Abhanga 1831
For today: the more I constrain it, the more it thrashes — jumps anywhere; makes the samsāra-worry over and over; bhajana doesn't please — doesn't listen — runs seeing viṣaya; very fickle, agile — going-coming, no time required; how can I guard both times — sleeping or awake?; guard me now, Tuka says, Pandhari-nātha.
The verse
अधिक कोंडितां चरफडी । भलतीकडे घाली उडी ॥१॥ करी संसाराची चिंता । वेळोवेळां मागुती ॥ध्रु.॥ भजन नावडे श्रवण । धांवे विषय अवलोकून ॥२॥ बहुत चंचळ चपळ । जातां येतां न लगे वेळ ॥३॥ किती राखों दोनी काळ । निजलिया जागे वेळे ॥४॥ मज राखें आतां । तुका म्हणे पंढरिनाथा ॥५॥
Literal translation
The more constrained, the more it thrashes — jumps anywhere. Makes the samsāra-worry — over and over, again. Bhajana doesn't please — doesn't listen — runs, seeing viṣaya. Very fickle, agile — going-coming, no time required. How can I guard both times — while sleeping or while awake?. Guard me now — Tuka says — Pandhari-nātha.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अधिक कोंडितां चरफडी | "the more constrained — (it) thrashes (caraphaḍī)" |
| भलतीकडे घाली उडी | "anywhere — (it) jumps" |
| करी संसाराची चिंता | "makes — the samsāra-worry" |
| वेळोवेळां मागुती | "over-and-over — again" |
| भजन नावडे श्रवण | "bhajana doesn't please — doesn't listen" |
| धांवे विषय अवलोकून | "runs — seeing viṣaya" |
| बहुत चंचळ चपळ | "very fickle — agile" |
| जातां येतां न लगे वेळ | "going-coming — no time required" |
| किती राखों दोनी काळ | "how can I guard — both times" |
| निजलिया जागे वेळे | "while sleeping — or while awake" |
| मज राखें आतां | "guard me now" |
| तुका म्हणे पंढरिनाथा | "Tuka says — Pandhari-nātha" |
What it means
Mind's-restlessness + petition abhang.
The opening: adhika kōṇḍitām caraphaḍī — bhalatīkaḍē ghālī uḍī — the more constrained, the more it thrashes — jumps anywhere. Caraphaḍī = thrashes-and-flutters; uḍī = leaps, jumps. The mind, the more-you-constrain-it, the-more-it-resists and-jumps-elsewhere.
The samsāra-worry line: karī samsārācī cintā — vēḷō-vēḷām māgutī — makes the samsāra-worry over-and-over again. Recurring-samsāra-anxiety.
The viṣaya-running line: bhajana nāvaḍē śravaṇa — dhāmvē viṣaya avalōkūna — bhajana doesn't please — doesn't listen — runs, seeing viṣaya. Bhajana-time the-mind doesn't-listen; the-moment viṣaya-appears, the-mind-runs-after-it.
The fickle-line: bahuta cañcaḷa capaḷa — jātām yētām na lagē vēḷa — very fickle, agile — going-coming, no time required. The mind moves-faster-than-time, going-and-coming-without-delay.
The guard-petition: kitī rākhōm dōnī kāḷa — nijaliyā jāgē vēḷē — how can I guard both times — sleeping or awake?. Dōnī kāḷa = both times (= both-states-of-life: jāgrat and svapna). The mind disturbs-me-in-both-waking-and-sleeping.
The closing: maja rākhē ātām — Tukā mhaṇē Pandhari-nāthā — guard me now — Tuka says — Pandhari-nātha. The petition for-the-Lord-to-guard the bhakta.
This abhang is companion to 1818 (cāṇḍāḷa-mind) — both lament the bhakta's-helplessness in-the-face-of mind's-restlessness.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the more I constrain it, the more it thrashes — jumps anywhere; makes the samsāra-worry over and over; bhajana doesn't please — doesn't listen — runs seeing viṣaya; very fickle, agile — going-coming, no time required; how can I guard both times — sleeping or awake?; guard me now, Tuka says, Pandhari-nātha.
Where this applies
- When you try hard to force your attention to stay still and it only becomes more restless
- When the same anxious thoughts about daily responsibilities keep looping back no matter how many times you set them aside
- When you sit down to pray, meditate, or focus and your attention keeps darting toward every small distraction
- When your mind keeps you awake at night or agitated even during rest, and willpower alone is not enough