Abhanga 3369
Every worldly prize, however great, eventually ends or was never needed, so the one thing truly worth asking for is unbreakable oneness with God.
The verse
काय मागावें कवणासी । ज्यासी मागों तो मजपाशीं ॥१॥
जरी मागों पद इंद्राचें । तरी शाश्वत नाहीं त्याचें ॥ध्रु.॥
जरी मागों ध्रुवपद । तरी त्यासी येथील छंद ॥२॥
स्वर्गभोग मागों पूर्ण । पुण्य सरल्या मागुती येणें ॥३॥
आयुष्य मागों चिरंजीव । जीवा मरण नाहीं स्वभावें ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे एक मागें । एकपणे नाहीं भंग ॥५॥
Literal translation
Kāya māgāve kavaṇāsī — jyāsī māgōm to maja-pāsīm — what to ask, of whom — the one I would ask is right by me. Jarī māgōm pada Imdrāche — tarī śāśvata nāhī tyāche — if I ask Indra's pada — not eternal. Jarī māgōm Dhruva-pada — tarī tyāsī yethīla chamda — if Dhruva-pada — still has this-world's mood. Svarga-bhoga māgōm pūrṇa — puṇya saralyā māgutī yeṇe — svarga-enjoyment, full — when puṇya runs out, return. Āyuṣya māgōm cira-jīva — jīvā maraṇa nāhī svabhāve — I'd ask immortal life — but the jīva has no death by svabhāva. Tukā mhaṇe eka māge — ekapaṇe nāhī bhamga — Tukā says: ask the One — in oneness no breaking.
What it means
A 5-verse text of negation-by-staircase: each higher bhoga (Indra > Dhruva > svarga > immortality) is shown to be either non-eternal, still-worldly, expiring, or unnecessary (the jīva is already deathless). The single thing worth asking: ekapaṇa (oneness) — because only in not-being-two is there no breaking.
For someone today
The audit of desire: even the highest things you could win in this universe are losable. What is unlosable? Only the union itself. Ask for that.
Where this applies
- When you catch yourself chasing power, status, or wealth as the ultimate goal
- When something you worked hard to win turns out to be temporary or disappointing once achieved
- When you are afraid of death and want to ask for a longer life instead of facing the fear itself
- When you realize what you really want is connection and closeness, not more possessions or achievements