संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2424 of 4582

Abhanga 2424

Offer every part of your body to devotion and ask each one for the specific gift it needs, love, joy, rest, or strength.

When you catch yourself praying with your lips while your mind and body are elsewhere.

When you feel worn out and realize what you actually need is rest, not more effort.

When you want to fully commit yourself, body and mind, to one clear purpose.

The verse

येणें मुखें तुझे वर्णि गुण नाम । तें चि मज प्रेम देई देवा ॥१॥ डोळे भरूनियां पाहें तुझें मुख । तें चि मज सुख देई देवा ॥ध्रु.॥ कान भरोनियां ऐकें तुझी कीर्ती । ते मज विश्रांती देईं देवा ॥२॥ वाहें रंगीं टाळी नाचेन उदास । हें देई हातांस पायां बळ ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे माझा सकळ देहभाव । आणीक नको ठाव चिंतूं यासी ॥४॥

Literal translation

By this mouth that praises your guṇa-and-Name — give me that prēma, Dēvā. Eyes filled, seeing your face — give me that sukha, Dēvā. Ears filled, hearing your kīrti — give me that viśrānti, Dēvā. Cymbal in color, I'll dance detached — give hands-and-feet strength. Tuka says: my whole body-feeling — no other place to contemplate.

What it means

THE EVERY-FACULTY-ASKING-FOR-BHAKTI-GIFT ABHANG. Structured as anaphora across faculties.

The structure: each verse asks for the appropriate-bhakti-gift for each-sensory-faculty: - Mouth → asks for prēma (love) - Eyes → asks for sukha (joy) - Ears → asks for viśrānti (rest) - Hands-and-feet → asks for baḷa (strength to clap-and-dance)

The closing: mājhā sakaḷa dēha-bhāva — āṇīka nakō ṭhāva chintūm yāsī — my whole body-feeling — no other place to contemplate. The entire body-mind is-claimed for-bhakti.

A model bhakti-prayer: each-sense-organ surrendered to-the-Lord with-its-appropriate-bhakti-aspiration. Used as-template in-many later-bhakti-prayers.

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For someone today

For today: mouth's praise → give prēma; eyes' seeing → give sukha; ears' hearing → give viśrānti; hands-feet → give strength to dance; whole body-feeling for you — no other place.

Where this applies

When your prayer feels like only words and you want your whole body, not just your mind, to take part
When you are tired and need to ask specifically for rest instead of a vague general blessing
When you want to dance or sing in worship and worry your body isn't strong enough for it
When your attention is scattered and you want every part of you pointed toward one thing

Nāma (the Name) Bhakti