Abhanga 1265
Once you have hold of what truly matters, cling to it without letting go, and let your own will bend completely to match it.
The verse
कां गा धर्म केला । असोन सत्तेचा आपुला ॥१॥ उभाउभीं पाय जोडीं । आतां फांकों नेदीं घडी ॥ध्रु.॥ नको सोडूं ठाव । आतां घेऊं नेदीं वाव ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे इच्छा । तैसा करीन सरिसा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Why did you do dharma — having your own sattā? Standing-standing, I clasp the feet — now I won't let one ghaḍī slip. Don't release the place — now I won't allow a gap. Tuka says: as you wish — I'll make (myself) sarisā.
मराठी: कां गा धर्म केला — आपली सत्ता असून? उभा-उभा — पाय जोडतों — आतां एक घडी फांकूं देणार नाहीं. ठाव सोडूं नकोस — आतां वाव (फट) घेऊं देणार नाहीं. Tukā म्हणे — इच्छा — तैसा सरसा (सारिखा) करीन.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कां गा धर्म केला | "why did you do dharma?" |
| असोन सत्तेचा आपुला | "having your own sattā (sovereignty)" |
| उभाउभीं पाय जोडीं | "standing-standing — I clasp (jōḍī) the feet" |
| आतां फांकों नेदीं घडी | "now I won't let one ghaḍī (moment) slip (phānkō)" |
| नको सोडूं ठाव | "don't release the ṭhāva (place)" |
| आतां घेऊं नेदीं वाव | "now I won't allow vāva (gap)" |
| तुका म्हणे इच्छा | "Tuka says — your icchā" |
| तैसा करीन सरिसा | "I will make (myself) sarisā (similar)" |
What it means
Hold-Hari abhang. The opening question kām gā dharma kēlā — asōn sattēcā āpulā — why did you (need to) do dharma — when sattā is your own? — is the bhakta's tease: you can do anything; why bother with dharma? — the same paradox as the Hari-tāḍ register: Hari's free choice is itself the bhakta's leverage.
The middle is the holding-tactic: ubhā-ubhīm pāya jōḍī — standing-standing, I clasp the feet. Phānkō (slipping-aside, escaping) is what Hari has done before — now I won't let one ghaḍī slip. Vāva (gap) is what allowed previous escapes — now I won't allow gap.
The closing surrender: icchā — taisā karīna sarisā — (your) icchā — that's what I'll make myself similar to. Tuka pivots: I'll match you — whatever you wish, that's what I'll be.
[T]
For someone today
For today: when you've reached Hari, hold standing-standing, don't let one ghaḍī slip, allow no gap; whatever he wishes, that's what you'll match.
Where this applies
- When you finally get a moment of real connection with someone or something sacred and are tempted to let it slip away out of politeness or distraction
- When you catch yourself easing your grip on a hard won commitment, like a daily practice, and need to close the gap before old habits sneak back in
- When you are torn between doing things your own way and simply aligning your will with someone or something you trust more than yourself
- When you are afraid that if you stop holding on, whatever you have worked so hard to reach will slip away again