Abhanga 1897
For today: doesn't change — only the simple bhāvika-bhakta; for others — destruction is ahead — when puṇya runs out, it is revealed; doesn't know garbha-vāsa — only the dāsa of Viṣṇu; Tuka says — true — the Name of Viṭhobā is good.
The verse
न पालटे एक । भोळा भक्त चि भाविक ॥१॥ येरां नास आहे पुढें । पुण्य सरतां उघडें ॥ध्रु.॥ नेणे गर्भवास । एक विष्णूचा चि दास ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे खरें । नाम विठोबाचे बरें ॥३॥ ॥ स्वामींनीं पत्र पंढरीनाथास पंढरीस पाठविलें ते अभंग ॥ ६६ ॥ संतांबरोबर पाठविल्या पत्राचे अभंग ३६
Literal translation
Doesn't change — only the simple bhāvika-bhakta. For others — destruction is ahead — when puṇya runs out, (it) is revealed. Doesn't know garbha-vāsa — only the dāsa of Viṣṇu. Tuka says: true — the Name of Viṭhobā is good.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| न पालटे एक | "doesn't change — only" |
| भोळा भक्त चि भाविक | "the simple bhāvika-bhakta" |
| येरां नास आहे पुढें | "for others — destruction is ahead" |
| पुण्य सरतां उघडें | "when puṇya runs out — (it) is revealed" |
| नेणे गर्भवास | "doesn't know garbha-vāsa (rebirth)" |
| एक विष्णूचा चि दास | "only — the dāsa of Viṣṇu" |
| तुका म्हणे खरें | "Tuka says — true" |
| नाम विठोबाचे बरें | "the Name of Viṭhobā is good" |
What it means
Only-bhāvika-bhakta-doesn't-change + Viṣṇu-dāsa-no-garbha-vāsa abhang.
Historical context (colophon): This abhang ends a major-narrative-cluster. The colophon at the end of the source text reads: "These (preceding) are the abhangs of the letter Svāmī sent to Pandhari-nātha at Pandhari (66 abhangs). The abhangs of the letter sent with the saints — 36." Thus 1897 closes a 66-abhang 'letter-to-Pandhari-nātha' cluster, and 1898-1933 begin a new 36-abhang 'letter-sent-with-the-saints' cluster.
The opening: na pālaṭē ēka — bhōḷā bhakta chi bhāvika — doesn't change — only the simple bhāvika-bhakta. Of-all-types-of-people, only-the-simple-bhāvika-bhakta doesn't-change (= remains constant-in-bhakti).
The destruction-line: yērām nāsa āhē puḍhē — puṇya saratām ughaḍē — for others, destruction is ahead — when puṇya runs out, it is revealed. For-others, destruction-awaits; when-the-stored-puṇya is-spent, the-truth is-revealed. (= non-bhaktas have-only-finite-merit-bank; once-spent, they-fall.)
The no-rebirth line: nēṇē garbha-vāsa — ēka Viṣṇūcā chi dāsa — doesn't know garbha-vāsa — only the dāsa of Viṣṇu. Garbha-vāsa = the dwelling-in-the-womb (= the rebirth-cycle). Only-the-Viṣṇu-dāsa is freed from-the-womb-cycle.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē kharē — nāma Viṭhōbāce barē — Tuka says: true — the Name of Viṭhobā is good. The simple-conclusion: the Name-of-Viṭhobā is the-truly-good.
This abhang closes a 66-abhang letter-cluster — the letter Tukārām composed-and-sent to-Pandhari-nātha at-Pandhari. The closing-statement is the foundational-Vārkarī-claim: only-bhāvika-bhakta is-permanent + only-Viṣṇu-dāsa is-free-from-rebirth + Viṭhobā's-Name is the-good.
[T]
For someone today
For today: doesn't change — only the simple bhāvika-bhakta; for others — destruction is ahead — when puṇya runs out, it is revealed; doesn't know garbha-vāsa — only the dāsa of Viṣṇu; Tuka says — true — the Name of Viṭhobā is good.
Where this applies
- When you feel unstable because your circumstances keep shifting and you want something in yourself that doesn't change
- When you've been coasting on past good deeds and worry what happens once that credit runs out
- When you feel trapped in cycles of worry and want a way out that isn't just more effort
- When you're overwhelmed by complicated spiritual advice and need one simple, reliable practice to hold onto