Taatiche Abhang: Abhang 7
Taatiche Abhang: Abhang 7
७ – ब्रह्म जैसें तैशा परी
ब्रह्म जैसें तैशा परी ।
आम्हा वडील भूतें सारी ॥१॥/आम्हा वेढिले भूति चारी ।
अहो क्रोधें यावें कोठे ।
अवघे आपण निघोटे ॥२॥
हात आपला आपणा लागे ।
त्याचा करू नये राग ॥
जीभ दातांनी चाविली ।
कोणें बत्तीशी तोडीली? ॥३॥
थोडे दुखावले मन
पुढे उदंड साहाणे॥
चणे खावे लोखंडाचे ।
मग ब्रह्मपदी नाचे II
मन मारुनी उन्मन करा ।
ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा ॥४॥
Based upon the premise that everything comprises of Bramha, the divine reality, all people around us are divine and hence to be respected.
Or since Bramha is all pervading whatever we find around is Bramha, including people, including ourselves.
Bramha is without imperfections. It is complete in itself. Thus each of us is complete and perfect in our essential form. Where then is there room for anger in perfect beings?
If our hand were to accidentally hit us it is silly to show anger towards it.
Who knocks out his 32 teeth in retaliation when the teeth accidentally bite upon the tongue?
Dissolve your mind( and its limited thinking) into the all pervading reality and keep a clear conscience.
Open the door oh Dnyaaneshwara!
ब्रह्म The eternal truth, divine presence
जैसें as is
तैशा likewise
परी fashion
आम्हा for us
वडील elder
भूतें people, beings
सारी all
वेढिले surrounded
चारी from all four sides, directions
अहो Oh( respectful address)
क्रोधें anger
यावें arrive
कोठे where
अवघे entirely
आपण we
निघोटे perfect
हात hand
आपला ours
आपणा to us
लागे hits( by accident)
त्याचा towards that
करू do
नये not
राग (thrust, respond with) anger
जीभ tongue
दातांनी by teeth
चाविली bitten ( accidentally)
कोणें who
बत्तीशी entire set of 32 teeth
तोडीली Broke
थोडे a little
दुखावले hurt
मन mind
पुढे ahead, in the future
उदंड countless, immense
साहाणे bearing (of sorrows, hardships, sufferings)
चणे peas, garbanzo beans
खावे eat, bite upon
लोखंडाचे made of iron
मन mind
मारुनी kill, subdue
उन्मन clear conscience
करा prepare
ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा Open the door o Dnyaaneshwara
This abhang is found in two versions. While some couplets are common to both, some are exclusive to one or other. The author of this discussion found all the couplets to be of value hence attempted to combine the two versions into a single abhang to include all parts. The two separate versions are shared at the end of this chapter.
ब्रह्म जैसें तैशा परी ।
आम्हा वडील भूतें सारी ॥
आम्हा वेढिले भूति चारी ।
Building on the conclusion arrived at from the previous discussion Muktabai continues the argument in defense of people’s behaviors, putting the onus on the spiritual person to understand the other person. Here she starts by pointing out that since through reason it was concluded that everything in creation arose from the divine source, all beings are nothing but projections of divinity. For a spiritual seeker nothing is more reverent than the Supreme Brahman or Divine Reality. By that equation all beings are to be treated with the same respect as one would show towards divinity. With the above essential argument underlying it, one version of this beginning couplet states that all beings are elders given the fact that they are divine, hence command respect while another version describes it as divinity being omnipresent we are surrounded by nothing but divine beings from all four directions.
This argument would disarm anyone holding a grudge against another person. It is bound to soften the stance immediately and persuade to take a position of understanding, humility and forgiveness despite a misdeed from the other person.
अहो क्रोधें यावें कोठे ।
अवघे आपण निघोटे ॥
If that does not work adequately she uses the same philosophy from a different angle.
Not only are all beings surrounding us divine, we are ourselves divine. And divinity is without imperfections. If so, how can there be any room for a fault like anger in us?
The moment there is anger, it is calling for an investigation into the fact that you have deviated from being yourself.
With these two consecutive couplets Muktabai is killing many birds at once. She is reminding to recognize divinity in other beings, bringing us back to our senses to remain firmly in our natural pure self and helping to stay clear from anger or grudge.
