Abhanga 2000
True devotion is single-minded and undivided, like a bird that waits only for its one cloud, and it becomes real only when you stake your whole life on it.
The verse
धीर तो कारण एकविधभाव । पतिव्रते नाहो सर्वभावें ॥१॥ चातक हे जळ न पाहाती दृष्टी । वाट पाहे कंठीं प्राण मेघा ॥ध्रु.॥ सूर्यविकाशनी नेघे चंद्रामृत । वाट पाहे अस्तउदयाची ॥२॥ धेनु येऊं नेदी जवळी आणिकां । आपुल्या बाळकाविण वत्सा ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे नेम प्राणांसवेंसाटी । तरी च या गोष्टी विठोबाची ॥४॥ ॥६॥
Literal translation
Dhīra is the cause — single-bhāva — pati-vratā with husband, all-bhāva. Chātaka doesn't look-at-water with eyes — path-watching, life in throat, for the cloud. Sun-blooming flower takes no chandra-amṛta — waits for asta-udaya. Cow doesn't let other calves near — except her own. Tuka says: niyama — bartered with prāṇa — only then these things of Viṭhōbā. ॥6॥
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| धीर तो कारण एकविधभाव | "dhīra is the cause — single-bhāva" |
| पतिव्रते नाहो सर्वभावें | "pati-vratā — husband — with all bhāva" |
| चातक हे जळ न पाहाती दृष्टी | "chātaka doesn't look-at-water with eyes" |
| वाट पाहे कंठीं प्राण मेघा | "path-watching — life in throat — for the cloud" |
| सूर्यविकाशनी नेघे चंद्रामृत | "sun-blooming flower takes no chandra-amṛta" |
| वाट पाहे अस्तउदयाची | "waits for asta-udaya (sunset-sunrise)" |
| धेनु येऊं नेदी जवळी आणिकां | "the cow doesn't let other calves come near" |
| आपुल्या बाळकाविण वत्सा | "except her own bāḷaka-vatsa" |
| तुका म्हणे नेम प्राणांसवेंसाटी | "Tuka says — niyama — bartered with prāṇa" |
| तरी च या गोष्टी विठोबाची | "only then these things — of Viṭhōbā" |
| ॥६॥ | "colophon-6 — closes 6-abhang sub-cluster" |
What it means
Single-bhāva-with-prāṇa-as-stake abhang. CLOSES 6-ABHANG SUB-CLUSTER.
The opening — single-bhāva: dhīra tō kāraṇa ēka-vidha-bhāva — pati-vrate nāhō sarva-bhāvē — dhīra is the cause — single-bhāva — pati-vratā with husband, all-bhāva. Patience-with-single-pointed-bhāva: as the pati-vratā has-only-one-husband, with-all-her-being.
FOUR CLASSIC BHAKTI-IMAGES: 1. Chātaka: chātaka hē jaḷa na pāhātī dṛṣṭī — vāṭa pāhē kaṇṭhī prāṇa mēghā — chātaka doesn't look-at-(other)-water — path-watching, life in throat, for the cloud. The chātaka (cātaka-bird) drinks-only rain-from-the-cloud, never-water-on-the-ground; waits-with-throat-life for-the-cloud. Single-pointed bhakti. 2. Sun-blooming flower: sūrya-vikāsanī nēghē chandra-amṛta — vāṭa pāhē asta-udayāchī — sun-blooming-flower (= lotus) takes no chandra-amṛta — waits for asta-udaya. The lotus blooms-only-with-sun, ignores-moon's-amṛta. 3. Cow-and-calf: dhēnu yēūm nēdī javaḷī āṇikām — āpulyā bāḷakāviṇa vatsā — cow doesn't let other calves near — except her own. The cow-loves only-her-own-calf.
The closing — niyama-with-prāṇa: Tukā mhaṇē nēma prāṇāmsavēmsāṭī — tarī cha yā gōṣṭī Viṭhōbāchī — Tuka says: the niyama bartered-with-prāṇa — only then these things of Viṭhōbā. Only-when-niyama (vow) is-staked-with-prāṇa (life) do these-things of-Viṭhōbā become-real. Bhakti requires absolute-stake.
Colophon ॥६॥ confirms 6-abhang sub-cluster.
[T]
For someone today
For today: dhīra is the cause — single-bhāva — pati-vratā with husband, all-bhāva; chātaka doesn't look-at-water — path-watching, life in throat for cloud; sun-blooming flower takes no chandra-amṛta — waits for sunset-sunrise; cow doesn't let other calves near — except her own; Tuka says — niyama bartered-with-prāṇa — only then these things of Viṭhōbā.
Where this applies
- When you're spreading your energy and attention across too many things to ever go deep with one.
- When you're waiting on something meaningful and tempted to settle for an easier substitute nearby.
- When you love someone or something so specifically that no substitute will do.
- When your commitment is tested and you have to decide whether you'll stay the course.