Abhanga 1887
Real love, not grandeur or status, is what binds the heart, and sincere devotion is what draws the divine close and makes it tender.
The verse
नाही काष्ठाचा गुमान । गोवी भ्रमरा सुमन ॥१॥ प्रेम प्रीतीचे बांधलें । तें न सुटे कांहीं केलें ॥ध्रु.॥ पदरीं घालीं पिळा । बाप निर्बळ साटी बाळा ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे भावें । भेणें देवा आकारावें ॥३॥
Literal translation
No value of wood — the bee is bound by the flower. Bound by prēma-prīti — that is not released by anything done. Puts a cushion in the cloth-fold — the father, weak, for the child. Tuka says: by bhāva — by fear — deva must take form.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नाही काष्ठाचा गुमान | "no value (gumāna) of wood (kāṣṭha)" |
| गोवी भ्रमरा सुमन | "the bee is bound (gōvī) — by the flower (sumana)" |
| प्रेम प्रीतीचे बांधलें | "bound by prēma-prīti" |
| तें न सुटे कांहीं केलें | "that is not released — by anything done" |
| पदरीं घालीं पिळा | "puts in the cloth-fold (padara) — a cushion (piḷā)" |
| बाप निर्बळ साटी बाळा | "the father, weak — for the child" |
| तुका म्हणे भावें | "Tuka says — by bhāva" |
| भेणें देवा आकारावें | "by fear — deva must take form (ākāra)" |
What it means
Bee-bound-by-flower + prēma-prīti-binds-the-Lord abhang. Part of Śivājī-cluster (1877-1890).
The opening: nāhī kāṣṭhācā gumāna — gōvī bhramarā sumana — no value of wood — the bee is bound by the flower. Kāṣṭha = wood; gumāna = value, importance; sumana = flower. The bee-doesn't-care-about-wood-(of-the-tree); it-is-bound-by-the-flower (sumana) (= the bhakta is bound-by-prēma, not-by-substance / not-by-cosmic-grandeur).
The prēma-prīti binding: prēma prītīcē bāndhilē — tē na suṭē kāhīm kēlē — bound by prēma-prīti — that is not released by anything done. The Lord-himself is bound-by-prēma-prīti — no-action-can-release-this-binding. (= the bhakta's-prēma is-the-Lord's-permanent-bondage.)
The cushion-image: padarī ghālī piḷā — bāpa nirbaḷa sāṭī bāḷa — puts a cushion in the cloth-fold — the father, weak, for the child. Padara = the end-fold of a cloth (= the parent's-cloth-fold where babies are tucked); piḷā = cushion / soft-padding; nirbaḷa = weak, helpless. The father-puts-a-cushion in-the-cloth-fold — the father becomes-weak for-the-child's-sake. (= the all-mighty-Lord becomes-weak in-the-presence-of-the-child-bhakta, providing-soft-cushioning.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē bhāvē — bhēṇē devā ākārāvē — Tuka says: by bhāva — by fear — deva must take form. Bhē = fear; ākāra = form, shape. By the bhakta's-bhāva and-by-(love's)-fear, deva must-take-form for-the-bhakta. (= the bhakta's-bhāva compels-the-formless-Lord to-take-form.)
In the Śivājī-context: the bhakta is bound-by-prēma (not-by-Śivājī's-royal-substance); the all-mighty-Lord becomes-weak-for-the-bhakta-child; the formless-Lord takes-form-for-the-bhakta's-bhāva — none-of-this-changes by-Śivājī's-honors.
[T]
For someone today
For today: no value of wood — the bee is bound by the flower; bound by prēma-prīti — that is not released by anything done; puts a cushion in the cloth-fold — the father, weak, for the child; Tuka says — by bhāva, by fear, deva must take form.
Where this applies
- When you love someone for who they are, not for their wealth, status, or power
- When you wonder whether your devotion is real, and find it keeps drawing you back no matter what
- When you need reassurance that even someone strong and important can be gentle for your sake
- When you want your faith to feel personal and close rather than distant and abstract