Abhanga 867

God himself becomes both deity and guide, guarding you from every side and leading you by the hand, and skeptics are invited to verify this for themselves.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A what-prema-bhāva-of-Viṭhōbā-He-becomes-deva-and-guru-fulfills-vāsanā-takes-to-His-side-stands-behind-ahead-watching-removes-blows-knows-yōga-kṣēma-shows-path-holding-hand-no-viśvāsa-examine-purāṇas abhang. Viṭhōbā-as-self-guru-and-everything register. Five claims:

1. Viṭhōbā-प्रेम-भाव — आपण-च-देव-गुरू. Becomes-both-deva-and-guru-claim. What aprēma-bhāvaof myViṭhōbā! — HeHimselfbecomes bothdēvaandgurū. Self-becomes-deva-and-guru. (Significant claim against guru-mediation: Viṭhōbā doesn't need a separate guru; He is His own guru-medium.)

2. पढियें-देह-भावें-वासना-पुरवितो — अंतीं-आपणा-पाशीं. Stages-of-bhakti-claim. Inpaḍhiyē (the early-stage, the kindergarten), He fulfills vāsanā in dēha-bhāva; at the end, takes (the bhakta) toāpaṇā-pāśī(His-own-side). Stage-1: fulfills-desires; Stage-2: takes-to-own-side.

3. मागें-पुढें-सांभाळीत — आघात-निवारावे. Stands-behind-ahead-removes-blows-claim. He standsbehindandahead, watching; whenāghātacome, removes-them. Behind-ahead-bodyguard.

4. योग-क्षेम-जाणे — हात-धरून-वाट-दावी. Knows-yōga-kṣēma-leads-by-hand-claim. (He) knows theyōga-kṣēmavery-thoroughly; shows thevāṭaby holding thekara. Knows-welfare-and-leads-by-hand.

5. Tuka: विश्वास-नसेल — पुराणीं-विचारून-पाहा. Examine-purāṇas-claim. Tuka says: whose mana has no viśvāsa, let-him pāhāvē the purāṇa, vicārūnī. Doubters-can-verify-in-the-purāṇas. (Bracing closing-invitation to skeptics: don't take my word — go examine the purāṇas.)

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For someone today

This verse describes a love so complete that God becomes both the deity you worship and the teacher who guides you, with no one else needed in between. At first he simply meets you where you are, fulfilling your ordinary needs and desires; over time he draws you closer to himself. He stands guard both behind and ahead of you, warding off the blows life throws your way, and he knows exactly what you need to thrive, leading you by the hand like someone who won't let go. Tukaram even tells doubters not to just take his word for it, go check the old scriptures yourself.

मराठी: ही ओवी अशा प्रेमाबद्दल सांगते जिथे देव स्वतःच तुमचा उपास्य देव आणि गुरू दोन्ही बनतो, मध्ये कोणाची गरज उरत नाही. सुरुवातीला तो तुम्हाला जिथे आहात तिथेच भेटतो, तुमच्या सामान्य गरजा आणि इच्छा पूर्ण करतो; हळूहळू तो तुम्हाला स्वतःजवळ ओढून घेतो. तो मागे आणि पुढे दोन्हीकडे उभा राहून रक्षण करतो, आयुष्यातले आघात दूर करतो, आणि तुम्हाला नेमकं काय हवं आहे हे जाणून हात धरून वाट दाखवतो. तुकाराम शंका घेणाऱ्यांना सांगतात, फक्त माझं ऐकू नका, स्वतः पुराणं वाचून खात्री करून घ्या.

Where this applies

• Self-guru. Viṭhōbā-Himself.
• Stages-of-bhakti. Vāsanā-then-side.
• Bodyguard. Behind-ahead.
• Hand-leading. Yōga-kṣēma.
• Verification. Purāṇa.

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 4582 — The closing verse of the whole Gatha promises that reading it with reverence fulfills the
• Abhanga 3335 — Repeating God's name at every step and joining the community of devotees brings liberation