Abhanga 1370

Remembering the beloved's form with full attention keeps love undiminished by distance, and true joy grows richest when sought together with other devoted people, not alone.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Rūpa-remembrance-where-both-of-us-become abhang. The opening directs the bhakta: abhinnava sukha tarī yā vicārē — vicārāvē barēm samta-janīm — fresh (= ever-new) sukha by this vicāra — do the vicāra well, in saint-company. The bhakti-vicāra is not solitary contemplation; it requires samta-janīm (saint-company) to keep the sukha abhinnava (always-fresh).

The dhruva is striking: rūpācyā āṭhavē dōnnhī hī āpaṇa — viyōgē tō kṣīṇa hōta nāhīm — inrūpa-remembrance, both (of us) becomeāpaṇa(one's-own / ourselves) — by viyōga, that does not gokṣīṇa(thin). When the bhakta remembers the form, both bhakta and Hari become "ours" (āpaṇa) — and this "we-ness" is not weakened byviyōga(separation). Physical-separation cannot thin the āpaṇa-state generated by remembrance.

Pūjā tarī cittē kalpā tē brahmāṇḍa — āhāca tō khaṇḍa ēka-dēsī — for pūjā — let thecittaimagine the brahmāṇḍa — theāhāca(= the partial / what's-grasped) iskhaṇḍa(fragment) —ēka-dēsī(one-region / fragmentary). Mental-pūjā can imagine the entire cosmos as offering; physical-offerings are merely fragmentary. The manas-pūjā exceeds karma-pūjā. (Echoes 1286 avaghyā upacārā — ēka manē chi dātārā — for all upacāras, only the mind alone.)

The closing personal-mark: mājhā anubhava yāparī — ḍō'īm pāyāmvarī ṭhēvītasēm — my anubhava is like this — I keep (my) head on the feet. The simple posture: head on his feet. Whatever theological-elaboration above, practically — Tuka keeps his head at Hari's feet.

[T]

For someone today

True, ever-fresh joy comes through this kind of reflection — best done together with fellow devotees, in the company of saints. When you dwell in the remembrance of the beloved's form, the two of you become one — and that oneness doesn't grow thin, even when you're apart. In worship, let your mind hold the whole universe as your offering; anything given by hand alone is only a small fragment. Tuka says: this is my own experience — I simply keep my head bowed at his feet.

मराठी: खरा, नित्य-नवा आनंद या विचारातूनच मिळतो — तो संतांच्या सहवासात एकत्र केला तर उत्तम. प्रिय रूपाच्या स्मरणात राहिले की दोघेही एकरूप होतात — आणि विरहानेही ती एकरूपता क्षीण होत नाही. पूजेमध्ये मनाने संपूर्ण ब्रह्मांड अर्पण करावे — हातांनी दिलेले अर्पण तर केवळ एक तुकडा असते. तुका म्हणतात, माझा अनुभव असा आहे — मी फक्त त्याच्या पायांवर माझे मस्तक ठेवतो.

Where this applies

• When you reflect or pray alongside other devoted friends instead of doing it alone, and the joy stays alive.
• When you miss someone deeply loved and fear the bond has weakened, yet find it hasn't.
• When your outward offerings feel too small and you wonder if inward devotion counts for more.
• When theology and reasoning pile up but what actually grounds you is a simple gesture of humility.

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 3902 — God himself takes joy in kirtana and walks alongside whoever sings his praise, as Narada's
• Abhanga 4273 — If your time, money, and attention flow easily to everything except God and genuine goodne