Abhanga 1646
No day of sincere effort is truly wasted, even before the goal arrives, because understanding and recognition grow gradually over time.
The verse
नाहीं कोणी दिस जात वांयांविण । साध्य नाहीं सीण लटिका चि ॥१॥ एकाचिये माथां असावें निमत्ति । नसो नाहीं हित कपाळीं तें ॥ध्रु.॥ कांहीं एक तरी बोलायाचा जागा । नेदिती वाउगा उभा ठाकों ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे वर्में कळों येती कांहीं । ओळखी जे नाहीं होईंल ते ॥३॥
Literal translation
No day goes in vain — sādhya isn't there, sīṇa is just empty. On someone's head let nimitta be — whether hita on forehead or not. At least some place-to-speak — they don't let one stand vain. Tuka says: some varmas come to be known — recognition which isn't, will be.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नाहीं कोणी दिस जात वांयांविण | "not — any day — goes in vain" |
| साध्य नाहीं सीण लटिका चि | "goal isn't there — strain — just empty" |
| एकाचिये माथां असावें निमत्ति | "on someone's head — let nimitta be" |
| नसो नाहीं हित कपाळीं तें | "whether or not — hita — on forehead" |
| कांहीं एक तरी बोलायाचा जागा | "at least some — place-to-speak" |
| नेदिती वाउगा उभा ठाकों | "they don't let — uselessly — stand" |
| तुका म्हणे वर्में कळों येती कांहीं | "Tuka says — varmas — come to be known — some" |
| ओळखी जे नाहीं होईंल ते | "recognition — which isn't — will be" |
What it means
No-day-vain + relationship-development-with-Lord abhang.
The opening: nāhīm kōṇī disa jāta vāyām-vīṇa — sādhya nāhīm sīṇa laṭikā chi — no day goes in vain — sādhya isn't there, sīṇa is just empty. Sādhya = the goal (= the destination-of-effort); sīṇa = strain; laṭikā = false, empty, useless. No day passes in vain — even if the goal-isn't-yet-reached, the strain-itself is just-empty (= the strain-doesn't-mean-the-day-is-wasted).
The nimitta-claim: ēkāciyē māthām asāvēm nimatti — nasō nāhīm hita kapāḷīm tēm — on someone's head let nimitta be — whether the hita is on the forehead or not. (= let some instrumental-purpose-of-mine be on Lord's-head, regardless of whether my own-good-fortune is written-on-my-forehead-or-not.)
The place-to-speak: kāhīm ēka tarī bōlāyācā jāgā — nēditī vāugā ubhā ṭhākōm — at least some place-to-speak — they don't let one stand uselessly. They don't let one stand-uselessly without at-least-some place to speak (= the saints / the Lord don't leave the petitioner standing-vain; some opportunity to plead-his-case is given).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē varmē kaḷōm yētī kāhīm — ōḷakhī jē nāhīm hō'īla tē — Tuka says: some varmas come to be known — recognition which isn't (yet), will be. Varmas = secrets, vital-truths; ōḷakhī = recognition / acquaintance. Some secrets gradually-come-to-be-known; recognition that doesn't-yet-exist, will-eventually-form.
The whole abhang has a quiet patience-and-relationship-development tone: the day-of-not-yet-arrived is not-wasted; the relationship grows-by-degrees.
[T]
For someone today
For today: no day goes in vain — even if the goal isn't reached yet, the strain is just empty; on someone's head, let some purpose of mine be served — whether my good fortune is written on my forehead or not; at least let there be some place-to-speak — they don't let one stand uselessly; Tuka says — some secrets come to be known gradually — and the recognition that doesn't-yet-exist will form.
मराठी: आजसाठी: कुठलाही दिवस वाया जात नाही — अजून ध्येय गाठलं नसलं तरी हा शीण व्यर्थ नाही; कुणाच्या तरी मनात माझा काहीतरी उपयोग असावा — माझं भाग्य कपाळावर लिहिलेलं असो वा नसो; निदान बोलायला काही जागा तरी असावी — कुणी उगीच उभं राहू देत नाही; तुका म्हणतो — काही रहस्यं हळूहळू उलगडत जातात — आणि जी ओळख अजून नाही, ती हळूहळू घडत जाईल.
Where this applies
- When you feel discouraged that you haven't reached your goal despite steady, sincere effort.
- When you doubt whether your daily practice or hard work actually counts for anything.
- When you feel you have no voice or platform to express what matters to you.
- When you're waiting for clarity or recognition that simply hasn't arrived yet.