80 A English post :-Two Abhangas .१)रवी दीप हिरा दाविती देखणें २)।पाप ताप दैन्य जाय उठाउठी ।
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For Marathi Readers a separate post has been added..
Blog address : http: // tukaramasteachings.blogsopt.com
For Marathi Readers a separate post has been added..
Two Abhangas describing the
importance of association with Saints.
Hymn 1 :-
रवी दीप हिरा
दाविती देखणें । अदृश्य दर्शनें
संतांचेनि ॥
त्यांचा महिमा
काय वर्णूं मी पामर । न कळें
तो साचार ब्रह्मादिकां ॥ljjk
तापली चंदन
निववितो कुडी । त्रिगुण तो
काढी संतसंग ॥
मायबापें पिंड
पाळियला माया। जन्ममरण जाया
संत संग ॥
संतांचे वचन
वारी जन्मदु:ख
। मिष्टान्न तें भूक निवारण
॥
तुका म्हणें
जवळीं न पाचारिता जावें ।
संतचरणी भावें रिघावया ॥१ ॥
Verbatim Meaning of Hymn 1:-
We see the world because of the light shining from the Sun,
Diamond, or a Lamp. But when we meet a Saint, then we can see the
Invisible ( God) ||
No one has been able to understand the greatness of Him ( God) then
how a mortal like me can describe Him? || The body-fever will come
down if Sandalwood paste is smeared to the body. But smearing the
body with the company of Saints makes one Trigunatita. || Parents
look after their children with love . But Company of Saints gives
liberation from the cycle of Birth-Death || Hunger is satiated by
eating sweet food. Hearing the speech of Saints frees one from the
pains of Birth and Death.|| Tuka says that one should seek the
company of Saints and surrender to them even if they do not invite
you.|| 1 ||
Hymn 2 :-
पाप ताप दैन्य
जाय उठाउठी । जाहलिया भेटी
हरिदासाची ॥
ऐसें बळ नाही
आणिकांचे अंगी । तप तीर्थ जगीं
दान व्रत ॥
चरणींचे रज
रज वंदे शूळपाणी । नाचती
कीर्तनीं त्याचे माथां ॥
भव तरावया
उत्तम हें नाव । भिजों नेदी
पाव हात कांही ॥
तुका म्हणें
मन झालें समाधान । देखिल्यां
चरण वैष्णवांचे ॥ २ ॥
Verbatim Meaning of Hymn 2 :-
If one meets a servant of God then all his troubles will vanish
immediately. || This capability is not present in any other actions
such as Doing Tapas, Pilgrimages, Giving alms or performing difficult
religious acts of austirities. || Shulpani ( Shiva) therefore salutes
the Saints and
dances praising the Saints. || Saints are like a boat which takes one
beyond and across this Bhavasagara. || Sitting in this Boat does not
cause wetting of one's hands or legs ||
Tuka says that his mind has become peaceful since he has seen the
holy feet of Vaishnavas || 2||
Background information needed for understanding the meaning of
these Hymns.:-
Major
feature of the Hymns of Saint Tukarma are also visible in these
Hymns. The meaning of some of the stanzas are very easy to
comprehend , However some stanzas are such that the meaning once
understood , will show us the path to achieve Liberation .
We have already seen in our
earlier post( Hymn of Tukarama Maharaja) the indicators and
identifiers which enable us to identify a true Saint. The saints are
Liberated Souls who have attained union with God Almighty. (
Liberation) . After attaining the state of Liberation, such Saints
live in the world only to help the remaining population and reduce
their trouble and
miseries.
The Knowledge of the SELF
is unique knowledge. Once one has this knowledge then there is
nothing else to be achieved or acquired. One who has attained
Liberation becomes the LORD of the Universe. This is called the
state of Liberation in spirituality.
Only a human can acquire the
Liberation and therefore many a people keep on putting their efforts
for this coveted goal of life. The nature of these efforts can be of
diff3rent types such as performing various kinds of Worships, Giving
Alms to poor and needy, etc. The necessary condition is doing all
these with no expectations of any type of returns. All these actions,
if done with intense love can certainly help . However it is
difficult to live in this world without expecting the returns for
one' deeds for a person who is not advanced in the path of
spirituality.
However there is a
simple method of living told by various Saints. In this method one is
expected to live in the company of a Saint. If one follows this
methods then one gets a numbers of benefits. These two Hymns describe
these advantages of
living in the company
or association with a
Saint.
Detailed Explaination of
the Hymns:-
Hymn 1 :- ( We see the
world because of the light shining from the Sun,……)
Tukaram Maharaj has explained
the difference between Visible World and Invisible LORD in the very
First stanza.
The action of seeing a thing
happens naturally when the thing is present in the presence of light.
The source of light may be Sun , a lamp or a shining Diamond.
The
GOD who is the Lord of the universe ( He is Omnipotent, Omniscient ,
Omnipresent ) is not visible to our mortal eyes.
He can be seen only when
there shine the Light of true Knowledge. This light can shine in
one's mind when one is in the company of a Saint because only they
know who the LORD is. When one follow the preachings of a saint in
the life then at an appropriate time , the Light of knowledge shines
in the mind. This is the reason, why one should seek the company of
saints.
It is very difficult to
meet such a Saint in physical form. However the Literature written
by Saints is available easily and in fact this literature is nothing
but the Saints themselves
in a
Book form . Thus we can read the preachings of the Saints in the
books and follow these.
This also can be called as Living in the company of Saints.
Tukaram Maharaj has
given three examples in the Hymn , to describe the importance of the
company of Saints. These are explained below.
Example 1 ) Our
parents bring us up, They take care of their children, so that the
children shall not face any difficulties in their life. They try to
give best education to their children so that when the children grow
they can face the world and live happily However even parents can
not prevent some events such as falling sick etc.
