80 A English post :-Two Abhangas .१)रवी दीप हिरा दाविती देखणें २)।पाप ताप दैन्य जाय उठाउठी । 
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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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