Abhanga 3159
Avaghā bhāra vāṭe Devā — all bhāra felt on Deva; sant-sevā na ghaḍatām — when sant-sevā doesn't happen.
The verse
अवघा भार वाटे देवा । संतसेवा न घडतां ॥१॥
कसोटी हे असे हातीं । सत्य भूतीं भगवंत ॥ध्रु.॥
चुकलोंसा दिसें पंथ । गेले संत तो ऐसा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे सोंग वांयां । कारण या अनुभवें ॥३॥
Literal translation
Avaghā bhāra vāṭe Devā — all bhāra felt on Deva; sant-sevā na ghaḍatām — when sant-sevā doesn't happen. Kasōṭī he ase hātīm — touchstone is in hand; satya bhūtīm Bhagavanta — truth in every-being (is) Bhagavanta. Chukalōmsā disē panta — I feel I missed the path; gele sant tō aisā — the sants went that-way. Tukā mhaṇe sōnga vāmyā — Tukā says: sōnga is vain; kāraṇa yā anubhave — the kāraṇa is by anubhava.
What it means
Sant-sevā is the touchstone; without it, the Lord-becomes-burdened-(over-me). Truth-is-in-every-being-as-Bhagavanta. Anubhava (direct-experience) is the cause; sōnga (performance) is vain.
For someone today
Tukārām's claim: bhakti-without-sant-sevā burdens-the-Lord; experience-not-performance is-the-cause.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's anubhava-is-the-kāraṇa, sōnga-is-vain claim
- Companion to 3118