Abhanga 2280

Don't mistake your own effort for what would happen anyway, don't force timing that isn't yours to control, and trust that God becomes your companion when you truly let go.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Cock-crow-not-needed-for-dawn + Lord-helps-asanga-becomes-all-sanga abhang. Closes the 7-abhang cluster (2274-2280) with ॥७॥.

The cock-and-dawn image: nārē tari kāya nujēḍē kōmbaḍē — karūniyām vēḍē āghrō dāvī — if [the cock] doesn't crow — doesn't it dawn — makes [him] a fool — shows ego. Nārē = if not (crowing). Kōmbaḍā = cock, rooster. Āghrō = ego, pride. If-the-cock-doesn't-crow, doesn't-the-dawn-still-come? (The cock-)showing-itself-as-(important)-fool — shows ego. (= the cock-thinks its-crow makes-the-dawn; actually the-dawn comes-anyway. The classic cock-crows-but-dawn-comes-anyway image — for those-who-think-their-action causes-what-would-have-happened-anyway.)

The ready-things and distraction: ā'ityāchē sāhē phukāchā vibhāga — vikṣēpānē jaga chi thū karī — ready things, free share — by distraction the world says 'thū' (spit). The world's-distraction reduces-the-free-share-to thū (spit).

The fixed-time: nēmūna ṭhēvilā karatyānē kāḷa — nalhāyēsē baḷa karūm puḍhē — the doer has fixed the time — we won't put strength forward. The doer (Lord) has-fixed-the-time; we won't-put-strength-forward (in resisting/forcing).

The closing — asanga makes sanga: Tukā mhaṇē Dēva sāhē jālyāvarī — asānga chi karī sarva sanga — Tuka says: when the Lord helps — the asanga makes all sanga. Asanga = the unattached-one. When the-Lord-helps, the-asanga (= the-Lord-himself, the-unattached-one) makes-all-sanga (= becomes-the-companion-in-every-sanga). (= the Lord, otherwise-unattached, becomes-the-sanga of-the-bhakta.)

The ॥७॥ colophon closes a 7-abhang cluster (2274-2280): - 2274: forget-ourselves-for-you, abandoned-sukha - 2275: uplift-is-your-fitting-task - 2276: saints-upadēśa-on-head, fear-in-belly - 2277: no-more-delay, sweet-ādi-anta - 2278: para-upakāra-sudarśana-protects + Ambarīṣa-Durvāsā - 2279: unfortunate-finds-bad-omens-everywhere - 2280: cock-crow-not-needed-for-dawn + asanga-makes-all-sanga

[T]

For someone today

For today: if the cock doesn't crow — doesn't it dawn — fool shows ego; ready things — free share — distraction makes world spit; doer fixes time — we won't force strength; Tuka says — when Lord helps — asanga makes all sanga.

Where this applies

• When you take too much credit for something that would have happened anyway.
• When you're impatient and want to force an outcome before its time.
• When you notice people treating something freely given to them with carelessness or contempt.
• When you feel alone in a difficult situation and need to trust that support will come.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2464 — For today: Pāṇḍuranga is sukha-rūpa ; no wandering, no shaving, no sādhana-pressure ; Chan
• 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
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center