Abhanga 2619
When friendship with God becomes the true center of your life, everyone feels like kin and the jiva finally comes to rest simply by being called God's own.
The verse
देव सखा आतां केलें नव्हे काईं । येणें सकळईं सोइरीं च ॥१॥
भाग्यवंत जालों गोतें सपुरतीं । आतां पुण्या नीती पार नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
पाहातां दिसती भरलिया दिशा । ठसावला ठसा लोकत्रयीं ॥२॥
अविनाश जोडी आम्हां भाग्यवंतां । जाली होती सत्ता संचिताची ॥३॥
पायांवरी डोईं ठेवाया अरोथा । जाली द्यावी सत्ता क्षेम ऐसी ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे जीव पावला विसावा । म्हणवितां देवा तुमचींसीं ॥५॥
Literal translation
Now that Deva is friend — what has not been done? By this, everyone is sōyarī (kin). We have become fortunate, full of kindred — now there is no end to puṇya-nīti (merit-rule). Looking — the directions appear full; an impression is stamped in the three worlds. Imperishable joining for us fortunate ones — the sattā (authority) of samchita (accumulated-karma) has come about. To place the head on the feet without ulterior — the authority of welfare-embrace has been given. Tukā says: the jīva has come to rest — by being called yours, Deva.
What it means
A 5-verse extended celebration of the post-arrival state. The opening line names the foundation: Deva sakhā ātām — kēlēm navhē kāīm — now that Deva is friend — what has not been done? The protective-friend at the center re-arranges everything else. Yēṇē sakaḷaīm sōyarīm chi — by this, everyone (entire-everyone) is kin. The widening from one central friendship is total; the protective relationship at the center makes every other relationship sōyara.
The dhrūpada: bhāgyavanta jālōm — gōtē sapuratīm — we have become the fortunate, full of kindred — ātām puṇyā nītī pāra nāhī — now there is no end to the merit-rule. The third verse: pāhātām disatī bharaliyā dishā — ṭhasāvalā ṭhasā lōka-trayīm — looking — the directions appear filled; the impression is stamped in three worlds. The bhakta's mark is now on all three lōkas — earth, mid-region, heaven.
The fourth verse names the imperishable property: avināśa jōḍī āmhām bhāgyavantām — jālī hōtī sattā samchitāchī — imperishable joining for us fortunate ones — the authority of accumulated-merit has arrived. The fifth verse names the somatic gesture: pāyāmvarī ḍōī ṭhēvāyā arōthā — jālī dyāvī sattā kṣēma aisī — to place the head on the feet without ulterior-motive (arōthā = aimless, undisguised) — the authority of welfare-embrace has been given. Arōthā (without ulterior) is the unusual word — when one places the head on the feet without ulterior, it is a different gesture than the same posture made for a result.
The close: jīva pāvalā visāvā — mhaṇavitām Devā tumchīmsīm — the jīva has come to rest, by being called yours, Deva. Rest arrives not through accomplishment but through being-named — we are yours — by the Lord himself.
For someone today
When the central relationship of your life is right, kēlēm navhē kāīm — what has not been done? The widening to everyone is kin is real, not metaphorical. You can audit your own state by asking which of the verse's signs are landing: Are the directions appearing filled? Is there an authority to embrace without ulterior? Has the jīva come to rest by being-named-yours? If yes, the foundational relationship is rightly placed. If not, find which other relationship is sitting at the center and notice that it is not load-bearing.
Where this applies
- Taking stock of life when a central friendship has finally been established correctly
- The widening of relationship-quality from one foundational connection
- The jīva-rest-by-being-called-yours phenomenon — rest as a relational achievement
- Arōthā prostration — bowing without ulterior-motive, as its own reward