Abhanga 1671
For today: holding your cloth-edge, I will pull it off with my hand — then what fitting look will you have in the world?; consider what of your-own-place, which is Nārāyaṇa's leisure (= are you really at-leisure to ignore me now?); my inner is at your feet — over these matters, the embrace placed won't let you move; if you sulk, soothing will be needed — better to accomplish this quickly; once caught, firstly the cause has place — here I will make my bhāva firm now; Tuka says — your loud-renown is known — then the fuss is missed.
The verse
धरूनि पालव असुडीन करें । मग काय बरें दिसे लोकीं ॥१॥ काय तें विचारा ठायींचें आपणां । जो हा नारायणा अवकाश ॥ध्रु.॥ अंतर पायांसी तो वरी या गोष्टी । पडिलिया मिठी हालों नेदीं ॥२॥ रुसलेती तरी होईंल बुझावणी । तांतडी करूनि साधावें हें ॥३॥ सांपडलिया आधीं कारणासी ठाव । येथें करूं भाव दृढ आतां ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे तुझे ठाउके बोभाट । मग खटपट चुकली ते ॥५॥
Literal translation
English: Holding the pālava, I will pull it off with hand — then what fitting will appear in the world? Consider what of your-own-place — which is Nārāyaṇa's leisure. Inner is at feet — then over these matters, the embrace placed won't let (you) move. If (you) sulk, then soothing will be needed — with hurry, this must be accomplished. Once caught, firstly the cause has place — here will make bhāva firm now. Tuka says: your bobhāṭa is known — then the khaṭa-paṭa is missed.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| धरूनि पालव असुडीन करें | "holding — cloth-edge (pālava) — will pull off — with hand" |
| मग काय बरें दिसे लोकीं | "then — what fitting — appears — in world" |
| काय तें विचारा ठायींचें आपणां | "what consider — of your-own-place" |
| जो हा नारायणा अवकाश | "which — Nārāyaṇa — leisure" |
| अंतर पायांसी तो वरी या गोष्टी | "inner at feet — over these matters" |
| पडिलिया मिठी हालों नेदीं | "embrace placed — will not let move" |
| रुसलेती तरी होईंल बुझावणी | "if (you) sulk — will be soothing" |
| तांतडी करूनि साधावें हें | "with hurry — should accomplish" |
| सांपडलिया आधीं कारणासी ठाव | "caught — firstly — cause — has place" |
| येथें करूं भाव दृढ आतां | "here — will make — bhāva firm now" |
| तुका म्हणे तुझे ठाउके बोभाट | "Tuka says — your — known — bobhāṭa" |
| मग खटपट चुकली ते | "then — fuss — missed" |
What it means
Threat-and-strategic-sulking abhang.
The cloth-pulling-threat: dharūni pālava asuḍīna karē — maga kāya barēm disē lōkīm — holding the cloth-edge, I will pull it off with my hand — then what fitting (look) will appear in the world? Pālava = the loose-end of the dhōtī or sārī; asuḍaṇē = to tear-pull-off. I will pull off your cloth-edge — then how will you look in front of people? (Striking-folk-image of bhakta as a child threatening to embarrass the parent in public.)
The leisure-question: kāya tēm vicārā ṭhāyīñcēm āpaṇām — jō hā Nārāyaṇā avakāśa — consider what of your-own-place — which is Nārāyaṇa's leisure. Avakāśa = leisure / opportunity. Consider whether you have the leisure-of-your-own-stillness — Nārāyaṇa's leisure (= can you remain at-leisure when I'm causing this scene?)
The embrace-immobilization: antara pāyāmsī tō varī yā gōṣṭī — paḍiliyā miṭhī hālōm nēdī — the inner is at feet — then over these matters, embrace placed won't let move. Inner-heart at your feet; placed an embrace; won't let you move now.
The sulk-strategy: rusalētī tarī hō'īla bujhāvaṇī — tāmtaḍī karūni sādhāvēm hēm — if (you) sulk, soothing will be needed — must accomplish with hurry. (= if you sulk, I'll have to do bujhāvaṇī (soothing); better to accomplish this quickly without that.)
The closing-claim: Tukā mhaṇē tujhē ṭhā'ukē bōbhāṭa — maga khaṭa-paṭa cukalī tē — Tuka says: your bobhāṭa is known — then the khaṭa-paṭa is missed. Bobhāṭa = loud-rumor / great-renown (= the Lord's-renown as bhakta-vatsala / patita-pāvana); khaṭa-paṭa = fuss, agitation. Once your-public-renown-of-being-saver-of-bhaktas is invoked, the fuss-is-missed (= it's settled without further-fuss; you have to fulfill your bobhāṭa).
[T]
For someone today
For today: holding your cloth-edge, I will pull it off with my hand — then what fitting look will you have in the world?; consider what of your-own-place, which is Nārāyaṇa's leisure (= are you really at-leisure to ignore me now?); my inner is at your feet — over these matters, the embrace placed won't let you move; if you sulk, soothing will be needed — better to accomplish this quickly; once caught, firstly the cause has place — here I will make my bhāva firm now; Tuka says — your loud-renown is known — then the fuss is missed.
Where this applies
- Will-pull-cloth-no-fitting-look-in-world.* Pālava-asuḍīna-disē-lōkīm.
- Embrace-placed-won't-let-move.* Miṭhī-paḍilī-hālōm-nēdī.
- Sulk-then-soothe-must-accomplish-hurry.* Rusalētī-bujhāvaṇī-tāmtaḍī.
- Caught-cause-has-place-bhāva-firm.* Sāmpaḍaliyā-kāraṇa-bhāva-dṛḍha.
- Bobhāṭa-known-fuss-missed.* Bōbhāṭa-ṭhā'ukē-khaṭa-paṭa-cukalī.