English 61A post अभंग :- चाले हे शरीर कोणाचिया सत्ते
Dt 20th April 14.
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चाले हे शरीर कोणाचिया सत्ते । कोण बोलविता हरिविण ॥ १॥

देखवी ऐकवी एक नारायण । तयाचे भजन चुको नयें ॥ २॥

मानसाची देव चालवी अहंता । मीचि येक कर्ता म्हणूनिया ॥ ३॥

वृक्षाचेही पान हाले त्याची सत्ता । राहिली अहंता मग कोठे ॥ ४॥

तुका म्हणे विठो भरला सबाह्य । उणें काय आहे चराचरीं ॥ ५॥

Verbatim Translation :_

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O' man tell me or Think!

Under whose control this body functions? Who enables you to talk? || 1||

That Narayana alone enables you to see and hear. Do not avoid worship of Him. || 2||

This God allows man's Ego to rule, by installing the thinking that Man is the doer || 3 ||

However, Even the movement of a leaf does not take place without His will, then what is the standing of one's Ego || 4||

Tuka says that this Vitthala is pervading everywhere , there is not a place where He is not present || 5||

Background Information for understanding the meaning of this Abhanga:-

It is interesting to note here that this issue was addressed in the Kenopanishad by our earlier Seers and sages. This also shows that Tukaram maharaj is one such seers who came again to remind us of our forgotten knowledge.

In our earlier posts, there has been a few Abhangas which brought-out one of the most important aspect in the science of Spirituality; that of the need to control our thoughts. All our thoughts have their origin in our Ego.

We think that whatever happens is because we are the doers. For every action there is bound to be some result which is also called as “ Fruit of the action”.

However it has been our experience that many times we do not get desired results. Then we blame our Fate or God.

In fact as long as the results are to our expectations , we claim that “ We did that action “ but when there is a failure , I mean the results are not as per our desires then we say that God has caused that kind of failure.

All this results in either Happiness or Pain. As long we assume that we are the doers, we have to come here in this world to enjoy or suffer from the fruits of our actions.

In short it is our Ego which is the basic cause of our sufferings.

Tukaram maharaj has clearly brought the point that “ The Real God is the one who is originator of all our actions. Not us!

It has been also told by Tukaram Maharaj , that we can not meet the Real God unless our Ego is fully demolished.

Meaning of the Abhanga:-

In the very first two stanzas Tukaram Maharaj has asked us to think and come to an answer. He asks us , as who is the cause for our body to function properly.?We establish the contacts with the external world through our Speech and Sight mainly. Maharaj is asking us to think and find out Who is the power which has bestowed us the ability to speak and See? The answer is very clear and unique. It is the God ( residing within us ) who has given these abilities.

In Kenopanishad, the question asked is as given below.

" केनेषितां वाचमिमां वदन्ति, चक्षु:श्रोत्रं क देवौ उनक्ति ?”

meaning:- By whose inspiration the Tongue produces the Speech? By whose inspiration the Eyes see and the ears Hear? “

Tukaram Maharaj has asked us the same question and also has given us the answer.

He says that the God Narayana( Whom he also addresses as Viththala,Deva etc) is the one who is giving us this inspiration.

In the third stanza it is clearly stated that God has done this through one's Ego. This Ego gives everyone a feeling of the Ownership and enjoy-er of the various actions one does .

In the earlier posts on “the working of our Mind” details are given. These enable us to know the exact way our Ego works; ( to give us the feeling that we are the Doers as well as enjoyers of our actions.).

However this is obviously a wrong way of thinking and in order to clear this aspect, Tukaram maharja has explained us in the fourth stanza that “ Even the movement of a leaf on a tree happens only as per only the wish of God. And therefore Tukaram Maharaj further says that the Ego ( ours as well as others) has actually no place to claim that the happenings in this world are taking place because of the Egos.

In the first stanza Maharaj said that the God within us gives us the power to use our sense objects.( Seeing, Hearing , Tasting, speaking etc) .

In the last Stanza Tukaram Maharaj is again emphasizing that God is Omnipresent. ( He is present with every living being as well as in everything that is present in the world) . Maharaj has confirmatorily said here that there is no place which is Void of God.

Hence He advises us in the second Stanza that we should not give-up worship of the God.

This worship is called “ Atmnivedan BhaktI” and very aptly described by Swamy Samarth Ramadas in his book “ Dasabodha”.

Teaching of the Abhanga :- One should give up his Ego and best way is to do this is

1. Remember that whatever is present in this world is God himself. Thus when we deal with others we should remember that we are dealing with the God. So help and do not heart anyone.
2. Do not mistreat any thing whether it is “Chal i.e. with life” or Achal i.e. various things around us.
3. Remember that whatever happens ; it happens because of the inspiration from God.

In short Remember God at every moment with above way of thinking.

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