संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1888 of 4582

Abhanga 1888

For today: before bhāva, no one's force is equal; rules over deva itself — who is beyond that?; where (bhāva) sits, all the śaktis come without being called; Tuka says — when (bhāva) settles, who looks at him?.

When you'd express bhāva-rules-over-deva-attracts-all-śaktis — bhāvāpuḍhē-baḷa-na; devāvarī-sattā-kōṇa-paratā; baisē-tēthē-sarva-śakti-yētī; rāhē-kōṇa-pāhē

The verse

भावापुढें बळ । नाहीं कोणाचे सबळ ॥१॥ करी देवावरी सत्ता । कोण त्याहूनि परता ॥ध्रु.॥ बैसे तेथें येती । न पाचारितां सर्व शक्ति ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे राहे । तयाकडे कोण पाहे ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Before bhāva, no one's force is equal. Rules over deva itself — who is beyond that? Where (bhāva) sits, all the śaktis come without being called. Tuka says: (when bhāva) settles — who looks at him?.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
भावापुढें बळ "before bhāvastrength"
नाहीं कोणाचे सबळ "no one's force is equal"
करी देवावरी सत्ता "rules over deva itself"
कोण त्याहूनि परता "who is beyond that"
बैसे तेथें येती "where (bhāva) sits — (they) come"
न पाचारितां सर्व शक्ति "without being called — all the śaktis"
तुका म्हणे राहे "Tuka says — (when bhāva) settles"
तयाकडे कोण पाहे "who looks at him"

What it means

Bhāva-rules-over-deva-and-attracts-all-śaktis abhang. Part of Śivājī-cluster (1877-1890).

The opening: bhāvāpuḍhē baḷa — nāhīm kōṇāce sabaḷabefore bhāva, no one's force is equal. No-cosmic-power-can-stand-before bhāva.

The deva-rules line: karī devāvarī sattā — kōṇa tyāhūni paratā(bhāva) rules over deva itself — who is beyond that?. Bhāva exercises sattā even-over-deva — there is no-greater-power.

The śakti-line: baisē tēthē yētī — na pācāritā sarva śaktiwhere (bhāva) sits, (they) come — all the śaktis, without being called. Wherever-bhāva-settles, all-the-śaktis come unbidden.

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē rāhē — tayākaḍē kōṇa pāhēTuka says: (when bhāva) settles — who looks at him?. The bhakta-with-bhāva — who-can-look at-him? (= no-one-dares-to-disturb-him).

In the Śivājī-context: the bhakta has-bhāva-which-rules-over-deva-itself; what-can-Śivājī's-royal-honors offer to-such-a-bhakta?. Foundational claim of bhāva's-supremacy in the cluster.

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For someone today

For today: before bhāva, no one's force is equal; rules over deva itself — who is beyond that?; where (bhāva) sits, all the śaktis come without being called; Tuka says — when (bhāva) settles, who looks at him?.

Where this applies

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