Abhanga 2662
The closing verse of the self-cremation sequence makes two great recognitions:
The verse
पिंडदान पिंडें ठेविलें करून । तिळी तिळवण मूळत्रयीं॥१॥
सारिले संकल्प एका चि वचनें । ब्रम्हीं ब्रम्हार्पण सेवटींच्या ॥ध्रु.॥
सव्य अपसव्य बुडालें हें कर्म । एका एक वर्म एकोविष्णु ॥२॥
पित्यापुत्रत्वाचें जालें अवसान । जनीं जनादऩन अभेदेंसी ॥३॥
आहे तैसी पूजा पावली सकळ । सहज तो काळ साधियेला ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे केला अवघियांचा उद्धार । आतां नमस्कार सेवटींचा ॥५॥
Literal translation
The piṇḍa-dāna (rice-ball offering) — the piṇḍa has been ṭhevilē-karūn (put-in-place, made-and-placed); tilī-tilavaṇa (sesame-with-water cleansing) in the mūḷa-trayī (three-roots = three generations of ancestors). All samkalpas (intentions, resolves) have been concluded in one utterance — Brahmīm brahmārpaṇa (in Brahman, the Brahman-offering) is the final-thing. Savya-apasavya (clockwise and counter-clockwise rituals) have been submerged in this — ēkā ēka varma — ēko-Viṣṇu (one and only secret, one Viṣṇu). The pitā-putratva (father-son-ness) has come to an end — in jana (all-people) is Janārdana with non-distinction. All pūjā has arrived as-it-is; that sahaja (natural) time has been sādhiyalā (mastered). Tukā says: I have done the uddhāra (uplifting, salvation) of everyone — now the last namaskāra.
What it means
The closing abhang of the 4-verse self-cremation sequence (2659-2662). This verse completes the inner-funeral with its formal closing-rites — piṇḍa-dāna, tilāñjali to three generations, brahmārpaṇa, and the closing namaskāra.
Piṇḍa-dāna piṇḍē ṭhevilēm karūn — tiḷī-tilavaṇa mūḷa-trayī — the piṇḍa-dāna has been made — sesame-with-water cleansing to the three-roots (three generations of ancestors). In Hindu post-funeral observance, piṇḍa-dāna (rice-balls offered to ancestors) and tilāñjali (water-with-sesame) are essential. The bhakta has done these — but the mūḷa-trayī (three-roots) here is significant: the ritual is closing-out the lineage-debt all the way back.
The dhrūpada compresses the final-stroke: sārilē samkalpa ēkā chi vachanē — Brahmīm brahmārpaṇa sēvaṭīñchya — all samkalpas were concluded in one utterance — brahmārpaṇa in Brahman is the last. The brahmārpaṇa (offering-to-Brahman) is the final-mantra spoken at any sacred-act — brahmārpaṇam astu — let this be offered-to-Brahman. Here, brahmārpaṇa in Brahman itself — the offering and the recipient are the same.
The second verse: savya apasavya buḍālē hē karma — ēkā ēka varma — ēko-Viṣṇu — both savya (clockwise) and apasavya (counter-clockwise) rituals have been submerged in this — one and only secret, one Viṣṇu. In ritual, savya (clockwise) is used for auspicious rites and apasavya (counter-clockwise) for funerary-rites. Both have been buḍālē (drowned, submerged) in this one rite. The varma (secret-technique) is ēko-Viṣṇu — Viṣṇu alone is one.
The third verse: pitā-putratvāchē jālē avasāna — janī janārdana abhēdēmsī — father-son-ness has come to its end; in jana (all-people) is Janārdana with non-distinction. In the standard funeral, the chief-mourner (typically a son) performs piṇḍa-dāna for the father (or for predecessors). Here, pitā-putratva (the father-son-relationship that grounds the funeral-rite) has avasāna — has come to its end. The replacement-recognition: jana = Janārdana without bhēda. (This is one of the most celebrated Vārkarī ethical-mystical lines.)
The fourth verse: āhē taisī pūjā pāvalī sakaḷa — sahaja tō kāḷa sādhiyalā — all pūjā has arrived as-it-is; that natural-time has been mastered. Āhē taisī — as it is, without adjustment. Sahaja (natural) time has been mastered.
The close: kelā avaghiyāñcā uddhāra — ātām namaskāra sēvaṭīñcā — I have done the uplifting of everyone — now the last namaskāra. The bhakta has done his anta-karma so completely that his uplifting includes avaghiyāñcā — all. And now the sēvaṭīñcā (last-final) namaskāra. The closing salutation.
For someone today
The closing verse of the self-cremation sequence makes two great recognitions:
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Father-son-ness ends; jana is Janārdana — pitā-putratvāchē jālē avasāna — janī janārdana abhēdēmsī. The relational-structure that grounds the funeral (father-son lineage-debt) has come to its end, and the replacement is non-distinction-of-jana-and-Janārdana. All-people are the Lord-of-people, without distinction. This is one of the most far-reaching Vārkarī ethical-claims, with implications for caste, lineage, and creature-ethics.
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I have uplifted everyone — now the last namaskāra — kelā avaghiyāñcā uddhāra — ātām namaskāra sēvaṭīñcā. The bhakta's self-cremation has not been a private-event; it has been the uddhāra (uplifting) of avaghiyāñcā (everyone). The implication: the genuine bhakta's transformation is communal-effective, not individual-only.
The closing namaskāra-sēvaṭīñcā (last-namaskāra) is the close of the four-abhang sequence — a single bow at the conclusion.
Where this applies
- The closing-summary of the self-cremation vision sequence (2659-2662)
- The radical claim that jana = Janārdana with non-distinction
- Recognizing that the genuine bhakta's transformation is avaghiyāñcā uddhāra (everyone-uplifting)
- The final namaskāra-sēvaṭīñcā gesture after the symbolic anta-karma