Abhanga 570

After real hardship, simple relief and small affectionate moments can bring a strained relationship back to warmth and peace.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A short household-relief-day-wife-content abhang. Continues the household-cluster but with a relief-tone. Three claims:

1. बरें जालें गेलें — आजी अवघें मिळालें — आतां खाईन पोटभरी — ओल्या कोरड्या भाकरी — good — gēlē — today miḷālē — now — pōṭa-bharī eat — wet-dry bhākarī. The opening-relief-claim: good — what came-and-went is over; today everything hasmiḷālē(gathered, come-together); now I will eatpōṭa-bharī(belly-full); wet or drybhākarī(flatbread, jowar-roti). Small-relief: today the bhakari is enough; even wet-or-dry-bhakari satisfies a hungry-belly.

2. किती तरी तोंड — याशीं वाजवूं मी रांड — how much — mouth — vājavūm — I, rāṇḍa. The self-question-claim: how much should Ivājavūm tōmḍa(beat-the-mouth, complain-aloud, go on-and-on)?; I,rāṇḍa(woman). Self-question: I, woman, how much-should-I-go-on-complaining? Self-restraint. (The vājavūm-tōmḍa idiom means "beat the mouth-drum" = complain-loudly-and-repeatedly.)

3. तुका बाइले मानवला — चीथू करूनियां बोला — Tuka — wife-pleased — cīṭhū spoken. The closing-domestic-image: Tuka —bāila(wife) wasmānavalā(pleased / agreed-with); (after) speaking withcīṭhū(a sharp-tease, a scolding-with-affection). Wife-pleased-after-tease-and-scold. Husband-and-wife relation has itscīṭhū-of-affection. (After the household-distress of 0567-569, this is a small-relief-day.)

[T]

For someone today

After the hardship of the previous verses, this one is a small, welcome breath of relief. Today enough food has come together, and Tukaram's wife can finally eat until her stomach is full, even if the bread is plain, whether soft or dry hardly matters anymore. She catches herself wondering how much longer she should keep voicing her complaints out loud, choosing a little restraint now that things have eased. The abhang ends with husband and wife reconciled, a bit of sharp, affectionate teasing between them, and her genuinely at peace. It is a reminder that hard seasons pass, and that relationships can hold together and even find warmth again after real strain.

मराठी: मागच्या ओव्यांतील कष्टानंतर, ही एक छोटी, हवीहवीशी विश्रांतीची झुळूक आहे. आज पुरेसे अन्न एकत्र आले आहे, आणि तुकारामांची पत्नी शेवटी पोटभर जेवू शकते, भाकरी साधी असली, ओली असो किंवा कोरडी, आता त्याने काही फरक पडत नाही. ती स्वतःला विचारते की आणखी किती वेळ तक्रार करत राहायचे, आणि आता परिस्थिती थोडी सुधारल्यामुळे थोडी संयमी होते. हा अभंग नवरा-बायकोच्या समेटाने संपतो, त्यांच्यात थोडी तिखट पण प्रेमळ चेष्टा होते, आणि ती खरोखर शांत असते. हे आठवण करून देते की कठीण काळ निघून जातो, आणि खऱ्या ताणानंतरही नाती टिकून राहू शकतात आणि पुन्हा उब मिळवू शकतात.

Where this applies

• Day of miḷālē. Small-relief.
• Belly-full of bhakari. Small-contentment.
• Vājavūm tōmḍa — how much? Self-restraint.
• Cīṭhū-tease reconciles. Bond-holds.

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