Abhanga 1699
For today: the best should be put in our mouth — and distress is removed (he taking it on himself); he doesn't sit-still, doesn't go-far — behind and ahead, he wards off calamity; no doubt — wherever we are — even dvaita-and-advaita have set / faded; Tuka says — Viṭhṭhal has taken the burden — inside, his outer-form is filled.
The verse
उत्तम घालावें आमुचिये मुखीं । निवारावें दुःखी होऊनि तें ॥१॥ न बैसे न वजे जवळूनि दुरी । मागें पुढें वारी घातपात ॥ध्रु.॥ नाहीं शंका असो भलतिये ठायीं । मावळलें पाहीं द्वैताद्वैत ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे भार घेतला विठ्ठलें । अंतरीं भरलें बाहए रूप ॥३॥
Literal translation
The uttama should be put in our mouth — to be removed (becoming distressed for us). Doesn't sit, doesn't go from near to far — behind and ahead, wards off ghāta-pāta. No doubt — be (we) anywhere — dvaita-advaita has set. Tuka says: Viṭhṭhal has taken the burden — inside, the outer form is filled.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| उत्तम घालावें आमुचिये मुखीं | "the best — should be put — in our mouth" |
| निवारावें दुःखी होऊनि तें | "to be removed — becoming distressed — that" |
| न बैसे न वजे जवळूनि दुरी | "doesn't sit, doesn't go — from near — far" |
| मागें पुढें वारी घातपात | "behind, ahead — wards off — ghāta-pāta" |
| नाहीं शंका असो भलतिये ठायीं | "no doubt — be (we) — anywhere" |
| मावळलें पाहीं द्वैताद्वैत | "set / faded — behold — dvaita-advaita" |
| तुका म्हणे भार घेतला विठ्ठलें | "Tuka says — burden taken — by Viṭhṭhal" |
| अंतरीं भरलें बाहए रूप | "inside filled — outer form" |
What it means
Viṭṭhal-takes-burden + inside-filled-with-outer-form abhang.
The opening: uttama ghālāvēm āmuciyē mukhīm — nivārāvēm duḥkhī hō'ūni tēm — the best should be put in our mouth — distress is removed (becoming-distressed for us). He puts the best in our mouth (= feeds us); (takes) on himself the distress, removing ours.
The position-warding: na baisē na vajē javaḷūni durī — māgēm puḍhē vārī ghāta-pāta — doesn't sit, doesn't go from near to far — behind and ahead, wards off ghāta-pāta. Vārī = wards off, drives away; ghāta-pāta = calamity / disaster. Stays near (neither sits inert nor goes-far); behind-and-ahead wards off calamity.
The dvaita-advaita-faded: nāhīm śankā asō bhalatiyē ṭhāyīm — māvaḷalēm pāhīm dvaitā-dvaita — no doubt — be (we) anywhere — behold, dvaita-advaita has set. Māvaḷalēm = has set, has faded. The very-distinction of dvaita-advaita has faded — no longer does it matter whether the relation is dual or non-dual.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē bhāra ghētalā Viṭhṭhalēm — antarīm bharalēm bāhya rūpa — Tuka says: Viṭhṭhal has taken the burden — inside, the outer-form is filled. Bāhya rūpa (the outer form) is now filled inside (= the external-Viṭṭhal-form has filled-the-bhakta's-interior).
[T]
For someone today
For today: the best should be put in our mouth — and distress is removed (he taking it on himself); he doesn't sit-still, doesn't go-far — behind and ahead, he wards off calamity; no doubt — wherever we are — even dvaita-and-advaita have set / faded; Tuka says — Viṭhṭhal has taken the burden — inside, his outer-form is filled.
Where this applies
- When you're carrying a burden alone and need to trust someone else will carry it with you
- When you're anxious about dangers that might come in the days ahead
- When you get caught up arguing about the nature of God instead of simply trusting him
- When you feel far from God and need reassurance that he is actually near