Abhanga 225

When you feel overlooked, it is honest, not disrespectful, to speak up and ask for your share, and whatever you receive is meant to be shared with others.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A plead-when-overlooked abhang. Five movements:

1. अवघें अवघीकडे — दिलें पाहे मजकडे — अशा सवंगडे — सहित थोरी लागली — everything-to-everyone — look toward me — with such companions — greatness was attached. The opening complaint: everything has been distributed to everyone — look toward me. Such companions — thoroughness has been attached (= the deity has thoroughly gone-through-everyone). The bhakta is asking to be looked-toward.

2. कां रे धरिला अबोला — माझा वांटा देईं मला — सिदोरीचा केला झाडा — आतां निवडे ना — why are you silent? give my share. The shidori'sjhāḍā(separation) was made — now does not separate. The direct-protest: why are you silent toward me? And the technical-claim: the shidori'sjhāḍā(the formal-distribution) was already made; now-it-doesn't-separate. (= the formal portions are out, but my-portion-is-not-separating-out-to-me.)

3. भूक लागली अनंता — कां रे नेणसी जाणतां — भागलों वळितां — गाई सैरा ओढाळा — hunger has come, Ananta — why don't you know, knowing-one — I am tired turning the loose, stubborn cows. The escalation. Ananta (the infinite-one) is jāṇātām (the knowing-one). The contradiction is named: you-the-knowing-one — why don't you know my hunger? And the labor-claim: I am tired from turning the loose-stubborn cows. The bhakta has worked, is hungry, is overlooked — and calls out the contradiction.

4. तुका करुणा भाकी — हरि पाहे गोळा टाकी — Tuka pleads inkaruṇā— Hari sees, throws thegōḷā. The response-mechanism. Tuka pleads in karuṇā (compassion-language, in pleading-mode); Hari sees and throws the gōḷā (the ball / morsel). Karuṇā-bhāke triggers gōḷā-throw.

5. घेता जाला सुखी — भीतरी वांटी आणीकां — having taken — became joyful — from inside, distributes (to) others. The post-receipt move. The bhakta takes, becomes joyful, and distributes from inside-himself to others. The receive-and-redistribute circulation. The bhakta does not hoard the gōḷā; he distributes from inside. (Compare 178's navavidha-navanīta covert raid — receiving and distributing to the band.)

[T]

For someone today

Tukaram doesn't suffer quietly when he feels overlooked, he speaks up directly, telling God plainly, give me my share too. He even calls out the contradiction: you know everything, so why don't you notice that I'm hungry, tired from chasing after stubborn, wandering cows? His plea isn't a vague spiritual complaint; it's grounded in the real, tiring work he's just done. Because he pleads with real feeling, God sees him and tosses him something to eat, and once Tukaram has it, he doesn't keep it to himself; contented at last, he shares it with everyone else.

मराठी: तुकाराम दुर्लक्षित झाल्यावर गप्प बसत नाहीत, ते थेट देवाला सांगतात, माझा वाटा मलाही द्या. ते स्पष्टच विचारतात, तू तर सर्वज्ञ आहेस, मग हट्टी गाई राखून दमलेल्या माझ्या भुकेकडे तुझं लक्ष का जात नाही? ही तक्रार उगाच नाही, ती त्यांनी प्रत्यक्ष केलेल्या कष्टांवर आधारलेली आहे. मनापासून केलेली ही याचना पाहून देव त्यांच्याकडे घास फेकतो, आणि तो मिळाल्यावर तुकाराम आनंदाने तो इतरांनाही वाटतात.

Where this applies

• Overlook → plead. Don't suffer in silence.
• Call-out the knower's silence. Direct contradiction.
• Ground in concrete-labor. Not abstract.
• Karuṇā-mode triggers the throw. Pleading-protocol.
• Redistribute from inside. Don't hoard.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2374 — Rather than scattering devotion among many lesser deities who demand offerings, Tukaram sa
• Abhanga 2377 — This detailed meditation on Vitthal standing on a brick at Pandharpur, out of love for his
• Abhanga 2387 — Accept whatever life brings with reverence, and place the burden on God rather than carryi
• Abhanga 2402 — For today: happily take rebirths — IF among the Paṇḍharī-Vārkarīs ; Hari-dāsas' company is