Abhanga 1497

It is no shame to stand humbly and ask for love directly, and real generosity gives freely, without demanding service in return.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Petitioner-at-the-door abhang. Closes a 2-abhang sub-series on Sadāśiva (= Śiva, the Sadā-śubha), marker ॥२॥ at end. The opening self-positioning: ṭhākalōmsē dvārī — ubhē yācaka bhīkārī — I havecome-and-stood— at (the) door; —standing— asyācaka-bhīkārī(= petitioner-mendicant). (Striking — Tuka usually rejects the bhīkā-panca (begging) in critical mode (cf. 1473's hāta-pasarī-jiṇē-dhig); here he embraces spiritual-begging at Hari's door — note the difference: human-door begging is shameful, Hari's-door begging is the bhakta's-honor.)

The petition: maja bhīka kāhīm Devā — prēma-bhātukēm pāṭhavā — to me —bhīka(alms) — some —Devā; —prēma-bhātukēm—send. Prēma-bhātukēm — the bhātukēm (= the children's pretend-meal, cf. 1484) of prēma. I'm a child-petitioner; send me the prema-meal. (Striking prema-as-children's-meal image; pairs with 1484's bhātukēm-kavataka in mother-Hari abhang. Sequential continuation possible.)

The petitioner's-rights: yācakācā bhāra — nayē ghē'ūm yēra-jhāra — theyācaka'sbhāra; — should not be made —yēra-jhāra(= running-around back-and-forth). The petitioner's load shouldn't be made to run-around; give-or-deny but don't make him toil. (= classical yācaka-rights: not to be sent away on empty-promises.)

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē dāna — sēvā ghētalyāvāñcūna — Tuka says —give the dāna—without taking—sēvā(service). Give the gift without exacting service in return. (= asking for unconditional grace. Compare 1428's true-guru-doesn't-take-service; here Tuka asks Hari to be like the true-guru: give without taking service.)

The closing-marker ॥२॥ and सदाशिवावर अभंग (Sadāśivā-vara abhanga = abhangs on Sadāśiva) — indicates this and the previous abhang form a Sadāśiva-2-abhang sub-series. (Sadāśiva = Śiva. So 1496-1497 are Tuka's abhangs addressed to Śiva — interesting: the anti-fortune-teller-and-yogic-power register of 1496 + the standing-at-door of 1497 are Śiva-aimed abhangs. Tuka generally a Viṣṇu-bhakta but here addresses Śiva. This is a small but important data-point for the inter-pantheon-engagement of warkari bhakti.)

[T]

For someone today

For today: I stand at the door as petitioner-mendicant; Devā, give me some alms — send the prema-meal; don't make me run around; Tuka says: give the gift without taking service.

Where this applies

• When you feel embarrassed about needing help and asking for it directly.
• When what you truly want isn't money or status but genuine love and closeness.
• When you're stuck waiting on someone who keeps stalling instead of giving you a clear yes or no.
• When you want to give someone a gift or kindness without expecting anything back.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2467 — What looks like your whole world, like a fig to the insect living inside it, is only a tin
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center
• Abhanga 4497 — Tukaram describes a life so soaked in devotion that Krishna's presence fills every ordinar