Abhanga 1391
For today: what is this 'I'? — too difficult to see; no crossing without a separate other; the seer can't see itself; Hari is with you — once grasped, he shows the place.
The verse
मीं हें ऐसें काय जाती । अवघड किती पाहातां ॥१॥ नाहीं होत उल्लंघन । नसतां भिन्न दुसरें ॥ध्रु.॥ अंधारानें तेज नेलें । दृष्टीखालें अंतर ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे सवें देव । घेतां ठाव दावील ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: What is this 'I'? — how avaghaḍa when looked at? No ullanghana happens — when there's no separate other. Darkness took the tēja — the gap below the dṛṣṭi. Tuka says: Deva is together (with one) — once grasped, (he) will show the place.
मराठी: मीं — हें — ऐसें — काय जाती? — पाहातां — किती अवघड? न होत — उल्लंघन — नसतां — भिन्न — दुसरें. अंधारानें — तेज — नेलें — दृष्टी-खालें — अंतर. Tukā म्हणे — सवें देव — घेतां — ठाव दावील.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मीं हें ऐसें काय जाती | "this 'I' — what jāti (kind / type) is this?" |
| अवघड किती पाहातां | "how avaghaḍa (difficult) — when looked at?" |
| नाहीं होत उल्लंघन | "no ullanghana (crossing-over / transgression) — happens" |
| नसतां भिन्न दुसरें | "when there's no bhinna dusarē (separate other)" |
| अंधारानें तेज नेलें | "andhāra (darkness) — took the tēja (light)" |
| दृष्टीखालें अंतर | "below the dṛṣṭi (eye / sight) — the antara (gap)" |
| सवें देव घेतां ठाव दावील | "Deva together (with one) — once grasped (ghētām) — shows the ṭhāva (place)" |
What it means
What-is-this-I abhang. The opening question: mīm hē aisē kāya jātī? — avaghaḍa kitī pāhātām? — what kind / what jāti is this 'I'? — how avaghaḍa (= difficult, intractable) when looked at? The classical atma-vicāra question, in Marathi-bhakti register.
The non-dual recognition: nāhīm hōta ullanghana — nasatām bhinna dusarē — no ullanghana (crossing-over / transgression) happens — when there's no bhinna dusarē (separate-other). There's nothing to cross if there's no other-side. The 'I' has no jumping-place because there's no bhinna-other to jump to.
The diagnostic: amdhārānē tēja nēlē — dṛṣṭīkhālē antara — darkness took the tēja (light); below the dṛṣṭi, the antara (gap). Darkness steals the tēja; below the seeing-faculty, there is a gap — the seer doesn't see itself. The eye doesn't see the eye.
The closing: savē Deva — ghētām ṭhāva dāvīla — Deva is savē (together with you / accompanying); once grasped (= held / received), (he) will show the ṭhāva (place / location). The 'I' question can't be solved by self-examination alone; only Hari-as-companion can show the place. The seer can't see itself; Hari shows it.
[T]
For someone today
For today: what is this 'I'? — too difficult to see; no crossing without a separate other; the seer can't see itself; Hari is with you — once grasped, he shows the place.
Where this applies
- What-is-this-I-difficult-to-see.* Mīm-hē-aisē-kāya-jātī.
- No-crossing-without-other.* Ullanghana-bhinna-dusarē.
- Darkness-took-the-light-gap-below-eye.* Amdhārānē-tēja-dṛṣṭīkhālē-antara.
- Deva-shows-the-place-once-grasped.* Savē-Deva-ghētām-ṭhāva-dāvīla.