The love
of parents in fact binds the children in the unending cycle of
Birth-Death, because
children do not understand the importance of Human Birth.
The saints do exactly
opposite of this.
In fact
The God comes amongst us in the Human form whom we know as saints.
Their
company frees one from the cycle of Birth-Death and give permanently
lasting happiness
ie. Bliss.
This is the main reason
indicative of the Importance of the company of Saints.
Example 2:- If one has a
fever, it can be brought down by smearing the body with Sandalwood
paste. Similarly the company of Saints cures us from the disease of
getting entangled in the cycle of Birth-Death.
It has been explained in the
earlier Hymns that the main cause of this entanglement is desires.
The desires are the fruits of ones actions done under the influence
of the Three Qualities. ( Gunas Satva, Rajas, Tamas)
The
Tamas-Guna
causes injuries
to other beings
and then one has to take birth again to face the consequences
. Rajas-guna
makes us do various actions for enjoyments. This creates
the seeds for future enjoyments and hence the birth. Satva-guna
sometimes creates
the feeling
of Superiority and this diverts one from the paths.
The liberation can not
be achieved unless the Ego is completely dissolved. It gets dissolved
only when one goes beyond
the influence of the three Gunas.
Therefore Lord Krishna
has therefore advised Arjuna to be rise
above this influence
of three Gunas.
Various
Saints have advised to follow the below
given way of living the
life.
a) Understand that
God is Omnipresent , thus live in every being. Treat every one
with due respect and love. Therefore one should try to give relief to
everybody who needs it.
If we look around , we can see
such beings are always there. For example
1) Dr. Jonas Salk who
discovered the vaccination for Polio, did not take any patent for it
for the welfare of the mankind.
2) Dr.Baba Amte has spent his
lifetime for the welfare of Adiwasis who are very illiterate , poor
and are living in the jungles.
3) The Monks of Ramakrishna
Mission who always spend their lifetime for the uplift and welfare of
the needy ones.
b) He( GOD ) is the real
owner of everything that exists in this world. This fact once
understood, will reduce our attachment to worldly things and
pleasures.
c) Understand that GOD is the
real doer For everything and not an Individual.( me). He gives us an
inspiration to do various actions. Thus we should do every action as
a Worship to Him. Thus whatever is the outcome of such action, it is
for our welfare.
that happens the real doer is
GOD. This thinking will keep our mind in a state of satisfaction.
d) One should never forget
Him. ( For this purpose one should always recite his Holy name.
If we follow these points
in our everyday life then one automatically will become free of the
influence of three Gunas.
Example
3 :- When we have a tasty lunch or Dinner we are fully satisfied.
However one feels hungry again thus this feeling of satisfaction is
transient
in nature.
By Living as per the
advise of saints one can really get permanent feeling of
satisfaction.
AT the end of the Hymn,
Tukaram Maharaj is telling us that we should understand what he has
said in the abhanga , find a saint and surrender to Him even if he
has not asked us to do the same.
Now we will turn to second
Hymn , in which Tukaram Maharaj has told the same points in different
words.
Hymn 2 ( If one meets a
servant of God then all his troubles will vanish immediately. ||) :-
This Hymn describes the
advantages of surrendering at the holy feet of Saints.
In the very first line of the
Hymn , Tukarama Maharaja says that if one meets a Saint, then all the
miseries are ended. He has used a word “Haridasa”meaning a True
servant of the GOD. Maharaj further says that not only the miseries
but all the effects of the Bad deeds ( Sinful acts) are also
nullified when such meeting takes place.
Bad deeds ie.
sins are defined by
another saint Samarth Ramadassa as “ Forgetting one's original real
Nature and getting attracted to the
pleasures of the
worldly objects.
Because o f this ; one
thinks that this world is only real and chases the objects of
pleasure. Enjoyment certainly give one happiness and pleasure , but
it is very short lived. Ultimate result is pain and desire for more.
This causes one to get entangled in the vicious cycle of Birth-Death
However the association with
saints , and following the preachings in their literature clarifies
all the doubts and make the path open and easy to tread for the goal
of Liberation.
In the next line of the Hymn
Tukarama Maharaja says that the capability to make one free from all
pains and miseries ( We face these because of taking birth )is
available only with the Saints and hence their company is important.
It is clear that this capability is not present in the other
spiritual activities such as doing pilgrimages, performing various
Worships, Giving als to the poor, observing penance etc. All these
will make one’s mind pure but do not give the coveted fruit of
Liberation.
In the famous Bhajagovindam
Stotra of Sri. Adi Shanakara same point is said in the below given
verse.
“ कुरुते
गंगासागर गमनं,
व्रतपरिपालन
अथवा दानं ,
ज्ञान
विहीनं कर्म अनेन ,मुक्तिर्नभवती
जन्मशतेन "
.
The same point has been told
in the Hymn by Saint Tukarama here.
Tukarama Maharaj has given one
more example in the specific Hymn. It is said that Lord Shiva always
recites the holy name of SRI Rama. In this statement the name is that
of Parabrahman ( Supreme Consciousness and not not of Sri Rama of
Ayodhya , about whom Ramayana is written.)
Therefore the recitation of
Ramanama here means always remaining united with the Parabrahman.
Therefore tukarama Maharaja
says in the Hymn that even Lord Shiva too salutes the Haridassa .
and at the last stanza
Tukarama Maharaja says that this kind of association with the
Saints ( Haridas) means surrendering to their holy feet is itself a
boat which will take one to the final destination of
Liberation. Also this boat saves one from the problems and miseries
that one faces in this world.
Teachings of this Hymn :-
The Abhanga teaches us to put
efforts to find such saints and surrender to them, follow their
teachings and be successful in the efforts for reaching the goal of
Liberation.
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