Abhanga 1029

True greatness lies not in self-proclaimed glory but in humility and willingness to serve, and that spirit leaves no room for jealousy among devotees.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A else-why-would-purāṇas-roar-with-his-great-deeds-if-Nārāyaṇa-were-strength-less-without-fame-no-drum-of-the-name-why-else-don't-people-sing-other-names-only-then-say-he-is-eternal-giver-soul-is-happy-by-virtues-this-goodness-is-in-his-body-as-inevitability-attached-to-Śrī-ranga-only-then-great-does-as-told-no-pride-near-Hari-only-then-they-do-his-service-no-false-jealousy-near-Dēva abhang. No-false-jealousy-near-Dēva register. Six claims, each evidential — only-because-X-can-Y-be-explained:

1. पुराण-गर्जती-पवाडे — शक्ति-हीन-नाहीं. Purāṇas-roar-evidence-claim. Else why wouldpurāṇasgarjatīwithpavāḍē (great-deeds)?;if Nārāyaṇa were śakti-hīna.(The puranic glorificationitself proves his śakti.)

2. कीर्ति-विण-नाम-नाहीं — इतरांस-वाणीत-ना. Fame-makes-the-name-claim. Withoutkīrti, no ḍāngōrā (drum-proclamation) of nāma;why else don't (people) sing itarām (others)?

3. चिरंजीव — गुण-सुखी. Eternal-claim. Only-then say he iscira-jīva (long-living, eternal);the kēliyācā (giver, the one-who-makes) jīva is sukhī by guṇa.

4. चांगले-पण-निरुपायता — श्री-रंग-बाणलें. Goodness-as-inevitability-claim. Thiscāngalēpaṇa (goodness) is in (his) anga as nirupāyatā (helplessness-of-the-helped, inevitability-on-his-side because of those who depend);therefore bāṇalē (got-attached, fixed) to Śrī-ranga.

5. थोर-सांगितलें-करी — अभिमान-नाहीं. No-abhimāna-near-Hari-claim. Only-then he isthōra, does what (is) told;no abhimāna near Harī. (His greatness comes from not having pride — he does as bhaktas tell him.)

6. Tuka: सेवा-करिती — कुडें-हेवा-नाहीं. No-false-jealousy-near-Dēva-claim. Tuka says: only-then they do hissēvā;there is no kuḍa (false) hēvā (jealousy, envy) near Dēva.

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For someone today

This verse says that God's greatness is proven by the way old stories keep praising him: if he had no power, no one would keep telling his tales. He does not need to announce his own fame; the words of those who love him are proof enough. His true glory comes not from pride, but from his willingness to simply do what his devotees ask of him. That is what makes him great, not distance and grandeur, but responsiveness and humility. And when people serve him in that same spirit, there is no room left for envy or rivalry between them.

मराठी: ही ओवी सांगते की देवाचे मोठेपण हे पुराणांनी त्याच्या गोष्टी वारंवार सांगितल्यामुळे सिद्ध होते. जर तो शक्तिहीन असता, तर एवढ्या कथा कशाला सांगितल्या गेल्या असत्या? त्याला स्वतःच्या कीर्तीचा डांगोरा पिटावा लागत नाही; जे त्याच्यावर प्रेम करतात त्यांचे बोलणेच पुरेसे आहे. त्याचे खरे मोठेपण गर्वातून येत नाही, तर तो आपल्या भक्तांनी सांगितलेले निरपेक्षपणे करतो यातून येते. आणि जेव्हा माणसे याच भावनेने खरी सेवा करतात, तेव्हा त्यांच्यात एकमेकांबद्दल असूया किंवा स्पर्धा उरत नाही.

Where this applies

• Purāṇas-roar. Pavāḍē.
• Fame-evidence. Ḍāngōrā.
• Eternal. Cira-jīva.
• Goodness-inevitability. Nirupāyatā.
• No-abhimāna. Thōra.
• No-kuḍa-hēvā. Hēvā.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2448 — The easiest path to God is repeating divine names with love at home, right where you are,
• Abhanga 2467 — What looks like your whole world, like a fig to the insect living inside it, is only a tin
• Abhanga 2494 — Living in devotion turns an ordinary day into a festival and removes the fear of birth and
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with