हात आपला आपणा लागे ।
त्याचा करू नये राग ॥
Using more relatable examples she carries forward the argument to say that sometimes our hand may mistakenly slap our own body. When that happens it’s no point in getting upset with the hand. Both hand and body are part of one unit.
जीभ दातांनी चाविली ।
कोणें बत्तीशी तोडीली? ॥
Similarly, on another occasion, our teeth may accidentally bite on our tongue. Who in their right mind would knock off his own teeth in retaliation ? Even if the tongue sustained immense pain from the bite!
The understanding that we are part of a single universal entity is essential to react appropriately under trying circumstances.
थोडे दुखावले मन
पुढे उदंड साहाणे॥
चणे खावे लोखंडाचे ।
मग ब्रह्मपदी नाचे ॥
In the earlier discussion about fake teachers/ sadhus it was pointed out that those holy men who make promises of taking away all difficulties from your life are to be taken with a grain of salt.
A true teacher teaches his student to face all difficulties bravely and overcome them himself, not live with a blind belief that life will be easy or false hopes that the difficulties will vanish overnight.
Here Muktabai is painting a realistic picture for her grieving brother. A small thing has hurt you this time and you sensitive soul are nursing the wound. Do you realize that this is trivial in comparison with what is yet to come? If a soft blow is hard to chew, what will you do when solid iron pebbles are served in your plate?
A person going through difficulties needs some kind of hope to be able to sustain the stress. A woman in labor bears the toughest pains because she awaits to hold her baby in her hands. While she prepares Dnyaaneshwar for the worst, Muktabai reminds him that the darkest hour is before dawn. Remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. After you have tolerated every pain and hardship life throws at you, you will rise to experience the consciousness that can’t be touched by sorrow or fleeting joys. मग ब्रह्मपदी नाचे.
थोडे दुखावले मन .
It is about perspective. There is a story about a boy who was unhappy because his parents couldn’t provide him with new shoes. The sadness lifted from his mind when he saw another boy of his age who had lost both feet.
Another anecdote is about Lady Fortune asking everyone to put all their problems, troubles, sorrows into one bundle and place it in the center of a big room. Then one by one come pick any bundle of their choice from the entire heap and it’s theirs to keep. Lo and behold every single person came and chose their own bundle!!
Mind magnifies problems and blinds us to the blessings in our lives. A good teacher gives us the complete picture.
मन मारुनी उन्मन करा ।
ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा ॥
Not just the whole picture but an experienced teacher also provides the tools, skills and confidence to face all challenges in life. Instead of making us dependent on him or anyone else, or letting us put blame for our problems on others or on destiny, he teaches us to independently, elegantly and efficiently walk through our lives and win our battles. Once you learn to fight the toughest battles nothing can remain daunting for you.
What is standing in our way is our ignorance and our limited thinking. Our mind creates doubt, fear, cowardice, misunderstandings, inertia and confusion. It is the mind that precludes us from the focus on the goal and necessary boost to pursue that goal. Identify the root of the problem, get the mind out of your way and attain to a clear conscience is Muktabai’s awakening command to the disillusioned Dnyaaneshwar.
Qualities:
Recognizing divinity in all creation
Respecting all creation
Forgiveness for others knowing they are part of you
Overcoming anger knowing one is inherently perfect divinity himself
Preparing for all challenges in life.
Dissolving a narrow mind and resting in pure spacious consciousness
Version 1:
ब्रह्म जैसें तैशा परी ।
आम्हा वडील भूतें सारी ॥१॥
अहो क्रोधें यावें कोठे ।
अवघे आपण निघोटे ॥२॥
जीभ दातांनी चाविली ।
कोणें बत्तीशी तोडीली? ॥३॥
मन मारुनी उन्मन करा ।
ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा ॥४॥
Version 2:
ब्रह्म जैसे तैशापरी I
आम्हा वेढिले भूति चारी II
हात आपला आपणा लागे ।
त्याचा करू नये राग ॥
जीभ दाताने चाविली ।
कोणे बत्तीशी पाडिली ॥
थोडे दुखावले मन
पुढे उदंड साहाणे॥
चणे खावे लोखंडाचे ।
मग ब्रह्मपदी नाचे
मन मारुनि उन्मन करा
ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा ॥
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