Abhanga 2118
The Name of God saves anyone who takes it up, regardless of caste or effort, because God takes form precisely to protect and cherish devotion in every person.
The verse
तारिलीं बहुतें चुकवूनि घात । नाम हें अमृत स्वीकारितां ॥१॥ नेणतां सायास शुद्ध आचरण । यातीकुळहीन नामासाटीं ॥ध्रु.॥ जन्म नांव धरी भक्तीच्या पाळणा । आकार कारणा या च साटीं ॥२॥ असुरीं दाटली पाप होतां फार । मग फेडी भार पृथिवीचा ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे देव भक्तपण सार । कवतुक वेव्हार तयासाटीं ॥४॥
Literal translation
Many saved, avoiding harm — taking this Name-amṛta. Not knowing effort, śuddha conduct — the low-jāti-kuḷa (saved) by Name's stead. Birth carries Name for bhakti's pāḷaṇā — form is for this very cause. When sin is much, asuras crowd — then (he) lightens earth's burden. Tuka says: Deva — the essence is bhakta-pana — the kavatuka-vyavahāra is for that very reason.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तारिलीं बहुतें चुकवूनि घात | "many saved, avoiding harm" |
| नाम हें अमृत स्वीकारितां | "taking this Name-amṛta" |
| नेणतां सायास शुद्ध आचरण | "not knowing effort, śuddha conduct" |
| यातीकुळहीन नामासाटीं | "the low-jāti-kuḷa — by Name's stead" |
| जन्म नांव धरी भक्तीच्या पाळणा | "birth carries Name for bhakti's pāḷaṇā" |
| आकार कारणा या च साटीं | "form is for this very cause" |
| असुरीं दाटली पाप होतां फार | "when sin is much, asuras crowd" |
| मग फेडी भार पृथिवीचा | "then (he) lightens earth's burden" |
| तुका म्हणे देव भक्तपण सार | "Tuka says — Deva — the essence is bhakta-pana" |
| कवतुक वेव्हार तयासाटीं | "the kavatuka-vyavahāra is for that very reason" |
What it means
Name-amṛta-saves-low-jāti + Lord-takes-birth-for-bhakti abhang. RADICAL BHAKTI-DOCTRINE.
The opening — saved-by-Name: tārilīm bahutē chukavūni ghāta — Nāma hē amṛta svīkāritām — many saved, avoiding harm — taking this Name-amṛta. Many-saved by-Name-amṛta.
THE LOW-JĀTI SAVED: nēṇatām sāyāsa śuddha ācharaṇa — yātī-kuḷa-hīna Nāmā-sāṭīm — not knowing effort, śuddha conduct — the low-jāti-kuḷa (saved) by Name's stead. The low-jāti-kuḷa, without-knowing-effort or-śuddha-ācaraṇa, are-saved by-the-Name's-stead. Anti-purity-rule statement.
The Lord's-birth-purpose: janma nāva dharī bhaktīchyā pāḷaṇā — ākāra kāraṇā yā cha sāṭīm — asurīm dāṭalī pāpa hōtām phāra — maga phēḍī bhāra pṛthivīchā — birth carries Name for bhakti's pāḷaṇā — form is for this very cause — when sin is much, asuras crowd — then (he) lightens earth's burden. The Lord-takes-form for-protecting-bhakti and-lightening-earth-of-asura-burden (= Gītā 4.7-8 paraphrased: yadā yadā hi dharmasya).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē Dēva bhakta-paṇa sāra — kavatuka vēvhāra tayā-sāṭīm — Deva — the essence is bhakta-pana — the kavatuka-vyavahāra is for that. For-the-Deva, the bhakta-pana is the-essence; the charming-business (kavatuka-vyavahāra = līlā) is for-that very-purpose.
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For someone today
For today: many saved, avoiding harm — taking this Name-amṛta; not knowing effort, śuddha conduct — the low-jāti-kuḷa (saved) by Name's stead; birth carries Name for bhakti's pāḷaṇā — form is for this cause; when sin is much, asuras crowd — then (he) lightens earth's burden; Tuka says — Deva — the essence is bhakta-pana — the kavatuka-vyavahāra is for that very reason.
Where this applies
- When someone is told their background, caste, or lack of formal training disqualifies them from real spiritual life.
- When you feel you haven't done enough ritual or effort to deserve grace.
- When you wonder whether God cares about ordinary, imperfect people as much as the outwardly accomplished.
- When you need reassurance that sincere love for God matters more than status or credentials.