Abhanga 2007

Human birth is the rarest gain you will ever have, so take up devotion now instead of waiting, because time is quietly measuring out your days and you do not truly know what is still yours to use.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Human-birth-as-best-bargain + don't-delay-take-Hari-Nāma-now abhang. CLOSES 3-ABHANG MORTALITY-ADMONITION SUB-CLUSTER.

The opening — human-birth as the best bargain: lābha jālā bahutām disīm — lāhō karā puḍhē nāsī — manuṣya-dēhā aisī — uttama jōḍī jōḍilī — gain came after many days — take advantage — ahead is destruction — human-body — the best joining. The classic Vaiṣṇava-doctrine: the human-body is the rarest-best-bargain (uttama-jōḍī); take-advantage now, because-destruction-lies-ahead.

The Hari-Nāma-merchant call: ghē'ī Hari-Nāma sādarē — bharā sukhāchīm bhāṇḍārē — jāliyā vyāpārē — lāhō hēvā jōḍīchā — take Hari-Nāma reverently — fill the sukha-storehouses — once the trade is done — take advantage of the gain. Trade-Hari-Nāma; fill-the-sukha-storehouses.

Kāla-as-measurer + thieves: ghē'uni māpa hātīm — kāḷa mōvī divasa-rātī — chōra lāga ghētī — puḍhē taisē paḷāvē — kāla takes the measure in hand — measures day and night — thieves chase — flee forward. Kāla (death-time) measures-out-your-days-and-nights; thieves-of-time chase — flee-toward-the-Lord.

The closing — anti-procrastination: hita sāva-kāsē — mhaṇē karīna tē pisē — hātīm kāya aisē — Tukā mhaṇē nēṇasī — hita with sāva-kāsa — who says 'I'll do later' is fool — what is in hand — Tuka says — you don't know. Who-says "I'll-do-it-slowly-later" is-a-fool (pisē); what's-in-your-hand-(right-now), you-don't-know.

Colophon ॥३॥ confirms 3-abhang mortality-admonition sub-cluster (2005-2007).

[T]

For someone today

For today: gain came after many days — take advantage — ahead is destruction; human-body — such — the best joining; take Hari-Nāma reverently — fill the sukha-storehouses; kāla measures day-and-night — thieves chase — flee forward; hita with sāva-kāsa — who says 'I'll do later' is fool — what is in hand — Tuka says — you don't know.

Where this applies

• When you finally get a lucky break and are tempted to sit on it instead of using it right away
• When you catch yourself thinking human life is just ordinary and not worth treasuring
• When you keep postponing prayer or any meaningful practice, telling yourself you will start next week
• When you assume you have plenty of time left and forget how quickly days are being counted down

Related verses

• Abhanga 2448 — The easiest path to God is repeating divine names with love at home, right where you are,
• Abhanga 2494 — Living in devotion turns an ordinary day into a festival and removes the fear of birth and
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center