संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2503 of 4582

Abhanga 2503

For today: Viśvambhara dwells where bhāva is ; lobha-sankalpa flees, no pāpa-puṇya; pure bhakti makes pollution-touch into vajra-cement .

When you travel far in search of a holy place while neglecting the devotion already available in your own heart.

When you keep score of your sins and virtues instead of simply turning your feeling toward God.

When you doubt whether your bhakti is real, and realize only your own honest sense of it, proven over time by its fruit, will tell you.

The verse

देवाच्या उद्देशें जेथें जेथें भाव । तो तो वसे ठाव विश्वंभरें ॥१॥ लोभाचे संकल्प पळालियावरी । कैंची तेथें उरी पापपुण्या ॥ध्रु.॥ शुद्ध भक्ती मन जालिया निर्मळ । कुश्चळी विटाळ वज्रलेप ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे ज्याचें तयासी च कळे । प्रांत येतो फळें कळों मग ॥३॥

Literal translation

Wherever there's bhāva toward Dēva — Viśvambhara dwells there. Once lobha-sankalpa flees — what remains of pāpa-puṇya. Pure bhakti — mind becomes pure — pollution-touch is vajra-cement. Tuka says: known only to oneself — comes to end, known by fruit.

What it means

THE VIŚVAMBHARA-DWELLS-WHERE-BHĀVA ABHANG.

The opening-formula: Dēvāchyā uddēśē jēthē jēthē bhāva — tō tō vasē ṭhāva Viśvambharē — wherever there's bhāva toward Dēva — Viśvambhara dwells there. Wherever bhāva is-directed-toward-Dēva, Viśvambhara dwells there. Companion to 2369's jayā chittīm jaisā bhāva — tayā javiḷa taisā Dēva.

The pollution-as-vajra-cement: kuśchaḷī viṭāḷa vajra-lēpa — pollution-touch is vajra-cement. For-the-pure-bhakta, even-pollution-touch becomes vajra-strong-protection (vajra-lēpa) — paradoxical-immunity.

[T]

For someone today

For today: Viśvambhara dwells where bhāva is; lobha-sankalpa flees, no pāpa-puṇya; pure bhakti makes pollution-touch into vajra-cement.

Where this applies

When you think you must travel to a holy place to feel close to God, forgetting that devotion itself creates that closeness anywhere.
When you catch yourself keeping a mental ledger of your sins and good deeds instead of simply loving God.
When you wonder if your faith is genuine or just a performance for others to see.
When one mistake or moment of impurity makes you feel your inner life is permanently spoiled.

Bhakti