संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 515 of 4582

Abhanga 515

English: The deva-door is āḍakalē — what use vyartha kara-kara?

When the temple-door is shut and clamor is futile — and you have to recognize this register
When the deva is asleep and standing-there is pointless — and you accept this closure-rule
When the deva will get angry and refuse sevā — and you receive this warning

The verse

आडकलें देवद्वार । व्यर्थ काय करकर ॥१॥ आतां चला जाऊं घरा । नका करूं उजगरा ॥ध्रु.॥ देवा लागलीसे निज । येथें उभ्या काय काज ॥२॥ राग येतो देवा । तुका म्हणे नेघे सेवा ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: The deva-door is āḍakalē — what use vyartha kara-kara? Now let's go home — don't make uja-garā. Deva has lāgalīsē nija — what kāja of standing here? Tuka says: deva gets rāga — won't take sēvā.

मराठी: आडकलें देवद्वार — व्यर्थ काय करकर?. आतां चला जाऊं घरा — नका करूं उजगरा. देवा लागलीसे निज — येथें उभ्या काय काज?. तुकाराम म्हणतां — राग येतो देवा — नेघे सेवा.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
आडकलें देवद्वार "deva-door — āḍakalē (stuck)"
व्यर्थ काय करकर "what use — vyartha kara-kara?"
आतां चला जाऊं घरा "now let's go home"
नका करूं उजगरा "don't make uja-garā"
देवा लागलीसे निज "deva — lāgalīsē nija (asleep)"
येथें उभ्या काय काज "what kāja — standing here?"
राग येतो देवा "deva — gets angry"
तुका म्हणे नेघे सेवा "Tuka — won't take sēvā"

What it means

A short temple-door-shut-deva-asleep-go-home abhang. Closure-of-the-night-cluster. Unique tone: the bhakta-as-temple-keeper is firm with persistent-worshippers who won't leave. Four claims:

  1. आडकलें देवद्वार — व्यर्थ काय करकरdeva-door āḍakalē — what use vyartha kara-kara? The opening-statement: the deva-dvāra (deva-door, temple-door) has āḍakalē (stuck-shut, closed); what use is vyartha kara-kara (futile clamor, useless-noise)? Door-shut-stop-the-clamor.

  2. आतां चला जाऊं घरा — नका करूं उजगराnow let's go home — don't make uja-garā. The home-call: now let's go home (ghara); don't make uja-garā (delay-into-night, late-into-the-night). Don't-stay-too-late. The bhakta-attendant gently herds the worshippers home.

  3. देवा लागलीसे निज — येथें उभ्या काय काजdeva — lāgalīsē nija — what kāja of standing here? The deva-asleep-claim: the deva has lāgalīsē nija (fallen-asleep); what is the kāja (work, point) of ubhyā (standing) here? No-point-in-standing-when-deva-is-asleep. Persistent-standing-is-pointless.

  4. राग येतो देवा — तुका म्हणे नेघे सेवाdeva gets angry — Tuka says: won't take sēvā. The closing-warning: deva gets rāga (angry, irritated); Tuka says: won't take sēvā (= will refuse the service-offering). Persistence-causes-anger-and-refused-sēvā. Don't-be-the-bhakta-who-causes-anger-by-staying-too-long.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the temple-shut-go-home register:

  1. Deva-door is shut; clamor is futile. Āḍakalē deva-dvāra — vyartha kara-kara. When the door is closed, no point in clamor. Don't-clamor-at-the-shut-door.

  2. Go home; don't make late-night. Calā jāūm gharā — nakā karūm uja-garā. Don't stay-too-late at the temple. Closure-of-the-day.

  3. Deva is asleep; standing-here is pointless. Lāgalīsē nija — kāya kāja? No-point-in-standing-when-deva-is-asleep. Persistent-standing-misses-the-point.

  4. Deva gets angry; won't take sēvā*. Rāga yētō — nēghē sēvā. Persistence-past-closure causes deva-anger and refused-sēvā. Know-when-to-stop*.

For today: recognize when the bhakti-day is closed; don't clamor at the shut door; go home; don't stay-too-late; know when persistence becomes intrusion.

This abhang is Tukaram's closure-discipline registerunusual: the bhakta as temple-keeper warning persistent-worshippers. Compare 0505 sāngitalē lōkām nijalē dēva; same closure-announcement but here with a warning-of-deva's-anger-if-persisted. Tukaram's discipline: even bhakti has limits-of-timing-and-courtesy.

मराठी: ही ओवी temple-shut-go-home register नाव सांगते:

  1. Deva-door बंद; clamor futile. आडकलें देवद्वार — व्यर्थ करकर. Door बंद असताना, clamor ला point नाही. Shut-door-ला-clamor नका.

  2. घरी जा; उशिरा करू नका. चला जाऊं घरा — नका करूं उजगरा. Temple ला stay-too-late नका. Closure-of-the-day.

  3. Deva झोपला; इथे standing pointless. लागलीसे निज — काय काज? Deva-asleep-असताना standing-point नाही. Persistent-standing point miss करतो.

  4. Deva angry; sēvā* घेणार नाही. राग येतो — नेघे सेवा. Persistence-past-closure deva-anger आणि refused-sēvā कारण. कधी-थांबायचं-कळा*.

आज: Bhakti-day कधी closed ओळखा; Shut-door-ला-clamor नका; घरी जा; stay-too-late नका; Persistence intrusion कधी होतं कळा.

Tukaram च-closure-discipline-registerUnusual: bhakta as temple-keeper persistent-worshippers ला warning. 0505 sāngitalē lōkām nijalē dēva compare; तीच closure-announcement पण इथे persisted-झालं तर देव-anger ची warning. Tukaram च discipline: bhakti ला सुद्धा limits-of-timing-and-courtesy.

Where this applies

Related verses