Abhanga 1885
For today: in the three worlds — we are the masters of vaibhava; weapons and tactics came-into-hand — our mother-and-father is deva; what strength in the three worlds — all is in our body; Tuka says — the sattā is entirely ours now.
The verse
तिहीं त्रिभुवनीं । आम्ही वैभवाचे धनी ॥१॥ हातां आले घाव डाव । आमचा मायबाप देव ॥ध्रु.॥ काय त्रिभुवनीं बळ । अंगीं आमुच्या सकळ ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे सत्ता । अवघी आमुची च आतां ॥३॥
Literal translation
In the three worlds — we are the masters of vaibhava. Weapons and tactics came-into-hand — our mother-and-father is deva. What strength in the three worlds — all is in our body. Tuka says: the sattā is entirely ours now.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तिहीं त्रिभुवनीं | "in the three worlds" |
| आम्ही वैभवाचे धनी | "we are the masters of vaibhava" |
| हातां आले घाव डाव | "weapons (ghāva) and tactics (ḍāva) — came-into-hand" |
| आमचा मायबाप देव | "our mother-and-father is deva" |
| काय त्रिभुवनीं बळ | "what strength in the three worlds" |
| अंगीं आमुच्या सकळ | "all is in our body" |
| तुका म्हणे सत्ता | "Tuka says — the sattā" |
| अवघी आमुची च आतां | "entirely ours now" |
What it means
Bhakta-already-has-cosmic-vaibhava — no-need-for-royal abhang. Part of Śivājī-cluster (1877-1890).
The opening declaration: tihīm tribhuvanī — āmhī vaibhavāce dhanī — in the three worlds — we are the masters of vaibhava. Tribhuvana = the three-worlds (svarga, mṛtya, pātāla); vaibhava = splendor / wealth-with-grandeur (= the very-thing-Śivājī's-offering-tries-to-give). The bhakta declares: we-are-already-the-masters of-the-three-worlds' vaibhava — so what's-the-point of accepting Śivājī's-tiny-portion?.
The weapons-line: hātām ālē ghāva ḍāva — āmacā māya-bāpa deva — weapons and tactics came-into-hand — our mother-and-father is deva. Ghāva = weapons / blows; ḍāva = tactics / moves. The cosmic-weapons-and-tactics are in our hands — because deva is our mother-father.
The strength-line: kāya tribhuvanī baḷa — angī āmucyā sakaḷa — what strength in the three worlds — all is in our body. All-the-strength of the three-worlds — present-in-our-body (= the bhakta is the abode of cosmic-strength).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē sattā — avaghī āmucī chi ātām — Tuka says: the sattā — entirely ours now. The sovereign-sattā is ours — we don't-need-Śivājī's-derivative-sattā.
The implicit-message in-Śivājī-context: what can a tribhuvana-master-bhakta do with-a-king's-petty-canopy-and-horse? The bhakta has access-to-cosmic-vaibhava through bhakti — Śivājī's-offerings are insignificant by-comparison.
[T]
For someone today
For today: in the three worlds — we are the masters of vaibhava; weapons and tactics came-into-hand — our mother-and-father is deva; what strength in the three worlds — all is in our body; Tuka says — the sattā is entirely ours now.
Where this applies
- When you're offered power, a prize, or recognition and feel you must accept it to matter
- When you feel small next to someone with more authority, weapons, or resources
- When you forget the strength and steadiness you already carry within yourself
- When you're deciding whether an outside reward can really add anything to what you already have through your faith