Abhanga 1935
Trust that a truly caring presence knows your heart already and will keep its word, even before you see the proof.
The verse
परि तो आहे कृपेचा सागर । तोंवरी अंतर पडों नेदी ॥१॥ बहुकानदृष्टी आइके देखणा । पुरोनियां जना उरलासे ॥ध्रु.॥ सांगितल्याविणें जाणे अंतरिंचें । पुरवावें ज्याचें तैसें कोड ॥२॥ बहुमुखें कीर्ती आइकिली कानीं । विश्वास ही मनीं आहे माझा ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे नाहीं जात वांयांविण । पाळितो वचन बोलिलों तें ॥४॥
Literal translation
But he is the kṛpā-sāgara — won't let separation fall till then. With many ears and eyes — hears, sees — pervading the people, remains. Without being told — knows the inner — fulfills whose longing as such. By many mouths the kīrti is heard in ear — this faith is in my mind. Tuka says: doesn't go in vain — keeps the word spoken.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| परि तो आहे कृपेचा सागर | "but he is the kṛpā-sāgara" |
| तोंवरी अंतर पडों नेदी | "won't let separation fall till then" |
| बहुकानदृष्टी आइके देखणा | "with many ears and eyes — hears, sees" |
| पुरोनियां जना उरलासे | "pervading the people — remained" |
| सांगितल्याविणें जाणे अंतरिंचें | "without being told — knows the inner" |
| पुरवावें ज्याचें तैसें कोड | "fulfills — whose longing as such" |
| बहुमुखें कीर्ती आइकिली कानीं | "by many mouths — the kīrti is heard in ear" |
| विश्वास ही मनीं आहे माझा | "this faith — is in my mind" |
| तुका म्हणे नाहीं जात वांयांविण | "Tuka says — (he) doesn't go in vain" |
| पाळितो वचन बोलिलों तें | "keeps the word spoken" |
What it means
Lord-is-kṛpā-sāgara-trust-resolution abhang.
After the anxiety of 1934 (waiting-for-Vārkarīs), this abhang is the trust-resolution: but-he-is-the-kṛpā-sāgara, no-need-to-worry.
The opening: parī tō āhē kṛpēcā sāgara — tōmvarī antara paḍōm nēdī — but he is the kṛpā-sāgara — won't let separation fall till then. The shift to trust: despite-my-anxiety, he-is-the-ocean-of-grace; he-won't-allow-the-separation.
The omnipresent-perception: bahu-kāna-dṛṣṭī aikē dēkhaṇā — purōniyām janā uralāsē — with many ears and eyes — hears, sees — pervading the people, remained. The Lord pervades-everywhere with-many-ears-eyes; hears-and-sees-all.
The knows-without-telling: sāngitalyāvīṇē jāṇē antarīñcē — puravāvē jyācē taisē kōḍa — without being told — knows the inner — fulfills whose longing as such. The Lord-knows-the-inner without-the-bhakta-needing-to-explain.
The faith-in-mind: bahu-mukhē kīrtī aikīlī kānī — viśvāsa hī manī āhē mājhā — by many mouths the kīrti is heard in ear — this faith is in my mind. The Lord's-kīrti is heard everywhere; my-mind-has-this-faith.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē nāhīm jāta vāmyāvīṇa — pāḷitō vacana bōlilōm tēm — Tuka says: doesn't go in vain — keeps the word spoken. The Lord's-word doesn't-fail; he-keeps-what-he-has-said.
This abhang resolves the anxiety of 1934 with trust — the Lord is the kṛpā-sāgara who-keeps-his-word.
[T]
For someone today
For today: but he is the kṛpā-sāgara — won't let separation fall till then; with many ears and eyes — hears, sees — pervading the people; without being told — knows the inner — fulfills whose longing as such; by many mouths the kīrti is heard in ear — this faith is in my mind; Tuka says — doesn't go in vain — keeps the word spoken.
Where this applies
- When anxious waiting gives way to a calmer trust that things will work out
- When you take comfort in believing someone truly present and attentive is watching over you
- When you draw confidence from hearing many other people vouch for someone's goodness
- When you choose to believe a promise will be kept because the person making it has kept promises before