Abhanga 496

Sing and dance without fear, shame, or doubt, trust your strongest protector completely, and let that trust make you fearless before anyone or anything.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A combatant-bhakta-fearless-singing abhang. Sixth and final of the Tukyā-bamdhu (Kānhōbā) cluster (491-496). Four claims:

1. गाऊं वाऊं टाळी रंगीं नाचों उदास — सांडोनि भय लज्जा शंका आस निरास — we sing-clap-dance udāsa in ranga — abandoning bhaya-lajjā-śankā — āsa-nirāsa. The opening-stance: wegāūm(sing),vāūm ṭāḷī(clap),nācōm udāsa(dance detached) in theranga(kīrtana-arena); abandoningbhaya(fear),lajjā(shame),śankā(doubt); theāsa(hope/clinging) becomesnirāsa(despair / its-own-cessation). Sing-clap-dance-udāsa-without-fear-shame-doubt-or-clinging. The kīrtana-stance.

2. बळियाचा बळी तो कैवारी आमुचा — भुक्तिमुक्तिदाता सकळां ही सिद्धींचा — the strong's strongest is our kaivārī — bhukti-mukti-dātā of all siddhi-s. The deva-claim: thebaḷiyācā baḷī(the strongest of strong-ones) — is ourkaivārī(defender, taker-of-our-side); thebhukti-mukti-dātā(giver of enjoyment-and-liberation) — of allsiddhi-s (perfections, occult-powers). Our-deva-is-the-strongest-defender-and-the-bhukti-mukti-source.

3. मारूं शब्दशस्त्रबाण निःशंक अनिवार — कंटकाचा चुर शिर फोडूं काळाचें — we shoot śabda-śastra-bāṇa — fearless, unstoppable — crush kamṭaka — break head of kāḷa. The combat-claim: we shootśabda-śastra-bāṇa(word-weapon-arrows = the names-of-the-deva used as missiles); fearless, unstoppable; crush thekamṭaka(thorns = obstacles, hostile-spirits, evil-thoughts); break the head ofkāḷa(Time / Death). Word-arrows-shatter-Time-itself.

4. म्हणे तुकयाबंधु नाहीं जीवाची चाड — आपुलिया तेथें काय आणिकांची भीड — Tukyā-bamdhu says: no cāḍa for life — when our-own is here, what bhīḍa for others? The closing-fearlessness: nocāḍa(regard, eagerness, attachment) forjīva(life); whenāpuliyā(our-own = the deva) istēthēm(there) — whatbhīḍa(deference, hesitation, embarrassment) forāṇikām(others)? No-bhīḍa-for-others-when-our-own-is-present.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang is a bold, fearless call to sing, clap, and dance in devotion, letting go of fear, shame, doubt, and even the anxious clinging of hope. Trust completely in the one who is strongest of all, our true protector who gives both enjoyment and freedom, the source behind every power anyone else seeks. Let the name of God be your weapon: speak it boldly and it can cut through every obstacle, even break the grip of time and death itself. And when you know God is truly your own, there is no need to feel timid or defer to anyone else.

मराठी: हा अभंग भय, लाज, शंका, आणि अपेक्षेची चिकटलेली आस सोडून, निर्भयपणे गाण्या-टाळ्या वाजवण्या-नाचण्याची हाक देतो. सर्वात बळवान असणाऱ्यावर संपूर्ण विश्वास ठेवा — तो आपला खरा रक्षणकर्ता आहे जो सुख आणि मुक्ती दोन्ही देतो, इतर कोणीही शोधत असलेल्या प्रत्येक शक्तीचा तोच स्रोत आहे. देवाचं नाव तुमचं शस्त्र होऊ द्या: निर्भयपणे ते उच्चारा आणि ते प्रत्येक अडथळा कापून टाकू शकतं, काळ आणि मृत्यूचीही पकड तोडू शकतं. आणि जेव्हा तुम्हाला कळतं की देव खरोखर तुमचा स्वतःचा आहे, तेव्हा इतर कोणासमोर लाजाळू राहण्याची किंवा दबून राहण्याची गरज उरत नाही.

Where this applies

• Sing-clap-dance udāsa. Abandon four obstacles.
• Kaivārī is strongest. Single-allegiance.
• Śabda-bāṇabreakskāḷa. Nāma-as-weapon.
• No bhīḍa for others. Āpuliyā is here.

Related verses

• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center
• Abhanga 4497 — Tukaram describes a life so soaked in devotion that Krishna's presence fills every ordinar
• Abhanga 2497 — For today: no travel-expense, body-mocked; daily Rāma Rāma — all say ; mouth without Rāma