Abhanga 1553
For today: only the lover of Hari-name is truly sacred; the true twice-born is whoever japs Hari's name as a seed; all the caste-dharmas are equally-Brahman — only bhakti makes the difference.
The verse
ज्यासी आवडी हरिनामांची । तो चि एक बहु शुचि ॥१॥ जपतो हरिनामें बीज । तो चि वर्णांमाजी द्विज ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे वर्णा धर्म । अवघें आहे सम ब्रम्ह ॥३॥
Literal translation
To whom āvaḍī of Hari-nāma — that one alone, very śuci. One who japs Hari-nāma as bīja — that one, among varṇas, is dvija. Tuka says: of varṇa-dharma — all is sama-Brahma.
मराठी: ज्यासी — आवडी — हरि-नामांची; — तो — चि — एक — बहु — शुचि. जपतो — हरि-नामें — बीज; — तो — चि — वर्णां-मांजी — द्विज. Tukā म्हणे — वर्णा — धर्म; — अवघें — आहे — सम — ब्रम्ह.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ज्यासी आवडी हरिनामांची | "to whom — āvaḍī — of Hari-nāma" |
| तो चि एक बहु शुचि | "that one alone — is very — śuci (sacred)" |
| जपतो हरिनामें बीज | "(one who) japs — Hari-nāma — as bīja (seed)" |
| तो चि वर्णांमाजी द्विज | "that one — among varṇas — is dvija (twice-born)" |
| तुका म्हणे वर्णा धर्म | "Tuka says — of varṇa-dharma" |
| अवघें आहे सम ब्रम्ह | "all — is — sama Brahma (equally-Brahman)" |
What it means
Bhakti-redefines-twice-born abhang. A pithy anti-caste-by-bhāva statement. The opening: jyāsī āvaḍī Hari-nāmācī — tō chi ēka bahu śuci — (one) to whom —āvaḍī— ofHari-nāma; —that one alone— isvery śuci(= sacred / pure). Sacredness is determined by love-of-Hari-name, not by birth.
The dvija-redefinition: japatō Hari-nāmēm bīja — tō chi varṇām-mājhī dvija — one whojaps—Hari-nāma as bīja(seed-mantra); —that one— amongvarṇas — is thedvija(= twice-born). Dvija — classically the Brahmin / Kṣatriya / Vaiśya who has undergone upanayana (sacred-thread initiation, second-birth); — Tuka redefines: the true dvija is whoever japs Hari-name-as-seed-mantra. (Compare 1316's Vaiṣṇava-cāmbhāra-dhanya-tyācī-mātā — same anti-caste theme.)
The closing-equation: varṇā-dharma — avaghēm āhē sama Brahma — ofvarṇa-dharma—all— is —sama-Brahma(equally-Brahman). All caste-dharmas are equally-Brahman (= no caste is essentially-superior; all are the same in the Brahman). (Striking-claim — Tuka collapses caste-hierarchy into sama-Brahma; only bhakti distinguishes.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: only the lover of Hari-name is truly sacred; the true twice-born is whoever japs Hari's name as a seed; all the caste-dharmas are equally-Brahman — only bhakti makes the difference.
मराठी: आजसाठी: हरिनामावर प्रेम करणाराच खरा पवित्र आहे; हरिनामाचा बीजमंत्रासारखा जप करणाराच खरा द्विज आहे; सर्व वर्णधर्म समान ब्रह्मच आहेत — फक्त भक्तीच फरक करते.
Where this applies
- When you're told your background disqualifies you from spiritual respect.
- When someone claims spiritual authority based on birth rather than devotion.
- When you doubt whether you're good enough to practice devotion sincerely.
- When you judge someone's worth by their caste, family name, or social rank.