Abhanga 1061
A servant who gives himself wholeheartedly shares in his master's honor, while countless half-hearted efforts never amount to anything; even a little true service is what truly counts.
The verse
धनी ज्या पाइका मानितो आपण । तया भितें जन सकळीक ॥१॥ जिवाचे उदार शोभती पाईंक । मिरवती नाईंक मुगुटमणि ॥ध्रु.॥ आपुलिया सत्ता स्वामीचें वैभव । भोगिती गौरव सकळ सुख ॥२॥ कमाइचीं हीणें पडिलीं उदंडें । नाहीं तयां खंड येती जाती ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे तरि पाइकी च भली । थोडीबहुत केली स्वामिसेवा ॥४॥
Literal translation
Dhanī — counts as own — jana — fears. Jīvācē udāra — śōbhati — mukuṭa-maṇi. Sattā-svāmī-vaibhava — gaurava-sukha. Kamāī-hīṇē — udaṇḍa — khaṇḍa — yētī jātī. Tuka says: pāikī bhalī — svāmi-sēvā.
मराठी: धनी ज्या पाइका आपण मानितो — तया-स सकळीक जन भितें. जिवाचे उदार पाईक शोभती — मुगुट-मणि नाईक मिरवती. आपुलिया सत्ता — स्वामीचें वैभव — गौरव, सकळ सुख भोगिती. कमाईचीं हीणें — उदंडें पडिलीं — तयांस खंड नाहीं — येती-जाती. Tuka म्हणे: तरि पाइकी-च भली — थोडी-बहुत स्वामि-सेवा केली.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| धनी ज्या पाइका मानितो आपण | "dhanī — counts as own" |
| तया भितें जन सकळीक | "jana — fears" |
| जिवाचे उदार शोभती पाईंक | "jīvācē udāra — śōbhati" |
| मिरवती नाईंक मुगुटमणि | "mukuṭa-maṇi" |
| आपुलिया सत्ता स्वामीचें वैभव | "sattā-svāmī-vaibhava" |
| भोगिती गौरव सकळ सुख | "gaurava-sukha" |
| कमाइचीं हीणें पडिलीं उदंडें | "kamāī-hīṇē — udaṇḍa" |
| नाहीं तयां खंड येती जाती | "khaṇḍa — yētī jātī" |
| पाइकी च भली | "pāikī bhalī" |
| थोडीबहुत केली स्वामिसेवा | "svāmi-sēvā" |
What it means
A the-lord-who-counts-a-warrior-as-his-own-all-the-people-fear-that-warrior-warriors-generous-with-life-look-beautiful-they-wear-the-crown-jewel-of-leader-by-their-own-authority-they-enjoy-the-master's-glory-honor-and-all-pleasure-the-low-grade-of-effort-have-fallen-in-great-numbers-there-is-no-cessation-for-them-they-keep-coming-and-going-warrior-service-alone-is-good-even-a-little-master-service-done abhang. Pāikī-alone-good-even-little register. Five claims:
-
धनी-पाईक-मानितो — जन-भितें. Lord-counts-warrior-claim. Thedhanīwho counts apāīkaas his own; alljanafear thatpāīka.
-
जीव-उदार — मुगुट-मणि. Crown-jewel-claim. Jīvācē udāra (life-generous) pāīkas śōbhati;they wear the mukuṭa-maṇi (crown-jewel) of nāyaka.
-
सत्ता-वैभव — गौरव-सुख. Master's-glory-claim. By their ownsattā, they enjoy svāmī's vaibhava;gauravaand allsukha.
-
कमाई-हीण-उदंड — खंड-न. Low-grade-no-cessation-claim. Kamāī's hīṇē have fallen in udaṇḍa (great-numbers); for them, nokhaṇḍa (cessation), they keepyētī jātī (coming-and-going).
-
Tuka: पाइकी-भली — स्वामि-सेवा. Pāikī-alone-good-claim. Tuka says: pāikī alone isbhalī;even a little svāmi-sēvā done (counts).
[T]
For someone today
When a great lord claims someone as his own, everyone else takes notice, and a servant who gives freely of himself shines like he's wearing a crown jewel. Standing under that authority, he shares in the master's glory and honor. Meanwhile, countless half-hearted, low-grade efforts pile up endlessly and never amount to anything lasting, they just keep coming and going without ever settling into something real. Tukaram's conclusion is simple: true, wholehearted service is what counts, even if it's only a little of it.
मराठी: जेव्हा एखादा मोठा धनी एखाद्याला आपला म्हणून मान्य करतो, तेव्हा सगळे जग त्याची दखल घेते, आणि जो सेवक आपले जीव ओतून सेवा करतो तो मुगुटमण्यासारखा शोभून दिसतो. त्या अधिकाराखाली उभा राहून तो स्वामीच्या वैभवात आणि सन्मानात वाटेकरी होतो. दुसरीकडे, अर्धवट मनाने केलेले हीण दर्जाचे अगणित प्रयत्न सतत साचत राहतात पण कधीच काही टिकाऊ घडवत नाहीत, ते नुसते येत-जात राहतात. तुकारामांचा निष्कर्ष साधा आहे: खरी, मनापासून केलेली सेवाच मोलाची असते, मग ती थोडीशीच का असेना.
Where this applies
- Lord-counts. Mānitō.
- Crown-jewel. Mukuṭa-maṇi.
- Master's-glory. Vaibhava.
- No-cessation. Hīṇē.
- Even-little-counts. Svāmi-sēvā.