Abhanga 1224
For today: the bhakta's restraint is itself an argument — when you've never demanded, the divine's mockery is doubly unjust.
The verse
नाहीं मागितला । तुम्हां मान म्यां विठ्ठला ॥१॥ जे हे करविली फजिती । माझी एवढी जना हातीं ॥ध्रु.॥ नाहीं केला पोट । पुढें घालूनि बोभाट ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे धरूनि हात । नाहीं नेले दिवानांत ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: I have not asked you for honor, Viṭṭhalā. (Yet) you have made such phajitī of me — so much — in the people's hands. I haven't put my belly forward raising clamor. Tuka says: I haven't taken your hand and led you to dīvāna.
मराठी: विठ्ठला, मी तुम्हांला मान मागितला नाहीं. तरी एवढी फजिती तुम्हीं केली — माझी — लोकांच्या हातीं. (मी) पोट पुढें घालून बोभाट केला नाहीं. Tukā म्हणे — हात धरून तुम्हांला दिवानांत (कोर्टांत) नेलें नाहीं.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नाहीं मागितला तुम्हां मान | "I have not asked from you māna (honor/status)" |
| जे हे करविली फजिती | "(yet) you have made phajitī (public mockery)" |
| माझी एवढी जना हातीं | "of mine — so much (ēvaḍhī) — in the people's (jana) hands" |
| नाहीं केला पोट पुढें घालूनि बोभाट | "I haven't put my pōṭa (belly) forward raising bōbhāṭa (clamor — i.e. begging)" |
| धरूनि हात नाहीं नेले दिवानांत | "I haven't taken (your) hand and led (you) to dīvāna (court)" |
What it means
Innocent-bhakta protest within the Hari-tāḍ cluster. The escalation continues from 1223. There the bhakta cited Hari's law; here he cites his own restraint: 1. Nāhīm māgitalā māna — I never asked for status from you. 2. Nāhīm kēlā pōṭa puḍhē ghālūnī bōbhāṭa — I never went begging at your door putting my belly forward (the classic beggar's gesture). 3. Nāhīm nēlē divānāmta — I haven't even grabbed your hand and dragged you to dīvāna (the king's court / public legal forum).
So given that the bhakta has done none of these things — what justification does Hari have for making him a phajitī (public mockery / laughingstock) in the jana hātīm (the hands of the people)? The implication: if you keep this up, I might just go to dīvāna.
This is the innocent-bhakta-with-leverage register: I haven't escalated; don't make me. The Marathi-speaking village court setting (dīvāna) is precise and homely.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the bhakta's restraint is itself an argument — when you've never demanded, the divine's mockery is doubly unjust.
Where this applies
- Never-asked-for-honor.* Nāhīm-māgitalā-māna.
- Never-begged-publicly.* Nāhīm-kēlā-pōṭa-puḍhē-bōbhāṭa.
- Never-sued-in-court.* Nāhīm-nēlē-divānāmta.