Abhanga 1771
For today: no questioning — the order was firmly given — for us, there is no other recourse now; the master is strong, removes everything — what worry need we do?; the generator of buddhi, the pervader of the universe — what is not in one aspect of his?; Tuka says — even if I appear to be the obstacle-remover, isn't the sattā still in his hand?.
The verse
नये पुसों आज्ञा केली एकसरें । आम्हांसी दुसरें आतां नाहीं ॥१॥ ज्याचें तो बळिवंत सर्व निवारिता । आम्हां काय चिंता करणें लागें ॥ध्रु.॥ बुद्धीचा जनिता विश्वाचा व्यापक । काय नाहीं एक अंगीं तया ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे मज होईंल वारिता । तरी काय सत्ता नाहीं हातीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
No questioning — the order was firmly given — for us, there is no other recourse now. The master, the strong one, removes everything — what worry need we do? The generator of buddhi, the pervader of the universe — what is not in one aspect of his? Tuka says: if I become the obstacle-remover, isn't the sattā still in his hand?.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नये पुसों आज्ञा केली एकसरें | "not to be asked — the order was given — firmly / once-for-all" |
| आम्हांसी दुसरें आतां नाहीं | "for us — another — now — (there is) no" |
| ज्याचें तो बळिवंत सर्व निवारिता | "his (the master) — the strong one — removes everything" |
| आम्हां काय चिंता करणें लागें | "for us — what — worry — should-be-done" |
| बुद्धीचा जनिता विश्वाचा व्यापक | "the generator of buddhi — the pervader of the universe" |
| काय नाहीं एक अंगीं तया | "what is not — (in) one aspect — of his" |
| तुका म्हणे मज होईंल वारिता | "Tuka says — if I — become the obstacle-remover (vāritā)" |
| तरी काय सत्ता नाहीं हातीं | "then — what — the sattā — isn't in (his) hand" |
What it means
Master-is-the-doer-not-me abhang. A companion to 1770 (true-sevaka-discipline) — now articulating the theological-basis for that discipline.
The opening: nayē pusōm ājñā kēlī ēkasarē — āmhāmsī dusarē ātām nāhīm — no questioning — the order was firmly given — for us, there is no other recourse now. Ēkasarē = at-one-go, firmly, decisively. The order is final; the alternative-paths are closed.
The strong-master-line: jyācēm tō baḷivanta sarva nivāritā — āmhām kāya cintā karaṇēm lāgē — the master is strong, removes everything — what worry should we do?. Baḷivanta = the strong-one; sarva nivāritā = the all-obstacle-remover. The master removes-all-obstacles; the sevaka has nothing-to-worry-about. (= no anxiety-of-the-sevaka.)
The vyāpaka-line: buddhīcā janitā viśvācā vyāpaka — kāya nāhīm ēka angīm tayā — the generator of buddhi, the pervader of the universe — what is not in his one aspect?. Janitā = generator, father, source; vyāpaka = pervader. The Lord is the source-of-all-buddhi (= intellect) and the pervader-of-the-cosmos; there is nothing that is not in one-aspect of his. (= omnipotence-and-omnipresence-of-the-master.)
The closing self-question: Tukā mhaṇē maja hō'īla vāritā — tarī kāya sattā nāhīm hātīm — Tuka says: if I become the obstacle-remover, isn't the sattā still in his hand?. Vāritā = the obstacle-remover, defender. Even if I (Tuka) appear-to-be the protector / problem-solver — isn't the actual-sattā (= sovereign-power) still in the master's hand? (= all-apparent-agency-by-the-sevaka is actually-the-master's-sattā-flowing-through-the-sevaka.)
The implicit-message: the bhakta-sevaka acts but is not the agent; Viṭhṭhal is the strong-master who is doing-the-work-through-Tuka. Pairs theologically with the Viṭhṭhal-speaks-through-Tuka of 1768-1769 — Viṭhṭhal-acts-through-Tuka completes the picture.
[T]
For someone today
For today: no questioning — the order was firmly given — for us, there is no other recourse now; the master is strong, removes everything — what worry need we do?; the generator of buddhi, the pervader of the universe — what is not in one aspect of his?; Tuka says — even if I appear to be the obstacle-remover, isn't the sattā still in his hand?.
Where this applies
- When you have made a decision and keep circling back with doubt and what-ifs
- When you are overwhelmed with anxiety about a problem that feels bigger than you
- When you get praised for solving something and want to acknowledge what really helped you
- When you need reassurance that you are not carrying every burden entirely alone