Abhanga 2617
There is a stage in any genuine arrival where the question becomes now whose portions can I fulfill? — not by depleting one's own fill, but by recognizing that the server's belly has much room. Do not rush the close of the meal; do not return to previous fatigues. Let the boat's weight be on the water's head — what is light or heavy there? And recognize that Brahmānanda is made ēkasarē — all-together, by singing Govinda together. The bliss is a group-stroke, not a solitary achievement.
The verse
पोट धालें आतां जीवनीं आवडी । पुरवावे परवडी बहुतांचे ॥१॥
काय आंचवणा तांतडीचें काम । मागील तीं श्रम न पवावीं ॥ध्रु.॥
वाढितिया पोटीं बहु असे वाव । सांभाळितां ठाव काय वांचे ॥२॥
दाविल्यावांचूनि नाहीं कळों येत । तेथें ही दुश्चित एकपणें ॥३॥
नावेचा भार तो उदकाचे शिरीं । काय हळू भारी तये ठायीं ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे गीतीं गाऊनि गोविंद । करूं ब्रम्हानंद एकसरें॥५॥
Literal translation
The stomach is full now — love is in life. Let the choice-portions of many be fulfilled. What rinse-mouth haste-work? — let the previous fatigues not be reached. In the server's belly there is much room — by maintaining the place, what is lost? Without being shown, understanding does not come — even there, there is restlessness in oneness. The boat's burden is on the water's head — what is light or heavy in that place? Tukā says: singing Govinda in songs, let us make Brahmānanda one-stroke.
What it means
A 5-verse celebratory abhang from the post-arrival mode. Pōṭa dhālē — the stomach is full (literally, the stomach has been satisfied); jīvanīm āvaḍī — love is in life. The bhakta's own hunger has been met. Now the petition turns outward: puravāvē paravaḍī bahutāñchē — let the choice-portions (paravaḍī) of many be fulfilled. The arrival becomes a serving-platform.
The dhrūpada is a quiet rebuke to anxious-haste: kāya āmchavaṇā tāntaḍīchē kāma — māgila tīm śrama na pavāvīm — what is the rinse-mouth (āmchavaṇā) haste-work? — let previous fatigues not be reached again. The image is from the meal — at the end one rinses the mouth and washes the hands, but Tukārām says — don't be in a hurry to finish; don't make this another exhausting transaction.
The second verse delivers the server's-belly insight: vāḍhitiyā pōṭīm bahu asē vāva — sāmbhāḷitām ṭhāva kāya vāñchē — in the server's belly there is much room (vāva = empty space); by maintaining the place (ṭhāva), what is lost? The one serving the meal has unfathomable belly-room — the Lord's serving-capacity is infinite; maintaining one's place at the table costs nothing.
The third verse is more cryptic: dāvilyāvāmchūnī nāhīm kaḷōm yēta — tēthēm hī duścita ēkapaṇēm — without being shown, understanding does not come; even there, there is duścitatā (restlessness) in oneness. Even in the post-arrival state, until shown explicitly, certain understandings do not arrive; and a restlessness can persist even inside oneness.
The fourth verse gives the classic ferry-image: nāvēchā bhāra tō udakāñchē śirīm — kāya haḷū bhārī tayē ṭhā'īm — the boat's burden is on the water's head — what is light or heavy in that place? The bhakta is not carrying his own weight; the water carries the boat. Light or heavy is not a question that arises for the boat-on-water — the water bears all weights equally.
The close: gītīm gā'ūnī Govinda — karūm Brahmānanda ēkasarē — singing Govinda in songs, let us make Brahmānanda one-stroke (ēkasarē = at-one-stroke, all-together, simultaneous). Communal singing of Govinda is itself the Brahmānanda (cosmic-bliss) — made ēkasarē, all in one stroke.
For someone today
There is a stage in any genuine arrival where the question becomes now whose portions can I fulfill? — not by depleting one's own fill, but by recognizing that the server's belly has much room. Do not rush the close of the meal; do not return to previous fatigues. Let the boat's weight be on the water's head — what is light or heavy there? And recognize that Brahmānanda is made ēkasarē — all-together, by singing Govinda together. The bliss is a group-stroke, not a solitary achievement.
Where this applies
- Post-arrival serving-stage when one's own hunger is satisfied
- Leadership or teaching from the server's-belly-has-much-room understanding
- Kīrtana or any group-singing as the ēkasarē Brahmānanda-making
- Resting on the boat-on-water rather than carrying one's own weight