संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1643 of 4582

Abhanga 1643

For today: if you know the inner — why did you let this thought come into my mind?; if I should do your service — now you turn away, Devā?; there was no breaking-and-fixing — it was done continuously from behind, that very moment; Tuka says — you gave the space yourself — you let the bhāva attach at your feet.

When you'd argue from Lord's-omniscience-against-his-turning-away — if-you-know-inner-why-let-mind-arise; gave-space-bhāva-at-feet

The verse

अंतरींचें जाणां । तरि कां येऊं दिलें मना ॥१॥ तुमची करावी म्यां सेवा । आतां अव्हेरितां देवा ॥ध्रु.॥ नव्हती मोडामोडी । केली मागें ते चि घडी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे दिला वाव । पायीं लागों दिला भाव ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: If you know the inner — why did you let it come to (my) mind? Your service I should do — now turning-away, Devā. There was no breaking-and-fixing — done behind that very moment. Tuka says: gave space — let bhāva attach at the feet.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
अंतरींचें जाणां "if you knowthe inner"
तरि कां येऊं दिलें मना "whydid you letcometo (my) mind"
तुमची करावी म्यां सेवा "your serviceI should do"
आतां अव्हेरितां देवा "nowturning-away, Devā"
नव्हती मोडामोडी "there was no breaking-and-fixing"
केली मागें ते चि घडी "donebehindthat very moment"
तुका म्हणे दिला वाव "Tuka says — gave space"
पायीं लागों दिला भाव "let bhāvaattachat (the) feet"

What it means

If-you-know-inner-why-let-mind-arise abhang.

The clever-argument: antarīñcēm jāṇām — tarī kām yē'ūm dilēm manāif you know the inner — why did you let it come to my mind? The theological-trick: (a) you know everything-inner; (b) so why did you let this very-thought (= the desire-to-serve-you) arise in my mind?; (c) since-it-arose, it must be your-doing; (d) therefore you cannot now turn-away from fulfilling it.

The objection: tumacī karāvī myām sēvā — ātām avhēritām DevāI should do your service — now turning-away, Devā? The seva-thought you implanted; you can't now turn-away.

The continuity: navhatī mōḍā-mōḍī — kēlī māgē tē chi ghaḍīthere was no breaking-and-fixing — done behind, that very moment. Mōḍā-mōḍī = breaking-and-then-redoing; no breaking-and-redoing — it was done at the previous moment continuously. (= the connection has been continuous from the start; you can't now break-it.)

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē dilā vāva — pāyīm lāgōm dilā bhāvaTuka says: gave space — let bhāva attach at feet. You gave the space (vāva = room, opening); let the bhāva attach at your feet. Now-you-can't-revoke-the-given-space.

The whole abhang is a lawyer's-argument from Lord's-omniscience to Lord's-obligation: you knew everything; you let the seva-bhāva arise; therefore you must now fulfill it.

[T]

For someone today

For today: if you know the inner — why did you let this thought come into my mind?; if I should do your service — now you turn away, Devā?; there was no breaking-and-fixing — it was done continuously from behind, that very moment; Tuka says — you gave the space yourself — you let the bhāva attach at your feet.

Where this applies

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