Abhanga 2023
For today: the devout caught this varma well — serve with delight to fullness; as they wish, he dances to their whim — they worship the tender feet; forgot mukti by bhakti-longing — dragged along, came to sukha; Tuka says — no hope of asking — Pāṇḍuranga doesn't forget them.
The verse
भाविकां हें वर्म सांपडलें निकें । सेविती कवतुकें धणीवरि ॥१॥ इच्छितील तैसा नाचे त्यांचे छंदें । वंदिती तीं पदें सकुमारें ॥ध्रु.॥ विसरले मुक्ति भक्तिअभिळासें । ओढत सरिसें सुखा आलें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे नाहीं मागायाची आस । पांडुरंग त्यांस विसंबेना ॥३॥
Literal translation
The devout caught this varma well — serve with delight to fullness. As they wish, he dances to their whim — they worship the tender feet. Forgot mukti by bhakti-longing — dragged along, came to sukha. Tuka says: no hope of asking — Pāṇḍuranga doesn't forget them.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| भाविकां हें वर्म सांपडलें निकें | "the devout caught this varma well" |
| सेविती कवतुकें धणीवरि | "serve with delight to fullness" |
| इच्छितील तैसा नाचे त्यांचे छंदें | "as they wish, he dances to their whim" |
| वंदिती तीं पदें सकुमारें | "they worship those tender feet" |
| विसरले मुक्ति भक्तिअभिळासें | "they forgot mukti — by bhakti-longing" |
| ओढत सरिसें सुखा आलें | "dragged along — came to sukha" |
| तुका म्हणे नाहीं मागायाची आस | "Tuka says — no hope of asking" |
| पांडुरंग त्यांस विसंबेना | "Pāṇḍuranga doesn't forget them" |
What it means
Bhaktas-caught-the-varma + Pāṇḍuranga-doesn't-forget abhang. OPENS 3-ABHANG BHAKTA-SAṂGAMA CLUSTER (2023-2025).
The opening: bhāvikām hē varma sāmpaḍalē nikē — sēvitī kavatukē dhaṇīvari — the devout caught this varma well — serve with delight to fullness. The devout caught-the-secret (varma); they-serve-with-delight to-the-fullness.
The Lord-as-bhakta's-dancer: ichchhitīla taisā nāchē tyāñchē chandē — vandutī tīm padē sukumārē — as they wish, he dances to their whim — they worship the tender feet. The Lord dances-to-the-bhakta's-whim (chandē); they-worship the tender (sukumāra)-feet. A remarkable inversion: the bhakta directs; the Lord-dances.
The mukti-forgotten: visaralē mukti bhakti-abhilāṣē — ōḍhata sarisē sukhā ālē — forgot mukti by bhakti-longing — dragged along, came to sukha. Bhakti-longing makes-them-forget mukti; they-arrive at-sukha by-being-dragged-along (= bhakti exceeds-mukti).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē nāhīm māgāyāchī āsa — Pāṇḍuranga tyāmsa visambēnā — Tuka says: no hope of asking — Pāṇḍuranga doesn't forget them. The bhaktas-don't-even-ask-anymore; yet-Pāṇḍuranga doesn't-forget-them. The asymmetric-mercy: they don't ask, he never forgets.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the devout caught this varma well — serve with delight to fullness; as they wish, he dances to their whim — they worship the tender feet; forgot mukti by bhakti-longing — dragged along, came to sukha; Tuka says — no hope of asking — Pāṇḍuranga doesn't forget them.
Where this applies
- When you serve someone you love without expecting anything in return, and it brings unexpected joy.
- When you're so absorbed in worship or a beloved practice that success or reward stops mattering to you.
- When you keep asking God for things and wonder whether letting go of asking might serve you better.
- When you doubt whether quiet devotion without requests is even noticed, and need reassurance that it is.