Abhanga 1530
True devotion is simply uttering the name with love at home, offering God's own name back as the finest ornament, content in heartfelt feeling alone.
The verse
सेवा ते आवडी उच्चारावें नाम । भेदाभेदकाम निवारूनि ॥१॥ न लगे हालावें चालावें बाहेरी । अवघें चि घरीं बैसलिया ॥ध्रु.॥ देवाचीं च नामें देवाचिये शिरीं । सर्व अळंकारीं समर्पावीं ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आहे भावें चि संतोषी । वसे नामापाशीं आपुलिया ॥३॥
Literal translation
Sevā is uttering the nāma by āvaḍī — having removed bhēdābhēda-kāma. No need to move, to go bāhērī — all chi at home, baisaliyā. Deva's own nāmas — on Deva's śīr — among all aḷankāras, should be samarpāvīm. Tuka says: by bhāva, satisfied — dwells near his own nāma.
मराठी: सेवा — ते — आवडी — उच्चारावें — नाम; — भेदा-भेद-काम — निवारूनि. न — लगे — हालावें — चालावें — बाहेरी; — अवघें — चि — घरीं — बैसलिया. देवाचीं — च — नामें — देवाचिये — शिरीं; — सर्व — अळंकारीं — समर्पावीं. Tukā म्हणे — आहे — भावें — चि — संतोषी; — वसे — नामा-पाशीं — आपुलिया.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सेवा ते आवडी उच्चारावें नाम | "sēvā — that — by āvaḍī (love) — utter — nāma" |
| भेदाभेदकाम निवारूनि | "bhēdābhēda-kāma (= the work of bheda-abheda) — having removed (nivārūnī)" |
| न लगे हालावें चालावें बाहेरी | "no need (na lagē) — to move, to go out (bāhērī)" |
| अवघें चि घरीं बैसलिया | "all — at home alone (chi) — seated" |
| देवाचीं च नामें देवाचिये शिरीं | "Deva's very (chi) — nāmas — on Deva's — head" |
| सर्व अळंकारीं समर्पावीं | "among all aḷankāras — should be offered (samarpāvīm)" |
| तुका म्हणे आहे भावें चि संतोषी | "Tuka says — (he) is — by bhāva alone — santōṣī (= contented)" |
| वसे नामापाशीं आपुलिया | "dwells — near the nāma — his own (āpuliyā)" |
What it means
Offer-Deva's-names-back-to-Deva abhang. The opening: sēvā tē āvaḍī uccārāvēm nāma — bhēdābhēda-kāma nivārūnī — sēvā — that is — by āvaḍī (love) — utter the nāma; — having removed — bhēdābhēda-kāma (= the work of bheda-abheda).True service is uttering the name by love — having put away the bheda-abheda-business. (Compare 1529 (just-prior)'sbhēdābhēda-vāda-khaṇḍōnī— same theme; here aspractical-instruction.)
The no-need-to-go-out: na lagē hālāvēm cālāvēm bāhērī — avaghēm chi gharīm baisaliyā — no need tomove,go out; —all— athomealone —seated. No travel needed; all (sēvā) at-home, sitting. (Compare 1411's na-lagē-dēśa-kāḷa-mantra-vidhāna — same theme.)
The ornament-image: Devācīm chi nāmēm Devāciyē śirīm — sarva aḷankārīm samarpāvīm — Deva's ownnāmas — onDeva'shead(= as crown / forehead-ornament); — among allaḷankāras — should beoffered. His own names, offered back as the head-ornament — the chief of all ornaments. Striking: the bhakta has nothing to offer that isn't already Hari's; so offer his own name back as ornament. (Compare 1495's Hari-as-bhakta's-debtor — same self-circulating-economy of bhakti.)
The closing-state: āhē bhāvēm chi santōṣī — vasē nāmā-pāśīm āpuliyā — (he) is — bybhāvaalone —santōṣī(= contented); —dwells—near—his own nāma. Satisfied by bhāva alone; dwelling near his own nāma.
[T]
For someone today
For today: sevā is uttering the name by love, having put away bheda-abheda-business; no need to go out — all is at home, seated; Deva's own names should be offered back to Deva as the chief of all ornaments; satisfied by bhāva alone, dwelling near his own name.
Where this applies
- When you feel you need special rituals or a pilgrimage to truly worship
- When you're caught up in theological debate instead of simple heartfelt practice
- When you wonder what you could possibly offer God that isn't already God's
- When you're at home with no special occasion and want a practice that's enough right there