Abhanga 1374
For today: the upakārī has erased the para-vs-own distinction; takes the work found-with-gain without counting his śrama; sees other jīvas as own jīva — Deva owes him; his firmness doesn't break.
The verse
उपकारी असे आरोणि उरला । आपुलें तयाला पर नाहीं ॥१॥ लाभावरि घ्यावें सांपडलें काम । आपला तो श्रम न विचारी ॥ध्रु.॥ जीवा ऐसें देखे आणिकां जीवांसी । निखळ चि रासि गुणांची च ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे देव तयांचा पांगिला । न भंगे संचला धीर सदा ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: The upakārī exists — has remained as upakārī. For him — there is no para; (all is) one's own. Takes the work found-with-gain — doesn't consider one's own śrama. Sees other jīvas as one's own jīva — pure heap of guṇas. Tuka says: Deva owes them — sancalā dhīra doesn't break.
मराठी: उपकारी असा — आरोणि-उरला (उपकारी-म्हणून उरलेला). त्याला — आपलें (माझें) तें — पर (दुसरें) नाहीं. लाभावरि-घ्यावें — सांपडलें-काम — आपला श्रम न-विचारी. जीवा-सारिखें — आणिकां-जीवांसी — पाहे — निखळ-च — गुणांची राशि. Tukā म्हणे — देव त्यांचा पांगिला (कर्जदार) — न-भंगे — संचला धीर — सदा.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| उपकारी असे आरोणि उरला | "the upakārī — exists — ārōṇi-uralā (= remained-as-upakārī)" |
| आपुलें तयाला पर नाहीं | "for him — there is no para (other) — (everything is) āpulē (one's own)" |
| लाभावरि घ्यावें सांपडलें काम | "take the kāma — found — lābhā-vari (with gain)" |
| आपला तो श्रम न विचारी | "doesn't consider (vicārī) — one's own śrama" |
| जीवा ऐसें देखे आणिकां जीवांसी | "sees other jīvas — as one's own jīva" |
| निखळ चि रासि गुणांची च | "nikhaḷa (pure) — rāsi (heap) — of guṇas" |
| देव तयांचा पांगिला | "Deva — owes them (pāngilā)" |
| न भंगे संचला धीर सदा | "doesn't bhangē (break) — sancalā dhīra (steady-firmness) — always" |
What it means
Upakārī-sees-other-jīvas-as-own abhang. The opening definition: upakārī asē ārōṇi uralā — āpulēm tayālā para nāhīm — the upakārī (helpful one) — is one who has remained (as upakārī) — for him there is no para (other); (everything is) āpulē (one's own). Para (other) and āpulē (one's own) are the universal-distinction; the upakārī has erased this distinction. Para is not refused; para simply doesn't exist for him.
The behavioral mark: lābhā-vari ghyāvē sāmpaḍalē kāma — āpalā tō śrama na vicārī — takes the kāma (work) found lābhā-vari (= profit-side / advantageous) — doesn't consider one's own śrama. The upakārī takes work that benefits the other without considering his own toil*. Service-without-cost-accounting.
The diagnostic: jīvā aisē dēkhē āṇikām jīvāmsī — nikhaḷa chi rāsi guṇāncī — sees other jīvas as one's own jīva — nikhaḷa (pure) heap of guṇas. The upakārī's darśana of others is as-self — and this is itself a pure heap of guṇas. Compassion is the heap of guṇas, not a single virtue among many.
The closing assurance: Deva tyāncā pāngilā — na bhangē sancalā dhīra sadā — Deva owes them — their sancalā dhīra (= accumulated / collected firmness) does not break — always. Pāngilā — Hari is indebted to such people. (Compare 1241 tujhē āmhī dāsa āmucā tūm ṛṇī.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: the upakārī has erased the para-vs-own distinction; takes the work found-with-gain without counting his śrama; sees other jīvas as own jīva — Deva owes him; his firmness doesn't break.
Where this applies
- Upakārī-no-other-only-own.* Upakārī-āpulēm-para-nāhīm.
- Take-work-without-counting-toil.* Lābhā-vari-na-vicārī-śrama.
- Other-jīvas-as-own-pure-guṇa-heap.* Jīvā-aisē-dēkhē-rāsi-guṇāncī.
- Deva-owes-them-firmness-doesn't-break.* Deva-pāngilā-sancalā-dhīra.