Abhanga 1677
Honestly arguing with God out of love is itself good and keeps the relationship alive, while lazy silent acquiescence is what actually destroys it.
The verse
भांडावें तों हित । ठायी पडा तें उचित ॥१॥ नये खंडों देऊं वाद । आम्हां भांडवलभेद ॥ध्रु.॥ शब्दासारसें भेटी । नये पडों देऊं तुटी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आळस । तो चि कारणांचा नास ॥३॥
Literal translation
Quarreling itself is hita — falling in place is fitting. Don't let the dispute split — to us, bhāṇḍavala-bhēda. Following the word, embrace — don't let it break-and-fall. Tuka says: laziness — that very is the destruction of the cause.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| भांडावें तों हित | "quarreling itself — (is) hita" |
| ठायी पडा तें उचित | "to fall in place — (is) what's fitting" |
| नये खंडों देऊं वाद | "don't let — split — the dispute" |
| आम्हां भांडवलभेद | "to us — bhāṇḍavala-bhēda" |
| शब्दासारसें भेटी | "following the word — embrace" |
| नये पडों देऊं तुटी | "don't let — fall — break" |
| तुका म्हणे आळस | "Tuka says — laziness" |
| तो चि कारणांचा नास | "that very — cause's destruction" |
What it means
Quarreling-itself-is-good + don't-let-dispute-end abhang. A radical-reframe of the standard view of dispute-with-Lord.
The opening claim: bhāṇḍāvēm tōm hita — ṭhāyī paḍā tēm uciṭa — quarreling itself is hita — falling in place is fitting. Bhāṇḍāvēm = to quarrel; hita = good, beneficial. Quarreling-with-the-Lord is itself good; the falling-into-place that follows is fitting. (Striking-reversal: don't suppress the quarrel; let it run-its-course-and-resolve.)
The protect-the-dispute: na yē khaṇḍōm dē'ūm vāda — āmhām bhāṇḍavala-bhēda — don't let dispute split (= end) — to us, bhāṇḍavala-bhēda. Bhāṇḍavala-bhēda is a remarkable phrase — bhāṇḍavala = capital-stock (cf. 1621); bhēda = distinction / variety; combined: our distinctive capital, our specialty. Disputing-with-the-Lord is our trade-mark capital — don't let it be split-broken.
The word-then-meeting: śabdā-sārasē bhēṭī — na yē paḍōm dē'ūm tuṭī — following the word, embrace — don't let it break-and-fall. Sārasē = following along, accompanying. Following the word(s of dispute), comes the embrace; don't let the embrace break-and-fall. (= the quarrel is the prelude to the embrace; don't let either be aborted.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē āḷasa — tō chi kāraṇāñcā nāsa — Tuka says: laziness — that very is the cause's destruction. Āḷasa = laziness, indolence. Laziness-itself is what destroys the cause. (= if you don't quarrel-vigorously, the relationship collapses; lazy-acquiescence is the death of the cause.)
This abhang is one of the most-distinctive bhakti-as-active-engagement statements: the bhakta who quarrels is more-faithful than the bhakta who acquiesces lazily. The bhāṇḍavala-bhēda (specialty-capital) is vigorous-relationship, not passive-bhakti.
[T]
For someone today
For today: quarreling with the Lord is itself good — and falling-into-place that follows is what's fitting; don't let the dispute be broken off — to us, this is our specialty, our capital-distinction; following the words of dispute comes the embrace — don't let it fall-and-break; Tuka says — laziness — that very is what destroys the cause.
Where this applies
- When you feel guilty for being angry with God during a hard time instead of just accepting it quietly
- When a fight with someone you love starts to fade away unresolved because it feels easier than facing it
- When you catch yourself going along passively with something just to avoid conflict
- When you wonder whether honest protest is compatible with devotion or love