Abhanga 1632
For today: the jīvan-mukta is stuck in the inner-anuhāta-sound — does not know the outer-color-world; when the mind-vṛtti comes outward, strength is needed to pull it back; intoxicated by divine-mada, he has no body-identification — even while controlling his own limbs; through his mouth, even others' speech becomes Veda — and the pains of ritual-formality don't come to mind; that bliss when described is wondrous to people but appears contrary to the ordinary-mind; Tuka says — the outer-color is Viṭhṭhal — and the inner has cooled by the Brahma-rasa.
The verse
आनुहातीं गुंतला नेणे बाह्य रंग । वृत्ति येतां मग बळ लागे ॥१॥ मदें माते तया नाहीं देहभाव । आपुले आवेव आवरितां ॥ध्रु.॥ आणिकांची वाणी वेद तेणें मुखें । उपचारदुःखें नाठवती ॥२॥ तें सुख बोलतां आश्चर्य या जना । विपरीत मना भासतसे ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे बाह्य रंग तो विठ्ठल । अंतर निवालें ब्रम्हरसें ॥४॥
Literal translation
Stuck in the anuhāta — doesn't know the outer-rang. When vṛtti comes, strength is needed. Intoxicated by mada — no deha-bhāva — while controlling one's own limbs. Others' speech is Veda through that mouth — upacāra-duḥkhas don't come to mind. That sukha when spoken — wonder to these people — appears contrary to the mind. Tuka says: the outer-rang is Viṭhṭhal — the inner has cooled by Brahma-rasa.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आनुहातीं गुंतला नेणे बाह्य रंग | "in the anuhāta — stuck — doesn't know — the outer-color/world" |
| वृत्ति येतां मग बळ लागे | "vṛtti — when coming — then — strength is needed" |
| मदें माते तया नाहीं देहभाव | "intoxicated by mada — to him — no deha-bhāva" |
| आपुले आवेव आवरितां | "one's own limbs — while controlling" |
| आणिकांची वाणी वेद तेणें मुखें | "others' speech — Veda — through that mouth" |
| उपचारदुःखें नाठवती | "upacāra-duḥkhas — don't come to mind" |
| तें सुख बोलतां आश्चर्य या जना | "that sukha — when spoken of — wonder — to these people" |
| विपरीत मना भासतसे | "contrary — appears — to mind" |
| तुका म्हणे बाह्य रंग तो विठ्ठल | "Tuka says — outer-color — is Viṭhṭhal" |
| अंतर निवालें ब्रम्हरसें | "the inner — has cooled — by Brahma-rasa" |
What it means
Jīvan-mukta-mystical-state abhang.
The anuhāta-stuck: anuhātī guṇtalā nēṇē bāhya ranga — vṛtti yētām maga baḷa lāgē — stuck in the anuhāta, doesn't know the outer-rang; when vṛtti comes, strength is needed. Anuhāta (अनाहत / आनुहत) = the un-struck-inner-sound (= the cosmic-sound heard in deep yogic-states, traditionally internal not produced-by-percussion). The jīvan-mukta is stuck-absorbed in the inner-sound, unaware of the outer-color/world. When the vṛtti (= mind-modification, awareness-extension) comes-out (= towards the world), strength is needed (to pull-the-mind-back).
The mada-intoxication: madē mātē tayā nāhīm dēha-bhāva — āpulē avēva āvaritām — intoxicated by mada, to him no deha-bhāva, while controlling one's own limbs. Mada = intoxication (= the divine-intoxication of jīvan-mukta-state). No body-identification, even when controlling one's own limbs.
The Veda-mouth: āṇikāñcī vāṇī Vēda tēṇē mukhē — upacāra-duḥkhē nāṭhavatī — others' speech becomes Veda through that mouth — upacāra-duḥkhas don't come to mind. Through the jīvan-mukta's mouth, even ordinary-others' speech sounds-as-Veda; upacāra-duḥkhas (= the pains of ritual-formality) don't come to mind.
The wonder-vs-contrariness: tēm sukha bōlatām āścarya yā janā — viparīta manā bhāsatasē — that sukha when spoken — wonder to these people — appears contrary to the mind. That bliss-state, when described, sounds wondrous to people but appears contrary to the ordinary-mind.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē bāhya ranga tō Viṭhṭhal — antara nivālēm Brahma-rasēm — Tuka says: outer-rang is Viṭhṭhal — the inner has cooled by Brahma-rasa. The bifurcation: outer-experience-saturated-with-Viṭhṭhal; inner-cooled-by-Brahma-rasa.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the jīvan-mukta is stuck in the inner-anuhāta-sound — does not know the outer-color-world; when the mind-vṛtti comes outward, strength is needed to pull it back; intoxicated by divine-mada, he has no body-identification — even while controlling his own limbs; through his mouth, even others' speech becomes Veda — and the pains of ritual-formality don't come to mind; that bliss when described is wondrous to people but appears contrary to the ordinary-mind; Tuka says — the outer-color is Viṭhṭhal — and the inner has cooled by the Brahma-rasa.
Where this applies
- When you are so absorbed in prayer or inner stillness that the outside world takes real effort to notice again
- When you go through your daily tasks and chores without feeling that you are only your body
- When ordinary words from someone deeply at peace start to sound wise or scripture-like to you
- When you try to describe a deep inner peace and it sounds strange or backwards to people who have not felt it