Abhanga 2159

It is fair to demand that devotion change your actual life now, not just promise liberation after death, and unresolved doubt deserves an honest answer rather than more reassurance.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Moksha-deferred-after-death + how-many-dṛṣṭāntas abhang.

The opening — moksha-deferred: mēlyāvari mōkṣa samsāra-sambandhē — ārāliyā badhē ṭhēvā āmhām — moksha after dying — samsāra-bond meanwhile — keep us from the fallen ones' bondage. The classic protest: if moksha-only-after-death, then we-remain-in-samsāra-bondage now; protect-us from the bondage-of-the-fallen-ones.

The doubt-and-servant's-greatness: vāgavīta sandēha rāhōm kōṭhavarī — maga kāya thōrī sēvakāchī — how long should I stay carrying doubt — then what greatness of the servant. If the servant-must-carry-doubt indefinitely, what greatness-can-the-servant-have?

The singing-and-dancing: gāṇē gīta āmhām nāchaṇē ānandē — prēma kōṭhē bhēdē angā yētē — singing-songs, dancing in ānanda — where does prema break through into the body. We sing and dance, but where does prema actually-pierce-the-body?

The closing — too-many-dṛṣṭāntas: Tukā mhaṇē kitī sāngāvē dṛṣṭānta — nasatām tūm ananta sānakuḷa — Tuka says: how many dṛṣṭāntas to tell — when you, Ananta, are everywhere. Sānakuḷa = everywhere, in every place. How-many examples-to-tell — when-you-are Ananta-everywhere.

[T]

For someone today

For today: moksha after dying — samsāra-bond meanwhile — keep us from the fallen ones' bondage; how long should I stay carrying doubt — then what greatness of the servant; singing-songs, dancing in ānanda — where does prema break-through; Tuka says — how many dṛṣṭāntas — when you, Ananta, are everywhere.

Where this applies

• When you're told to wait for rewards after death and want change or relief in your life right now
• When you feel you've carried unresolved doubt for so long that it starts to undermine your sense of devotion
• When you go through the outward motions of joy, like singing or celebrating, but wonder if it's really changing you
• When you grow impatient with being given more reassurances instead of an honest answer

Related verses

• Abhanga 2448 — The easiest path to God is repeating divine names with love at home, right where you are,
• Abhanga 2464 — For today: Pāṇḍuranga is sukha-rūpa ; no wandering, no shaving, no sādhana-pressure ; Chan
• Abhanga 2477 — Like a child too absorbed in play to notice how tired he is, let go and trust the parent c
• Abhanga 2481 — Pandharpur surpasses even the greatest pilgrimage cities because people there set aside pr