Abhanga 2713
I cannot do nigraha (restraint), the dēhāsī daṇḍaṇa (punishing of the body); I cannot endure bhūka-tāna (hunger-and-thirst).
The verse
नव्हेव निग्रह देहासी दंडण । न वजे भूकतान सहावली ॥१॥
तरि नित्य नित्य करीं आळवण । माझा अभिमान असों द्यावा ॥ध्रु.॥
नाहीं विटाळिलें कायावाचामन । संकल्पासी भिन्न असें चि या ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे भवसागरीं उतार । कराया आधार इच्छीतसें ॥३॥
Literal translation
I cannot do nigraha (restraint), the dēhāsī daṇḍaṇa (punishing of the body); I cannot endure bhūka-tāna (hunger-and-thirst). But nitya nitya (daily-daily) I will do āḷavaṇa (calling-out); let mājhā abhimāna (your taking-pride-in-me) remain. Nāhī viṭāḷilē kāyā-vāchā-mana — I have not polluted body-voice-mind; the samkalpa (resolve) stands apart from this. Tukā says: in the bhava-sāgara (ocean-of-existence), I wish for the ādhāra (support) to be made for crossing.
What it means
A clean honest-disclaimer verse. Navhēva nigraha dēhāsī daṇḍaṇa — na vajē bhūka-tāna sahāvalī — I cannot do nigraha — the body's-punishing; I cannot endure hunger-and-thirst. The bhakta refuses to pretend to formal-austerity. The body cannot endure the nigraha (restraint, austerity); it cannot endure bhūka-tāna (hunger-and-thirst-suppression). Honest.
The dhrūpada offers the alternative: tari nitya nitya karīm āḷavaṇa — mājhā abhimāna asō dyāvā — but daily-daily I will do the calling-out; let me have your taking-pride-in-me. The substitute for nigraha is nitya āḷavaṇa (daily calling-out). And the operative-relation requested is abhimāna — the Lord's taking-pride-in-me. Abhimāna is the affectionate-possessive sense — the Lord considering me his. The bhakta asks: let me have your abhimāna; I cannot earn anything by austerity.
The second verse clarifies: nāhī viṭāḷilē kāyā-vāchā-mana — samkalpāsī bhinna asē chi yā — I have not polluted body-voice-mind; the samkalpa is apart from this. The bhakta has at least maintained body-voice-mind not-polluted; the samkalpa (resolve, intent) stands clear of pollution. He is not claiming austerity, but he is claiming basic-cleanness.
The close: bhava-sāgarīm utāra — karāyā ādhāra icchītasēm — I wish for support to cross the bhava-sāgara (ocean-of-existence). The petition is for ādhāra (support) for the crossing — not by self-effort, but by support.
For someone today
A useful disclaimer-and-petition for those whose body cannot perform formal-austerity. I can't restrain; don't punish my body; I can't endure hunger-and-thirst. But I will call out daily; let me have your taking-pride-in-me. My body-voice-mind aren't polluted, and my resolve stands apart. I wish for support to cross the ocean-of-existence. The verse is honest about its capacity-limits and substitutes daily-calling-out + the Lord's-abhimāna for nigraha. Abhimāna — being-claimed-as-his by the Lord — is the substitute for performance.
Where this applies
- Honest disclaimer for those who cannot perform formal-austerities
- Asking for abhimāna (the Lord's taking-pride-in-me) as the operative-relation
- The nitya-āḷavaṇa (daily-calling-out) substitute for nigraha
- Basic-cleanness as the floor while support-from-the-Lord is the path