Abhanga 234
This abhang names a humorous-honest division-of-labor register:
The verse
नको आम्हांसवें गोपाळा । येऊं ओढाळा तुझ्या गाई ॥१॥ कोण धांवें त्यांच्या लागें । मागें मागें येरझारी ॥ध्रु.॥ न बैसती एके ठायीं । धांवती दाही दाहा वाटां ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे तू राख मनेरी । मग त्या येरी आम्ही जाणों ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Don't (come) with us, gopāla — (with) your stubborn cows. Who runs after them — back-and-forth round-trips? They don't sit at one place — they run to ten-by-ten ways. Tuka says: you watch with the mind — then we know the others.
मराठी: नको आम्हांसवें गोपाळा — येऊं ओढाळा तुझ्या गाई. कोण धांवें त्यांच्या लागें — मागें मागें येरझारी. न बैसती एके ठायीं — धांवती दाही दाहा वाटां. तुकाराम म्हणतात — तू राख मनेरी — मग त्या येरी आम्ही जाणों.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नको आम्हांसवें गोपाळा | "do not (come) with us, gopāla" |
| येऊं ओढाळा तुझ्या गाई | "your oḍhāḷa (stubborn) cows — coming" |
| कोण धांवें त्यांच्या लागें | "who runs after them" |
| मागें मागें येरझारी | "back-and-forth, round-trips" |
| न बैसती एके ठायीं | "they don't sit at one place" |
| धांवती दाही दाहा वाटां | "they run to ten-by-ten ways" |
| तू राख मनेरी | "you watch with the mana (mind)" |
| मग त्या येरी आम्ही जाणों | "then we know the others" |
What it means
A humorous role-reversal abhang — the bhakta-band tells Krishna to not come with them, because his cows are too stubborn. Three movements:
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नको आम्हांसवें गोपाळा — येऊं ओढाळा तुझ्या गाई — don't come with us, gopāla — your stubborn cows. The playful exclusion. The bhakta-band is refusing Krishna's company — because of his cows. The deity-as-troublesome-companion register. The gopāla is the cowherd; his cows (= his charges, his subjects, his bhaktas in the cosmic-frame) are oḍhāḷa (stubborn, wandering). The bhakta-band cannot manage them.
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कोण धांवें त्यांच्या लागें — मागें मागें येरझारी — न बैसती एके ठायीं — धांवती दाही दाहा वाटां — who runs after them? back-and-forth round-trips; they don't sit at one place; they run to ten-by-ten ways. The cows-as-impossible-charges. Who has the energy to manage these stubborn-cows? The yer-zarī (round-trips) are too many; the cows don't stay put; they run to ten-by-ten ways. The bhakta-band is honest about the impossibility.
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तुका म्हणे तू राख मनेरी — मग त्या येरी आम्ही जाणों — Tuka says: you watch with the mind — then we know the others. The division-of-labor proposal. You watch (your stubborn cows) with the mind — then we know the others. The bhakta-band takes care of the others (the not-stubborn-ones), and Krishna takes care of his stubborn-ones with his mind.
The role-reversal is structurally important. In standard-bhakti, the deity manages all and the bhakta serves. Here, the bhakta-band is honest: some of your cows are too-stubborn for us; you handle those yourself with your mind. This is not impudent; it is honest division-of-labor. (Compare the playful-protests of 225, 233.)
[T]
For someone today
This abhang names a humorous-honest division-of-labor register:
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Don't take on what is too-stubborn for you. Nako āmhāmsavēm — oḍhāḷa gāī. If the charges (responsibilities, people, projects) are too-stubborn for your current capacity, say so honestly. Tell the gopāla: don't bring these with us.
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Honest-overload acknowledged. Kōṇa dhāmvē, yer-zarī, na baisatī, daha-vāṭā. Who has energy for these round-trips? They don't sit at one place; they run ten-by-ten ways. Be honest about the impossibility.
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Division-of-labor with the deity. Tū rākha manērī — maga tyā yērī āmhī jāṇōm. You watch with the mind — then we know the others. The deity has powers (manas-watching = mental-presence-watching across distances) that the bhakta-band does not have. The humble proposal: you handle what only you can; we handle what we can. (Compare 219's rābavā devā, karīna sevā sāngitalī — set me to work, I'll do the told-service.)
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Humor in the bhakti-relation is real. The abhang is playful. The bhakta-band is not blasphemous; they are playfully-honest with Krishna. Don't think bhakti requires solemn-only register; the playful-honest register is real.
For today: when something is too-stubborn for your current capacity, honestly say so. When the deity has powers you don't have, propose honest division-of-labor. The playful-honest register is part of real-bhakti.
मराठी: ही ओवी एक humorous-honest division-of-labor register नाव सांगते:
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Too-stubborn असेल तर on करू नका. नको आम्हांसवें — ओढाळ गाई. Charges (responsibilities, people, projects) तुमच्या current capacity साठी too-stubborn — honestly say so. Gopāla ला सांगा: यांना सोबत आणू नका.
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Honest-overload acknowledged. कोण धांवे, येरझारी, न बैसती, दाही-वाटां. Round-trips ला कोणाची energy? एके-ठायी बसत नाहीत; दाही-वाटां धावतात. Impossibility honestly नाव सांगा.
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देवासह division-of-labor. तू राख मनेरी — मग त्या येरी आम्ही जाणों. तू मनाने watch कर — मग आम्ही इतरांना जाणतो. देवाला powers (manas-watching = distance-ओलांडून mental-presence-watching) आहेत — bhakta-band कडे नाहीत. Humble proposal: तू तुझंच handle कर; आम्ही आमचंच.
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Bhakti-relation मध्ये humor real. ओवी playful. Bhakta-band blasphemous नाही; playfully-honest कृष्णासह. Bhakti ला solemn-only register लागतो असं समजू नका; playful-honest register real.
आज: current capacity साठी too-stubborn काही असेल — honestly सांगा. देवाकडे तुम्हाला नसलेल्या powers आहेत — honest division-of-labor propose करा. Playful-honest register real-bhakti चा भाग.
Where this applies
- Don't take on what is too-stubborn. Honest overload.
- Division-of-labor with the deity. Their powers vs your capacity.
- Playful-honest register is real bhakti. Not blasphemous.