Hari bhajana vina kaal: Part 8

 Hari bhajanaa vina kaal :

Part 8:

सोहिरा म्हणे ज्ञानज्योती ।
तेथ कैचि दिवस-राती ।
तयावीण नेत्रपाती हालवू नको रे ॥५॥

Sohiraa mhane dnyaan jyoti 

Teth kaisi divas raati 

Tayaa viNa netra paati 

Haalavu nako re

Sohiraa Mhane= Sohiraa says

Dnyaan jyoti = light of knowledge 

Teth= there

Kaisi = how 

Divas = day

Raati = night 

Tayaa vina= without it( referring to that divine light)

Netra= eye

Paati = lids

Haalavu = move

Nako re= don’t 

Sohiraa says, where the light of divine knowledge illuminates how can there be night or day?

Don’t shift your gaze from this light.

In the last verse the poet has put his signature on the composition. Sohiraa says! 

Sohiraa concludes with the declaration that in the state of perfect knowledge of the spiritual self there is infinite light. Once this state of realization is firmly established you will not vacillate between ignorance and knowledge. There will be no day or night for your awakening. You will be permanently awakened to your spiritual nature. All identification with the physical body and the variable mind and intellect will be decisively wiped out.

Keep your sight fixed on this wisdom, this light, he says. Don’t let it wander away. In other words, a person firmly established in knowledge of the Self only sees the Infinite Self or divinity everywhere. 

In the context of this discussion I am reminded of a song from an old Marathi movie “Aamhi jato amuchyaa gaavaa”. Written by the poet Jagdish Khebudkar and recorded by noted Marathi singer and music director Sudhir Phadke this song is evergreen in the minds of people of my generation.

Pite doodh dole mituni jaat maanjaraachi 

Mani choratyaachyaa kaa re bheeti chaandnyaachi 

Saraavalyaa haataannaahi kamp kaa sutaavaa 

Ughad daar devaa aataa, ughad daar devaa

Ujedaat hote punya andhaaraat paap

Jyaache tyaache haati aahe kartavyaache maap 

Dushta durjanaanchi kaise ghade loka sevaa

Ughad daar devaa aataa, ughad daar devaa

Cats stealthily drink milk with their eyes closed

Why is a thief’s mind filled with fear of moonlight?

Why do the hands of experts tremble when committing a wrongful deed?

Good deeds happen in broad daylight. Sins are committed in the dark.

Each one is handed a measure of his duty.

How can evil minded people perform community service?

Open your door to me oh God. Let me into your home where there is light. Show me the way to a life of righteousness.

A true god fearing person will not be easily lured to do wrong. If he commits a sin inadvertently he will be immediately aware of his mistake and have remorse and seek forgiveness and repair.

Another way to interpret the last line in Sohiroba’s poem is remember even the slightest action like flickering of your eyelids is possible only when energized by life within you, by the divinity that pervades the universe. Know that whatever you are doing is because of HIM and you will not fall into the old ways of false ego and ignorance. HE is the doer and you are the instrument. You will stay illuminated by divine knowledge all the time. 

Sarva khalvidam Bramha !

All This is Brahman !! The Supreme Reality!!

Nothing else!!

Aham Bramhaasmi 

I am Brahma…the all pervading eternal principle!

These proclamations of the Vedas must be realized from within, experienced firsthand.

That is real knowledge. 

And once experienced and practiced, it will be permanent.

In summary, Sohiroba advises one pointed devotion to God, purifying the mind and intellect, dissolving the ego, bringing discretion in thought, speech and action, imbibing knowledge in the company of saints, and putting it into practice in day to day life for the ultimate spiritual enlightenment and unison of one’s soul with the divine power that pervades the universe. This concludes this priceless abhanga. I surrender it in the spirit of service at the feet of Sohiroba and the Divine Light within us all 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Om Tat Sat Bramhaarpanamastu 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Saree is a cotton Tangaliiya weave from Kutchh in Gujarat.