Abhanga 1509
In this age, the simplest practice, singing, dancing, and repeating the name, is the true and effortless path, ready for anyone who is willing to get on board.
The verse
गायें नाचें वायें टाळी । साधन कळी उत्तम हें ॥१॥ काय जाणों तरले किती । नाव ऐती या बैसा ॥ध्रु.॥ सायासाचें नाहीं काम । घेतां नाम विठोबाचें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे निर्वाणीचें । शस्त्र साचें हें एक ॥३॥
Literal translation
Sing-dance-play-clap — sādhana, for kaḷi, this is uttama. What do I know — how many tarale? — the nāva is aitī, sit on this. Of sāyāsa, no kāma — when taking nāma of Viṭhobā. Tuka says: of nirvāṇa — śastra sācēm — this one.
मराठी: गायें — नाचें — वायें — टाळी; — साधन — कळी — उत्तम — हें. काय — जाणों — तरले — किती? — नाव — ऐती — या — बैसा. सायासाचें — नाहीं — काम; — घेतां — नाम — विठोबाचें. Tukā म्हणे — निर्वाणीचें; — शस्त्र — साचें — हें — एक.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| गायें नाचें वायें टाळी | "sing — dance — play (instruments) — clap (cymbals)" |
| साधन कळी उत्तम हें | "sādhana — kaḷi (= Kali-yuga) — uttama (best) — this" |
| काय जाणों तरले किती | "what — do I know — how many — crossed (taralē)?" |
| नाव ऐती या बैसा | "the nāva (= boat / name) — aitī (= spread out / ready) — sit on this" |
| सायासाचें नाहीं काम | "of sāyāsa (toil) — kāma (use) — there is none" |
| घेतां नाम विठोबाचें | "when taking — Viṭhobā's nāma" |
| तुका म्हणे निर्वाणीचें | "Tuka says — of nirvāṇa" |
| शस्त्र साचें हें एक | "śastra (weapon) — sācēm (true) — this one" |
What it means
Sing-dance-clap-best-sādhana-for-Kali abhang. The opening democratization-of-bhakti: gāyē nācē vāyē tāḷī — sādhana kaḷī uttama hēm — sing — dance — play — clap; —sādhana— forKali-yuga—uttama(best) — this. In Kali-yuga, the best practice is the simplest: sing-dance-play-clap. (Foundational warkari-formula; cf. Bhāgavata-Purāṇa 12.3.51-52: kalau kīrtanāt — by kīrtana alone in Kali-yuga.)
The collective-claim: kāya jāṇōm taralē kitī — nāva aitī yā baisā — what do I know — how many havecrossed-over; — thenāva(= boat / name) isaitī(= spread out, ready); — sit onthis. The nāva-pun: boat and name (Marathi nāva = both boat and name in some usages). Countless have crossed; the boat / name is ready — get on.
The no-toil-claim: sāyāsācēm nāhīm kāma — ghētām nāma Viṭhōbācē — ofsāyāsa— there is nokāma(use / requirement); — whentaking—Viṭhobā'snāma. No toil is needed for this method. (Compare 1453's na lagē sāyāsīm; same anti-toil register.)
The closing-claim: nirvāṇīcēm — śastra sācēm hē ēka — ofnirvāṇa— thetrue śastra(weapon) —this one. This (nāma) is the true final-weapon. (Compare 1500's nāma nirvāṇīcā bāṇa — same theme; here the warrior-image as śastra not bāṇa.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: singing, dancing, playing music, and clapping — this is the best practice for our age. Countless people have already crossed over this way; the boat is ready, so climb aboard. No effort is needed — just take Viṭhobā's name. This alone is the true final weapon.
मराठी: आजसाठी: गाणं, नाचणं, वाद्य वाजवणं आणि टाळ्या वाजवणं — या कलियुगात हीच सर्वोत्तम साधना आहे. आतापर्यंत असंख्य लोक याच नावेतून पैलतीरी गेले आहेत; नाव सज्ज आहे, चढून बसा. विठोबाचं नाम घेण्यासाठी कसलेही कष्ट करावे लागत नाहीत. हेच खरं अंतिम शस्त्र आहे.
Where this applies
- When you feel too ordinary or unskilled to pursue a spiritual life
- When you doubt that simple singing and dancing could really count as devotion
- When you see others further along the path and wonder if there's still room for you
- When you're facing a hard or final moment and need something simple to hold onto