Abhanga 4551
Keeping God's name in your mouth brings an inner joy so complete that even yogis in deep meditation never reach it, and it is open to everyone, not just the spiritually advanced.
The verse
नाहीं नाश हरि आठवितां मुखें । जोडतील सुखें सकळ ही ॥१॥
सकळी ही सुखें वोळलीं अंतरीं । मग त्याबाहेरी काय काज ॥२॥
येऊं विसरलीं बाहेरी गोपाळें । तल्लीन सकळें कृष्णसुखें ॥३॥
सुख तें योगियां नाहीं समाधीस । दिलें गाईं वत्स पशु जीवां ॥४॥
वारला पाऊस केव्हां नाहीं ठावा । तुका म्हणे देवावांचूनियां ॥५॥
Literal translation
Hari-on-mouth-no-nāśa — all-sukha-comes. Sukha-overflows-inside — outside-no-use. Forgot-to-come-outside — tallīna-Krṣṇa-sukha. Sukha-yogis-don't-have-in-samādhi — given-to-cows-vatsas-paśu-jīvas. Rain-stopped-no-one-knew — Tukā: except-Deva.
What it means
A 5-verse yamak-bandha — continuing the aftermath. Key claim: the-sukha-which-yogis-don't-have-even-in-samādhi was given-to-cows-vatsas-paśus-jīvas (under-the-Govardhana — radical-democratization of the highest-bliss to animals-and-creatures). Rain-stopped-without-anyone-noticing-because-they-were-absorbed-in-Krṣṇa-sukha. Pair with 4550 (preceding sant-sevā doctrine), 4552 (continuing chain).
For someone today
Keep God's name on your lips and you stop needing to chase happiness anywhere else, because it wells up from inside until the outside world simply loses its pull. The gopalas were so absorbed in Krishna's joy that they forgot to even step back outside. Tukaram says that bliss which yogis never reach even in deep samadhi was given right there to cows, calves, and ordinary creatures. This joy is not reserved for the advanced; it can fill anyone who stays absorbed in remembrance, so completely that even a passing rainstorm goes unnoticed.
मराठी: देवाचे नाव तोंडात असले की सुखासाठी बाहेर भटकण्याची गरज उरत नाही, कारण ते आतूनच इतके उमलते की बाहेरच्या जगाचे आकर्षण संपून जाते. गोपाळ कृष्णाच्या सुखात इतके तल्लीन झाले की त्यांना बाहेर परत यायचेही विसरले. तुकाराम म्हणतात, योग्यांना समाधीतही न मिळणारे सुख तिथे गाई-वासरांना आणि साध्या जीवांनाही मिळाले. हे सुख फक्त प्रगत साधकांसाठी राखीव नाही; जो कोणी नामस्मरणात तल्लीन राहतो त्याला ते मिळू शकते, इतके की पावसाची सरही कधी थांबली हे कळत नाही.
Where this applies
- When you keep searching outside yourself for a happiness that's actually available within
- When you feel discouraged that years of formal practice haven't given you the peace beginners seem to find easily
- When you get so absorbed in something meaningful that you completely lose track of your surroundings
- When you assume deep spiritual joy is reserved for saints and monks, not for ordinary people or even animals