Abhanga 373
English: Easy — to be called bhalē — saints' sēvaka — āitā-bhīkā — sukharūpa.
The verse
भले भणवितां संतांचे सेवक । आइत्याची भीक सुखरूप ॥१॥ ठसावितां बहु लागती सायास । चुकल्या घडे नास अल्प वर्म ॥ध्रु.॥ पाकसिद्धी लागे संचित आइतें । घडतां सोई तें तेव्हां गोड ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे बरे सांगतां चि गोष्टी । रणभूमि दृष्टी न पडे तों ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Easy — to be called bhalē — saints' sēvaka — āitā-bhīkā — sukharūpa. To ṭhasāvitām — much sāyāsa needed — missing small varma — destruction comes. Pāka-siddhi — needs sañcita prepared — (conditions) match — then gōḍa. Tuka says: easy to speak the words — until the raṇa-bhūmi falls into sight.
मराठी: भले भणवितां — संतांचे सेवक — आइत्याची भीक सुखरूप. ठसावितां बहु लागती सायास — चुकल्या घडे नास अल्प वर्म. पाकसिद्धी लागे संचित आइतें — घडतां सोई तें तेव्हां गोड. तुकाराम म्हणतां — बरे सांगतां चि गोष्टी — रणभूमि दृष्टी न पडे तों.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| भले भणवितां संतांचे सेवक | "easy — to be called bhalē — saints' sēvaka" |
| आइत्याची भीक सुखरूप | "āitā-bhīkā — sukharūpa" |
| ठसावितां बहु लागती सायास | "to ṭhasāvitām (establish-firmly) — much sāyāsa needed" |
| चुकल्या घडे नास अल्प वर्म | "if missed — small varma — destruction" |
| पाकसिद्धी लागे संचित आइतें | "pāka-siddhi — needs sañcita prepared" |
| घडतां सोई तें तेव्हां गोड | "(conditions) match — then it is gōḍa" |
| बरे सांगतां चि गोष्टी | "easy — to speak the words" |
| रणभूमि दृष्टी न पडे तों | "until the raṇa-bhūmi — falls into sight" |
What it means
A easy-to-claim-hard-to-establish abhang. Three claims:
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भले भणवितां संतांचे सेवक — आइत्याची भीक सुखरूप — easy to be called bhalē, saints' sēvaka — āitā-bhīkā, sukharūpa. The opening-self-irony: easy to be called bhalē (good), saints' sēvaka. Āitā-bhīkā — ready-alms (= alms received without effort); sukharūpa (joy-form). Calling oneself a saint's servant is easy and gets one ready-alms. (Tukaram is naming the ease-of-the-label without yet the substance.)
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ठसावितां बहु लागती सायास — चुकल्या घडे नास अल्प वर्म — to ṭhasāvitām — much sāyāsa needed — missing small varma — destruction. The substance-claim: to actually establish (ṭhasāvitām) the bhakta-status, much sāyāsa is needed; and missing even a small-varma causes destruction. (Varma — secret-essence, weak-spot. The small-varma if missed leads to nāśa.) (Compare 358 muḷīm varma nasatōm cukalōm; same varma-as-cause-of-failure register.)
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पाकसिद्धी लागे संचित आइतें — घडतां सोई तें तेव्हां गोड — pāka-siddhi needs sañcita prepared — (conditions) match — then gōḍa. The cooking-analogy: the pāka-siddhi (cooking's completion) needs sañcita-prepared; only when conditions match is it gōḍa. Without prepared-sañcita, no completion. (Compare 340 cook so vīṭa doesn't take it; same cooking-as-bhakti register.)
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तुका म्हणे बरे सांगतां चि गोष्टी — रणभूमि दृष्टी न पडे तों — Tuka says: easy to speak the words — until the raṇa-bhūmi falls into sight. The closing-image: easy to speak (about bhakti, about saint's-service) — until the raṇa-bhūmi (battlefield) appears. Words are easy when no test; the test reveals what is real. (Compare 364 people say hōyā-hōya but no one helps; same easy-words register.)
[T]
For someone today
This abhang names the easy-to-claim-hard-to-establish caution:
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Easy to be called bhalē, saints' sēvaka*. Bhalē bhaṇavitām samtāñcē sēvaka. The label is easy to acquire; the āitā-bhīkā (free-alms) follows. Don't be content with the label*.
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To actually ṭhasāvitām takes much sāyāsa; missing small varma* causes destruction. Ṭhasāvitām bahu lāgatī sāyāsa — cukalyā ghaḍē nāśa alpa varma. The substance-claim: establishing the bhakta-status takes much effort, and missing even small-varma destroys. Don't underestimate the work*.
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Pāka-siddhi needs sañcita prepared and conditions matched. The cooking-completion is not automatic; requires preparation and conditions. Don't skip the preparation*.
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Easy to speak — until the raṇa-bhūmi* appears. Barē sāngatām ci gōṣṭī — raṇa-bhūmi dṛṣṭī na paḍē tōm. The honest-warning: speech is easy in peacetime; the battlefield reveals what is real. Don't trust your words about your bhakti until tested*.
For today: don't be content with the label of saints'-servant; recognize that establishing-bhakti takes much sāyāsa and that missing-small-varma destroys; prepare your sañcita and let conditions match for pāka-siddhi; don't trust your words until the raṇa-bhūmi appears.
This abhang is honest-self-cautioning: Tukaram acknowledges the ease-of-the-bhakta-label and the substance-required-to-actually-establish. The raṇa-bhūmi-image is especially-stark — easy to speak before the battlefield is seen.
मराठी: ही ओवी easy-to-claim-hard-to-establish caution नाव सांगते:
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Bhalē, saints' sēvaka* called होणं easy. भले भणवितां संतांचे सेवक. Label easy; āitā-bhīkā follows. Label ने content नका*.
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Actual ṭhasāvitām खूप sāyāsa मागतं; small varma* चुकलं — destruction. ठसावितां बहु लागती सायास — चुकल्या घडे नास अल्प वर्म. Substance-claim: Bhakta-status establish करायला much effort, आणि small-varma चुकलं — destruction. Work underestimate करू नका*.
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Pāka-siddhi ला sañcita प्रेपर्ड आणि conditions match लागतात. Cooking-completion automatic नाही; preparation आणि conditions लागतात. Preparation skip करू नका*.
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बोलणं easy — raṇa-bhūmi* दिसेपर्यंत. बरे सांगतां चि गोष्टी — रणभूमि दृष्टी न पडे तों. Honest-warning: Peacetime मध्ये speech easy; battlefield काय real ते reveal करतं. Tested होईपर्यंत तुमच्या words वर trust नका*.
आज: Saints'-servant च्या label ने content नका; Establishing-bhakti much sāyāsa मागतं आणि small-varma चुकलं — destruction ओळखा; Sañcita prepare करा आणि conditions match होऊ द्या pāka-siddhi साठी; Raṇa-bhūmi दिसेपर्यंत तुमच्या words वर trust नका.
Honest-self-cautioning: Tukaram bhakta-label ची ease आणि substance-required-to-actually-establish acknowledge करतो. Raṇa-bhūmi-image especially-stark — Battlefield दिसेपर्यंत बोलणं easy.
Where this applies
- Easy to be called bhalē. Label-vs-substance.
- Ṭhasāvitām needs sāyāsa. Effort-required.
- Missing small-varma destroys. Caution.
- Raṇa-bhūmi reveals reality. Test-rule.