Abhanga 1432
For today: steadfast bhāva is the bhakta's svadharma; firm resolution is the vital point — don't miss it; niṣkāma-niścaḷa trust in Viṭhṭhala; don't sniff after other paths; no one has ever heard of such a bhakta being abandoned.
The verse
निष्ठावंत भाव भक्तांचा स्वधर्म । निर्धार हें वर्म चुकों नये ॥१॥ निष्काम निश्चळ विठ्ठलीं विश्वास । पाहों नये वास आणिकांची ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे ऐसा कोणें उपेक्षिला । नाहीं ऐकिला ऐसा कोणीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
Niṣṭhāvanta bhāva is bhaktas' svadharma — nirdhāra is the varma — don't miss (it). Niṣkāma niścaḷa viśvāsa in Viṭhṭhala — don't look for others' vāsa. Tuka says: has anyone disregarded such (a one)? — no one has heard of such.
मराठी: निष्ठावंत — भाव — भक्तांचा — स्वधर्म; — निर्धार — हें — वर्म — चुकों — नये. निष्काम — निश्चळ — विठ्ठलीं — विश्वास; — पाहों — नये — वास — आणिकांची. Tukā म्हणे — ऐसा — कोणें — उपेक्षिला? — नाहीं — ऐकिला — ऐसा — कोणीं.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| निष्ठावंत भाव भक्तांचा स्वधर्म | "niṣṭhāvanta (steadfast) — bhāva — bhaktas' — svadharma (own-dharma)" |
| निर्धार हें वर्म चुकों नये | "nirdhāra (firm-resolution) — this — varma (= vital point) — should not be missed (cukōm nayē)" |
| निष्काम निश्चळ विठ्ठलीं विश्वास | "niṣkāma (desire-less) — niścaḷa (unwavering) — in Viṭhṭhala — viśvāsa (trust)" |
| पाहों नये वास आणिकांची | "should not look (pāhōm nayē) — vāsa (smell / direction) — of others (āṇikāñcī)" |
| तुका म्हणे ऐसा कोणें उपेक्षिला | "Tuka says — such (aisā) — by whom (kōṇēm) — upēkṣilā (disregarded)?" |
| नाहीं ऐकिला ऐसा कोणीं | "no one (kōṇīm) — has heard (aikilā) — of such" |
What it means
Steadfast-bhāva-is-bhakta's-svadharma abhang. The opening codification: niṣṭhāvanta bhāva bhaktāñcā svadharma — nirdhāra hēm varma cukōm nayē — aniṣṭhāvanta(= steadfast) bhāva — is thebhakta'ssvadharma(= own-dharma); —nirdhāra(firm-resolution) —thisis thevarma(= vital-point); — shouldnotbe missed. The bhakta's svadharma is one thing: steadfastness in bhāva; the varma (= the secret-vital-spot in martial vocabulary) is firmness of resolution. (Compare Bhagavad-Gītā 18.45 sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ — each in his own duty; here the bhakta's "own duty" is steadfast bhāva.)
The double-quality: niṣkāma niścaḷa Viṭhṭhalīm viśvāsa — pāhōm nayē vāsa āṇikāñcī — niṣkāma (desire-less), niścaḷa (unwavering) viśvāsa in Viṭhṭhala; — should not look — for vāsa (= smell / direction / dwelling) — of others (= other gods / other-paths / other-people). Two qualities:niṣkāma(no ulterior motive) andniścaḷa(no wavering); —don't sniff after other directions / dwellings. (Compare 1430'sViṭhṭhalāvāñcūnī-vāṇī-nā'ikēm — adjacent abhang with the same one-point principle.)
The closing assurance: aisā kōṇēm upēkṣilā — nāhīm aikilā aisā kōṇīm — has anyone —upēkṣilā(disregarded) — such (a one)? — has anyone — heard — of such? The rhetorical-question: no one has ever heard of such a niṣṭhāvanta-bhakta being abandoned by Hari. (= the historical-claim: across all warkari tradition, no one with niṣṭhāvanta-bhāva-and-niṣkāma-niścaḷa-viśvāsa has been upēkṣita by Hari.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: steadfast bhāva is the bhakta's svadharma; firm resolution is the vital point — don't miss it; niṣkāma-niścaḷa trust in Viṭhṭhala; don't sniff after other paths; no one has ever heard of such a bhakta being abandoned.
Where this applies
- When you keep switching between spiritual teachers, practices, or paths instead of committing to one
- When doubt makes you wonder if devotion is even worth it and you start looking elsewhere for quick answers
- When you feel tempted to hedge your commitment to something important by keeping other options open
- When you need reassurance that staying loyal and steady, even when nothing seems to be happening, will not leave you abandoned