Abhanga 1222
For today: don't accept Hari's small consolations when the debt is large; hold the feet firmly; finally, refuse even sarvasva — only his presence will do.
The verse
आम्ही जाणों तुझा भाव । दृढ धरियेले पाव ॥१॥ फांकुं नेदूं चुकावितां । नेघों थोडें बहु देतां ॥ध्रु.॥ बहुता दिसाचें लिगाड । आलें होत होत जड ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आतां । नेघें सर्वस्व ही देतां ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: We know your bhāva — we have grasped your feet firmly. We won't let you slip aside by deceiving — won't take a little when much is given. Many days' entanglement has become heavy and heavy. Tuka says: now I won't take — even if you give sarvasva.
मराठी: आम्ही तुझा भाव जाणतो — दृढ-च तुझे पाव धरले. फांकुन (पळून) चुकविणें-नेदुं — थोडें-च देतां — आम्हीं घेणार नाहीं — बहु देणें असेल तेव्हां-च. बहुत दिवसांचें लिगाड — होत-होत जड झालें. Tukā म्हणे — आतां — सर्वस्व देखील दिलेंस तरी घेणार नाहीं.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आम्ही जाणों तुझा भाव | "we know (jāṇōm) your bhāva" |
| दृढ धरियेले पाव | "firmly (dṛḍha) we have grasped (your) feet (pāva)" |
| फांकुं नेदूं चुकावितां | "we won't let (you) phānkum (separate-out, slip aside) by deceiving" |
| नेघों थोडें बहु देतां | "won't take (nēghōm) thōḍēm (a little) when much is given" |
| बहुता दिसाचें लिगाड | "(of) many days the ligāḍa (entanglement / debt-tie)" |
| आलें होत होत जड | "became (ālēm) heavy and heavy (jaḍa)" |
| आतां नेघें सर्वस्व ही देतां | "now I won't take even if sarvasva is given" |
What it means
Determined-bhakta-against-Hari's-slip-tricks. The bhakta has caught Hari at his own game. Phānkum nēdūm cukāvitām — we won't let you side-step by deceiving. Nēghōm thōḍē bahu dētām — won't accept a tiny gift when much is owed.
The closing twist is masterly: bahuta disācēm ligāḍa ālēm hōta hōta jaḍa — the entanglement (Hari's debt to the bhakta) has piled up over many days, become heavy. So now, ātām nēghē sarvasva hī dētām — now I won't take even if you give sarvasva (everything). The bhakta has flipped the table: he's no longer asking for kṛpā, he's refusing it. Why? Because the long-overdue accounts have made the relationship itself the thing — Hari's bhāva has been seen through, his slip-trick noted, and the bhakta refuses now even the grand-final-payment. Only Hari himself, present in person, will satisfy.
This is the bhakta's leverage: turn down sarvasva, demand only the Deva himself.
[T]
For someone today
For today: don't accept Hari's small consolations when the debt is large; hold the feet firmly; finally, refuse even sarvasva — only his presence will do.
Where this applies
- Know-Hari's-tricks.* Jāṇōm-tujhā-bhāva.
- Firmly-grasped-feet.* Dṛḍha-dhariyēlē-pāva.
- Won't-let-slip-by-tricking.* Phānkum-nēdūm-cukāvitām.
- Won't-take-even-sarvasva.* Nēghē-sarvasva-hī-dētām.