Abhanga 2253

Chanting the Name cools the body and calms the senses, tastes sweeter than nectar, and heals every kind of suffering, so once that peace comes, guard it instead of stirring it up with talk of troubles.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Name-cools-body-surpasses-amṛta + three-tāpas-leave abhang. Closes the 3-abhang darshan-cluster (2251-2253) with ॥३॥.

The opening — Name cools throat and body: nāma ghētām kaṇṭha śītaḷa śarīra — indriyām vyāpāra nāṭhavatī — on taking the Name — throat cool, body cool — the indriyas' vyāpāra is not remembered. On uttering-the-Name, the throat becomes-cool, the body cool; the indriyas' vyāpāra (transactional-activity) is-not-remembered. The Name-as-coolant — physiological-effect described.

The amṛta-surpassing sweetness: gōḍa gōmaṭē hē amṛtāsī vāḍa — kēlā kaivāḍa mājhyā chittī — sweet, pleasant — this is greater than amṛta — it has made [its] act in my chitta. Sweet, pleasant — greater-than-amṛta; it-has-made-its-act (kaivāḍa) in-my-chitta.

The three-tāpas leave: prēma-rasē jālī puṣṭa anga-kānti — tri-vidha sāṇḍitī tāpa anga — by prema-rasa, the body's-luster has become nourished — the three-fold tāpas leave the body. Tri-vidha tāpa = the three kinds of suffering (ādhyātmika = inner, ādhibhautika = elemental, ādhidaivika = divine/fate). By prema-rasa, the body's-anga-kānti (luster) has-been-nourished; the three-fold tāpas leave the-body. A complete physiological-spiritual healing-description.

The closing — no-vikāra-talk for-all's-hita: Tukā mhaṇē tēthē vikārāchī māta — bōlōm nayē hita sakaḷāñchē — Tuka says: the talk of vikāra — should not be spoken — for the hita of all. Vikāra = change, agitation, perversion. In-this-state, talk-of-vikāra should-not-be-spoken; (this is) for-the-hita of-all. (= the Name-induced calm shouldn't-be-broken with-talk-of-disturbance; this-restraint is-for-everyone's-good.)

The ॥३॥ colophon closes a 3-abhang darshan-cluster (2251-2253): - 2251: the celebrated Viṭhṭhal-iconography — stood-with-hands-on-hips, doesn't-sit - 2252: the indriyas eager for darshan — pāraṇī of the indriyas - 2253: the Name cools-body, surpasses-amṛta, three-tāpas-leave

The cluster moves: Viṭhṭhal's-form → bhakta's-longing → Name's-effect on-body-and-mind.

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For someone today

For today: on taking the Name — throat cool, body cool — indriyas' vyāpāra forgotten; sweet, pleasant, greater than amṛta — made its act in chitta; by prema-rasa — anga-kānti nourished — three-fold tāpas leave; Tuka says — talk of vikāra not spoken — for hita of all.

Where this applies

• When repeating a name or prayer actually calms your body, not just your thoughts.
• When you notice stress or worry leaving you after a moment of quiet devotion.
• When you feel tempted to talk endlessly about your troubles right after finding some peace.
• When you are carrying inner stress, outer hardship, or plain bad luck all at once and need relief.

Related verses

• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center
• Abhanga 2543 — God's love, like a mother's, delights even in clumsy devotion and judges no one by their f
• Abhanga 1563 — Shared devotion creates a family that crosses caste, region, and gender lines, and that ch