Abhanga 2196
A sincere, simple presence is devotion enough in itself, and it is better to step outside the games of public opinion and appearance than to keep performing for them.
The verse
उपचारासी वांज जालों । नका बोलों यावरी ॥१॥ असेल तें असो तैसें । भेटीसरिसें नमन ॥ध्रु.॥ दुसर्यामध्यें कोण मिळे । छंद चाळे बहु मतें ॥२॥ एकाएकीं आतां तुका । लौकिका या बाहेरी ॥३॥
Literal translation
I have become barren of upachāra — don't speak further on this. Let what is be as-it-is — with the meeting itself, namana. Who would mix in another — fancies, tricks, many opinions? All at once now Tukā — outside this laukika.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| उपचारासी वांज जालों | "I have become barren of upachāra" |
| नका बोलों यावरी | "don't speak further on this" |
| असेल तें असो तैसें | "let what is be as-it-is" |
| भेटीसरिसें नमन | "with the meeting itself — namana" |
| दुसर्यामध्यें कोण मिळे | "who would mix in another" |
| छंद चाळे बहु मतें | "fancies, tricks — many opinions" |
| एकाएकीं आतां तुका | "all at once now Tukā" |
| लौकिका या बाहेरी | "outside this laukika" |
What it means
Barren-of-upachāra + outside-the-laukika-suddenly abhang.
The opening — barren of upachāra: upachārāsī vāñja jālōm — nakā bōlōm yāvarī — I have become barren of upachāra — don't speak further on this. Upachāra = the conventional offerings/services of pūjā (= 16-fold-upachāras: āsana, padya, arghya, etc.). Vāñja = barren. I-am-barren of-upachāras (= I-can't-perform the conventional-pūjā-offerings); don't speak-further on-this.
The meeting-itself is-namana: asēla tē asō taisē — bhēṭīsariśē namana — let what is be as-it-is — with the meeting itself, namana. Let things-be as-they-are; with-the-very-meeting (bhēṭī), namana (bowing) is-accomplished. (= the meeting itself is the bow; no further upachāra needed.)
The no-mixing: dusaryāmadhyē kōṇa miḷē — chanda chāḷē bahu matē — who would mix in another — fancies, tricks, many opinions. Who-would-mix-in-the-other (= the non-Govinda); there are fancies-tricks-many-opinions there.
The closing — suddenly-outside-the-laukika: ēkāēkīm ātām Tukā — laukikā yā bāhērī — all at once now Tukā — outside this laukika. Laukika = worldly-conventions, public-reputation, social-sphere. All-at-once now Tukā is-outside this-laukika. Echoes 2154's lament about laukika hā vāñyām vāḍhavilā — there it grew uselessly; here Tukā steps-outside-it.
[T]
For someone today
For today: I am barren of upachāra — don't speak further; let what is be — meeting itself is namana; who would mix in another — many fancies and tricks; all at once now Tukā — outside this laukika.
Where this applies
- When you feel pressure to perform elaborate rituals or gestures instead of just being sincerely present
- When people around you keep pulling you into their opinions, fads, or games and you want out
- When you're tired of maintaining a public image or reputation and want to just be genuine
- When you realize a simple, honest gesture matters more than an elaborate show