deva accumulates the bhakta's vices in his play); don't play here, the public-place is dangerous.

3. रूपाच्या लावण्यें नेली चित्तवृत्ती — न देखें भोंवतीं मी ते माझी — rūpa-lāvaṇya took cittavṛtti — I don't see around — I am no longer mine. The absorbed-claim: form-beauty has taken my cittavṛtti (mind-modes); I do not see around; I am no longer mine. Self-possession lost. (Compare 378 parā-bhakti distracted-but-absorbed; same register.)

4. तुकयाचा स्वामी माझे जीवीं च बैसला — बोलीं च अबोला करूनियां — Tukya-svāmī sat in my very jīva — making abōlā in the very bōlī. The closing-image: Tukya-svāmī sat in my very jīva; making abōlā (silence, not-speaking) within the very bōlī (speech). The deva's-presence creates silence-within-speech: outer-words continue; inner-silence reigns.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the jaga-against-but-deva-inside register:

1. The jaga may be set against your bhakta-sanga. Lāviyēlē jaga mājhyā pāṭhīm. Don't expect public-sanga to be easy; the world often opposes*.

2. The deva is the avaguṇāñcyā gōvaḷā* — playful-cowherd-of-vices. Avaguṇāñcyā gōvaḷā. The deva accumulates your vices in his cowherd-play; don't be ashamed of giving your vices to His charge*.

3. Form-beauty takes the cittavṛtti*; you become not-yours. Rūpāyacē lāvaṇyē nēlī cittavṛttī — mī tē mājhī. Self-possession is lost in absorbed-darśana*.

4. The deva sits in the jīva — making abōlā in bōlī*. Mājhyē jīvīm ca baisalā — bōlīm ca abōlā karūnīyām. Outer-speech continues; inner-silence reigns when the deva sits in the jīva. Don't expect the deep-bhakti to disrupt outer-speech; it transforms inner-silence beneath it*.

For today: don't expect public-sanga to be easy; the jaga often opposes; give your vices to the avaguṇāñcyā gōvaḷā; let rūpa-lāvaṇya take your cittavṛtti; let the deva sit in the jīva, making abōlā in bōlī**.

This abhang is one of Tukaram's most-tender on inner-silence-within-outer-speech: the deva's-presence is not announced; it operates as silence beneath speech.

मराठी: ही ओवी jaga-against-but-deva-inside register नाव सांगते:

1. Jaga तुमच्या bhakta-sanga विरुद्ध असू शकतं. लावियेलें जग माझ्या पाठीं. Public-sanga easy असेल expect नका; जग सहसा oppose करतं.

2. Deva avaguṇāñcyā gōvaḷā* — playful-cowherd-of-vices. अवगुणाच्या गोवळा. Deva तुमचे vices त्याच्या cowherd-play मध्ये accumulate करतो; Vices त्याच्या charge ला देण्याबद्दल ashamed नका*.

3. Form-beauty cittavṛtti* घेतं; तुम्ही not-yours होता. रूपाच्या लावण्यें नेली चित्तवृत्ती — मी ते माझी. Absorbed-darśana मध्ये self-possession हरवतं*.

4. Deva jīva मध्ये बसतो — bōlī मध्ये abōlā* करतो. जीवीं च बैसला — बोलीं च अबोला. Outer-speech continue; deva jīva मध्ये बसला की inner-silence reigns. Deep-bhakti outer-speech disrupt करेल expect नका; त्याच्या खाली inner-silence transform करते*.

आज: Public-sanga easy expect नका; jaga oppose करतं; तुमचे vices avaguṇāñcyā gōvaḷā ला द्या; Rūpa-lāvaṇya तुमचं cittavṛtti घेऊ द्या; Deva ला jīva मध्ये बसू द्या, bōlī मध्ये abōlā करू द्या.

Tukaram च्या inner-silence-within-outer-speech वर most-tender पैकी एक: Deva ची presence announce होत नाही; speech च्या खाली silence म्हणून operate करते.

Where this applies

• Jaga set against bhakta-sanga. Don't expect public-ease.
• Avaguṇāñcyā gōvaḷā — give vices. Playful charge.
• Rūpa-lāvaṇya takes cittavṛtti. Self-possession lost.
• Abōlā within bōlī. Inner-silence beneath outer-speech.

Related verses

• Abhanga 4481
• Abhanga 4482
• Abhanga 3902
• Abhanga 4273