Abhanga 1498
For today: what dharma-niti could I teach the all-knower? — the entire Brahmāṇḍa is built as your līlā; the name Mahādeva itself shows bhāva is what's selected; why don't you know my condition at the right time?
The verse
काय धर्म नीत । तुम्हां शिकवावें हित ॥१॥ अवघें रचियेलें हेळा । लीळा ब्रम्हांड सकळा ॥ध्रु.॥ नाम महादेव । येथें निवडला भाव ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे वेळे । माझें तुम्हां कां न कळे ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: What dharma-nīti — would (one) teach you for hita? Entire (Brahmāṇḍa) — constructed hēḷā — līḷā — entire Brahmāṇḍa. Name Mahādeva — here bhāva selected. Tuka says: at the time — why is mine to you not known?
मराठी: काय — धर्म — नीत? — तुम्हां — शिकवावें — हित? अवघें — रचियेलें — हेळा; — लीळा — ब्रम्हांड — सकळा. नाम — महादेव; — येथें — निवडला — भाव. Tukā म्हणे — वेळे; — माझें — तुम्हां — कां — न — कळे?
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| काय धर्म नीत | "what — dharma / nīti?" |
| तुम्हां शिकवावें हित | "to you — would (one) teach (śikavāvēm) — for hita (welfare)?" |
| अवघें रचियेलें हेळा | "entire — has been constructed (raciyēlēm) — hēḷā (= as play / casually)" |
| लीळा ब्रम्हांड सकळा | "līḷā — Brahmāṇḍa — entire (sakaḷā)" |
| नाम महादेव | "nāma (name) — Mahādeva" |
| येथें निवडला भाव | "here — bhāva — has been selected (nivaḍalā)" |
| तुका म्हणे वेळे | "Tuka says — at (the right) time (vēḷē)" |
| माझें तुम्हां कां न कळे | "mine (mājhēm) — to you — why — is not known (na kaḷē)?" |
What it means
Address-to-Mahādeva-Brahmāṇḍa-built-as-play abhang. Continues the Śiva-sub-series from 1496-1497 (1497 ended marker ॥२॥ on Sadāśiva; 1498 likely opens or continues addresses to Mahādeva). The opening: kāya dharma nīta — tumhām śikavāvēm hita — what dharma-nīti — would (one) teach you — for hita? Rhetorical: what could I possibly instruct you about welfare? (= you who knows everything.)
The cosmological-claim: avaghēm raciyēlēm hēḷā — līḷā Brahmāṇḍa sakaḷā — the entire — has been constructed — hēḷā (= as play / casually); — līḷā — Brahmāṇḍa — entire. The whole Brahmāṇḍa is your līḷā — play, casually constructed. (Striking: creation as play; construction as casual gesture; this is the līḷā-vāda applied to Mahādeva. Compare Brahma-sūtra 2.1.33: lokavat tu līlā-kaivalyam — creation is mere play.)
The name-and-bhāva: nāma Mahādeva — yēthēm nivaḍalā bhāva — the name (is) Mahādeva; — here — bhāva — has been selected. The name "Mahādeva" itself shows that bhāva is what is selected here (= bhāva is the test for Mahādeva, not formal-worship).
The closing-protest: vēḷē — mājhēm tumhām kām na kaḷē — at the right time — why — mine — to you — not known? Why don't you know my-condition at the right time (= when help is needed)? (= classical-bhakta-protest at delayed-help.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: what dharma-niti could I teach the all-knower? — the entire Brahmāṇḍa is built as your līlā; the name Mahādeva itself shows bhāva is what's selected; why don't you know my condition at the right time?
Where this applies
- What-dharma-could-I-teach-you.* Dharma-nīta-śikavāvēm-hita.
- Brahmāṇḍa-built-as-play.* Avaghēm-raciyēlēm-hēḷā-līḷā.
- Name-Mahādeva-bhāva-selected.* Mahādeva-bhāva-nivaḍalā.
- Why-don't-you-know-mine-at-the-right-time.* Vēḷē-mājhēm-na-kaḷē.