Abhanga 1643
Once genuine devotion or love has taken root in you, and the other side helped it grow, that bond cannot simply be withdrawn or turned away from.
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
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 know — the inner" |
| तरि कां येऊं दिलें मना | "why — did you let — come — to (my) mind" |
| तुमची करावी म्यां सेवा | "your service — I should do" |
| आतां अव्हेरितां देवा | "now — turning-away, Devā" |
| नव्हती मोडामोडी | "there was no breaking-and-fixing" |
| केली मागें ते चि घडी | "done — behind — that very moment" |
| तुका म्हणे दिला वाव | "Tuka says — gave space" |
| पायीं लागों दिला भाव | "let bhāva — attach — at (the) feet" |
What it means
If-you-know-inner-why-let-mind-arise abhang.
The clever-argument: antarīñcēm jāṇām — tarī kām yē'ūm dilēm manā — if 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 Devā — I 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 ghaḍī — there 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 bhāva — Tuka 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
- When you doubt whether the faith or love that has quietly grown in you is real enough to trust.
- When you feel suddenly abandoned right after finally committing yourself wholeheartedly.
- When you wonder whether a bond that began with pure sincerity can just be dropped later.
- When you need the courage to hold someone, even God, accountable to a connection they themselves started.