Abhanga 2225
Accepting what already is and finding stability within the flow of life beats restless striving, and a determined mind can shift in an instant.
The verse
आहे तें चि पुढें पाहों । बरे आहों येथें चि ॥१॥ काय वाढवूनि काम । उगा च श्रम तृष्णेचा ॥ध्रु.॥ स्थिरावतां ओघीं बरें । चाली पुरें पडेना ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे विळतां मन । आम्हां क्षण न लगे ॥३॥
Literal translation
Let what is be seen ahead — we're fine here itself. Why grow work — useless toil of tṛṣṇā? Becoming stable in flow is good — the walk doesn't suffice. Tuka says: bending the mind — takes no moment for us.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आहे तें चि पुढें पाहों | "let what is be seen ahead" |
| बरे आहों येथें चि | "we're fine here itself" |
| काय वाढवूनि काम | "why grow work" |
| उगा च श्रम तृष्णेचा | "useless toil of tṛṣṇā" |
| स्थिरावतां ओघीं बरें | "becoming stable in flow is good" |
| चाली पुरें पडेना | "the walk doesn't suffice" |
| तुका म्हणे विळतां मन | "Tuka says — bending the mind" |
| आम्हां क्षण न लगे | "takes no moment for us" |
What it means
What-is-be-seen-ahead-we're-fine-here + bending-mind-takes-no-moment abhang. Fifteenth abhang of the niḍrā-cluster — accept-what-is.
The opening — accept-and-see: āhē tē chi puḍhē pāhōm — barē āhōm yēthē chi — let what is be seen ahead — we're fine here itself. Let-what-is be-seen-(unfolding)-ahead; we-are-fine here-itself. The acceptance-mode after-the-anger-mode of-2224.
The no-growing-work: kāya vāḍhavūni kāma — ugā cha śrama tṛṣṇēchā — why grow work — useless toil of tṛṣṇā. Why-grow-work? It's-just-useless-toil-of-tṛṣṇā (= craving's-toil).
The stability-in-flow: sthirāvatām ōghīm barē — chālī purē paḍēnā — becoming stable in flow is good — the walk doesn't suffice. Ōgha = flow, stream. Becoming-stable-in-the-flow is-good; the-(active)-walk doesn't-suffice (= isn't-enough).
The closing — bending-mind-instantaneous: Tukā mhaṇē viḷatām mana — āmhām kṣaṇa na lagē — Tuka says: bending the mind — takes no moment for us. Viḷatām = bending, twisting. Bending-the-mind takes-no-moment for-us (= the bhakta-can re-direct-his-mind instantaneously).
The shift: from anger (2224) to-acceptance (2225). The niḍrā-cluster shows the bhakta's-emotional-cycle.
[T]
For someone today
For today: let what is be seen ahead — we're fine here; why grow work — tṛṣṇā's useless toil; stable in flow is good — walk doesn't suffice; Tuka says — bending mind takes no moment.
Where this applies
- When you decide to stop striving and simply accept the situation you're already in
- When you realize you're creating unnecessary extra work driven by restless craving
- When you notice that constant busyness never actually feels like enough
- When you manage to redirect your own mind quickly once you decide to