संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2418 of 4582

Abhanga 2418

Total devotion gives the devotee the boldness to claim the Divine as his own and hold on without letting go.

When you find yourself praying in a demanding, insistent tone instead of a polite, distant one.

When you feel you must choose one path or object of devotion completely rather than dividing your loyalty.

When you refuse to give up on a relationship or goal, blocking every route by which it could slip away.

The verse

माझी आतां सत्ता आहे । तुम्हां पायां हे वरती ॥१॥ एकाविण नेणें दुजा । पंढरिराजा सर्वांगें ॥ध्रु.॥ पुरवावी केली आळी । जे जे काळीं मागण तें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे सुटसी कैसा । धरूनि दिशा राहिलों ॥३॥

Literal translation

Now my authority is over your feet. I know none other but the one — Paṇḍhari-rājā in every limb. Fulfill the tantrum made — whatever-time the asking. Tuka says: how can you escape — I've held the directions.

What it means

THE BHAKTA'S-POSSESSIVE-CLAIM ABHANG.

THE OPENING: mājhī ātām sattā āhē — tumhām pāyām hē varatī — now my authority is over your feet. Now MY-authority (sattā) is-over your-feet. The bhakta's-reversal: the bhakta now-claims-dominion over-the-Lord (by-the-power-of-bhakti-relationship).

THE ESCAPE-BLOCKED: Tukā mhaṇē suṭasī kaiśā — dharūni diśā rāhilōm — how can you escape — I've held the directions. How-can-you-escape? I've-held all-the-directions. The bhakta has-blocked-all-escape-routes of-the-divine — like-a-child-blocking-the-mother's-exit.

[T]

For someone today

For today: my authority is now over your feet; Paṇḍhari-rājā in every limb; fulfill the tantrum; how can you escape — directions held .

Where this applies

When you feel embarrassed about praying with intensity or persistence instead of quiet politeness
When you doubt whether it's okay to demand something from God rather than just hoping quietly
When you feel torn between multiple paths or teachers and need to commit fully to one
When you're holding onto someone or something so tightly that there's no room left for it to slip away

Bhakti