Abhanga 1640
For today: because I'm yours, I have become discharged-of-bond — its secret I don't know; take my hand, show me the way — which way forward is straight, Devā?; the deva-bhakta-state should be preserved — on both sides of the relationship, you alone are the strong; by your own abhimāna, this honor-and-shame is attached to you — for the task of those who take refuge; Tuka says — I am very ignorant indeed — therefore I am simply informing the case.
The verse
तुझा म्हणऊनि जालों उतराईं । त्याचें वर्म काईं तें मी नेणें ॥१॥ हातीं धरोनियां दावीं मज वाट । पुढें कोण नीट तें चि देवा ॥ध्रु.॥ देवभक्तपण करावें जतन । दोहीं पक्षीं जाण तूं चि बळी ॥२॥ अभिमानें तुज लागली हे लाज । शरणागतां काज करावया ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे बहु नेणता मी फार । म्हणऊनि विचार जाणविला ॥४॥
Literal translation
Because I'm yours, I have become utarā'īn — its varma, what — I don't know. Take my hand, show me the way — which is straight forward, that very, Devā. Deva-bhakta-pana should be preserved — on both sides, know — you alone are baḷī. By abhimāna, this lāja attached to you — for the śaraṇāgata's task. Tuka says: I am very very ignorant — therefore vicāra has been informed.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तुझा म्हणऊनि जालों उतराईं | "because I'm yours — I have become — utarā'īm" |
| त्याचें वर्म काईं तें मी नेणें | "its varma — what — I don't know" |
| हातीं धरोनियां दावीं मज वाट | "holding by hand — show me the way" |
| पुढें कोण नीट तें चि देवा | "forward — who is straight — that very — Devā" |
| देवभक्तपण करावें जतन | "deva-bhakta-pana — should be preserved" |
| दोहीं पक्षीं जाण तूं चि बळी | "both sides — know — you alone — baḷī" |
| अभिमानें तुज लागली हे लाज | "by abhimāna — to you — attached — this lāja" |
| शरणागतां काज करावया | "for the task — of śaraṇāgatas" |
| तुका म्हणे बहु नेणता मी फार | "Tuka says — very — ignorant — I am much" |
| म्हणऊनि विचार जाणविला | "therefore — vicāra — informed" |
What it means
Take-my-hand-show-the-way + abhimāna-binds-Lord-to-śaraṇāgata-task abhang.
The opening: tujhā mhaṇa'ūni jālōm utarā'īm — tyācēm varma kāīm tēm mī nēṇē — because I'm yours, I have become utarā'īn — its varma, I don't know. Utarā'īn = obligated, indebted-and-discharged, having-discharged-the-bond by becoming-yours. The very-saying-I-am-yours discharges the bond; the varma (secret) of that I don't know.
The hand-prayer: hātīm dharōniyām dāvīm maja vāṭa — puḍhē kōṇa nīṭa tēm chi Devā — take my hand, show me the way — which way forward is straight, Devā. The child-asking-parent-to-take-hand image; show me the straight-way ahead.
The deva-bhakta-pana: deva-bhakta-paṇa karāvēm jatana — dōhīm pakṣī jāṇa tūm chi baḷī — deva-bhakta-pana should be preserved — on both sides, know — you alone are baḷī. Deva-bhakta-pana = the-state-of-being-deva-and-bhakta (= the relational-position itself). Both sides (= the deva-side and the bhakta-side) — you alone are the baḷī (= strong, sacrificial-power). Both poles of the relationship are sustained by you.
The abhimāna-lāja: abhimānē tuja lāgalī hē lāja — śaraṇāgatām kāja karāvayā — by abhimāna, this lāja is attached to you — for the śaraṇāgata's task. Lāja = honor / shame; abhimāna attaches the honor-shame to the Lord — if the śaraṇāgata's-task is not done, your honor is on the line. (Striking-formulation: the Lord's reputation as patita-pāvana, dīna-nātha is bound to performing the śaraṇāgata-task; failure-to-perform-it would be Lord's-shame.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē bahu nēṇatā mī phāra — mhaṇa'ūni vicāra jāṇavilā — Tuka says: I am very ignorant — therefore vicāra has been informed. I am very-ignorant — therefore I am simply informing-the-vicāra (= laying out the case).
[T]
For someone today
For today: because I'm yours, I have become discharged-of-bond — its secret I don't know; take my hand, show me the way — which way forward is straight, Devā?; the deva-bhakta-state should be preserved — on both sides of the relationship, you alone are the strong; by your own abhimāna, this honor-and-shame is attached to you — for the task of those who take refuge; Tuka says — I am very ignorant indeed — therefore I am simply informing the case.
Where this applies
- When you feel utterly lost and wish someone wiser would take your hand and guide you forward.
- When you're in a relationship or commitment that stays strong mainly because the other person keeps holding it together.
- When you're trusting someone's stated values or reputation, believing they'll come through because they said they would.
- When you feel too unsure or ignorant to explain yourself well, and choose plain honesty instead of pretending to know.