Abhanga 1677
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.
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
English: 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
- Quarreling-itself-is-hita-falling-in-place-fitting.* Bhāṇḍāvēm-hita-ṭhāyī-paḍā-uciṭa.
- Don't-let-dispute-split-our-bhāṇḍavala-bhēda.* Vāda-na-khaṇḍōm-bhāṇḍavala-bhēda.
- Word-leads-to-embrace-don't-break.* Śabdā-sārasē-bhēṭī-tuṭī-na.
- Laziness-is-destruction-of-cause.* Āḷasa-kāraṇāñcā-nāsa.