Abhanga 3675
Once a teacher's grace opens the essential point, closeness deepens naturally until awareness of the divine stays awake in every moment without effort.
The verse
स्वामीचिया सत्ता । आधीं वर्म येतें हाता । पुढती विशेषता । लाभें लाभ आगळा ॥१॥
करीं कवतुकाचे बोल । परि जिव्हाळ्याची ओल । आवडे रसाळ । मायबापा लाडाचें ॥ध्रु.॥
मनें मेळविलें मना । नाहीं अभावी शाहणा । अंतरींच्या खुणा । वरि दिल्या उमटोनि ॥२॥
नाहीं पराश्रमें काळा । अवघ्या जागविल्या वेळा । देवासी निराळा । तुका क्षण न सोडी ॥३॥
Literal translation
By-Master's-sattā-varma-first-comes-to-hand — then-lābha-on-lābha-extra. Speak-kavatuka-words — but-jihvāḷa's-ōla — rasāḷa-parents'-lāḍā. Mana-mixed-with-mana — no-abhāvī-wise — antara-khuṇā-brought-up. No-parāśrama-for-kāḷa — all-vēḷā-jāgavilyā — Tukā-doesn't-release-Deva-a-kṣaṇa.
What it means
A 4-verse settled-state. By the Master's authority, the secret-point comes to hand first; then more-gains-on-gains; speaking charming-words with heart's-moistness; the loved-rasāḷa of parents' whim-tone; mana-mixed-with-mana, the inner-signs brought to the surface; no foreign-effort for time, all times woken; Tukā doesn't release Deva even a kṣaṇa. The closing Tukā kṣaṇa na sōḍī (Tukā doesn't release a kṣaṇa) declares constant-bhakti-vigil.
For someone today
Tukaram describes what it feels like when a teacher's grace lets you grasp the essential point first, after which one gain naturally leads to another. The words exchanged may sound playful or teasing, but underneath them is real warmth, the same affectionate sweetness a child feels from doting parents. His mind has become mixed with the divine mind, so intimately that inner signs of that closeness now show on the surface. No special effort is needed to keep this awareness going, every moment stays awake to it, and Tukaram says he never lets go of God, not even for an instant.
मराठी: तुकाराम सांगतात की गुरुच्या कृपेने आधी मुख्य मर्म हाती लागते, आणि त्यानंतर एका पाठोपाठ एक लाभ आपोआप मिळत जातात. बोलणे कदाचित थट्टेचे किंवा खेळकर वाटेल, पण त्याच्या आतमध्ये खरी ऊब असते, जशी लाडक्या मुलाला आई-वडिलांकडून मिळणारी गोड माया असते. त्यांचे मन परमेश्वराच्या मनात इतके मिसळून गेले आहे की आतल्या खुणा आता पृष्ठभागावर दिसू लागल्या आहेत. ही जाणीव टिकवण्यासाठी वेगळे कष्ट करावे लागत नाहीत, प्रत्येक क्षण आपोआप जागा राहतो, आणि तुकाराम म्हणतात की ते देवाला एक क्षणभरही सोडत नाहीत.
Where this applies
- When a mentor's guidance suddenly makes the core of something click into place for you
- When playful, teasing words between people actually carry deep real affection underneath
- When you feel so close to someone that your inner feelings start showing without effort
- When staying aware of what matters most no longer feels like work, it just happens naturally