Abhanga 2190

Constant restless coming and going is the root of unnecessary trouble; true devotion means surrendering fully and resting like dust at the feet, right where you already stand.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Obey-command-stay-put + no-yātrā-needed-coming-going-upādhi abhang. Ends with ॥३॥ — closes 3-abhang sub-cluster (2188-2190).

The opening — obeying-the-command: ājñā pāḷuniyām asēm ēkasarē — tumachīm uttarē santāñchīm hīm — I exist by obeying the command, single-stretchedly — these are the saints' words. Ēkasarē = in one stretch, continuously. I exist by-obeying-the-command continuously; these-are the-saints'-words (= I follow what-the-saints-told-me).

The body-laid-at-feet: bhāgavūni dēha ṭhēviyēlā pāyīm — charaṇāvari ḍō'īm yēthunē chi — having tired the body, I laid it at the feet — head on feet from here-itself. Bhāgavūni = tired-out, exhausted. Having-tired-out the-body, I-laid-it at-the-feet; the head is-on-the-feet from-here-itself (= from this place; no need to move).

The coming-and-going as upādhi: yēṇē jāṇē hē tōm upādhīchē mūḷa — pūjā tē sakaḷa akartavya — coming-and-going is the root of upādhi — all that pūjā is non-karya. Upādhi = adventitious-condition, accidental-attribute, encumbrance. Akartavya = not-to-be-done, non-karya. Coming-and-going (= pilgrimages, etc.) is-the-root-of-upādhi; all-such-pūjā is-akartavya (= not-essentially-to-be-done). A bold no-yātrā position from the abhang-master who lived at Dehu — staying-put as superior to-pilgrimage.

The closing — dust-at-feet, naturally-wherever: Tukā mhaṇē asēm charaṇīñchā raja — padīm cha sahaja jēthē tēthē — Tuka says: I am the dust at the feet — naturally at the feet wherever it is. I-am-the-dust at-the-feet; naturally-at-the-feet wherever-(the feet)-are. (= the feet of-the-Lord are everywhere, so my-being-dust-at-feet is-realized everywhere — no-yātrā-needed.)

The ॥३॥ colophon closes a 3-abhang sub-cluster (2188-2190): 2188 (durjana-naraka-store-bag), 2189 (reject-thorns-worse-than-onion), 2190 (obey-command-stay-put). The cluster moves from reject-the-bad-company to stay-where-the-saints'-command-places-you.

[T]

For someone today

For today: I exist by obeying command — single-stretchedly — saints' words; body tired, laid at feet — head on feet from here; coming-going is root of upādhi — pūjā is non-karya; Tuka says — I am dust at feet — naturally wherever.

Where this applies

• When you feel pressure to travel far or perform elaborate rituals to feel close to the divine.
• When you're exhausted from chasing external proof of devotion and want to settle into simple surrender where you already are.
• When you keep looking for the next place or practice that will finally make you feel spiritually complete.
• When you trust guidance from people you respect and want to follow it steadily rather than second-guessing it.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2464 — For today: Pāṇḍuranga is sukha-rūpa ; no wandering, no shaving, no sādhana-pressure ; Chan
• Abhanga 2490 — The divine is most reachable through the living presence of a true saint, not through a di
• 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