संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1681 of 4582

Abhanga 1681

For today: you know my past, present, and future — the whole rope of accumulated-karma stretching behind and ahead; what can I now give at your feet as remedy? — do the consideration you yourself know, Devā; what works here by my own-doing? — the wise simply join hands ahead in supplication; Tuka says — my fading words are mere-air — whatever the giver makes happen, will happen.

When you'd surrender past-present-future to Lord — Lord-knows-three-times; nothing-to-give-as-remedy; good-ones-join-hands; words-are-air-leave-to-dātāra

The verse

आदि वर्तमान जाणसी भविष्य । मागें पुढें नीस संचिताचा ॥१॥ आतां काय देऊं पायांपें परिहार । जाणां तो विचार करा देवा ॥ध्रु.॥ आपुलें तें येथें काय चाले केलें । जोडावे ते भले हात पुढें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे फिके बोल माझे वारा । कराल दातारा होईंल तें ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: You know ādi-vartamāna-bhaviṣya — behind, ahead, the rope of samcita. Now what to give at feet as parihāra — do the vicāra you know, Devā. What works here by one's-own doing? — the good ones join hands ahead. Tuka says: my fading words are air — what dātāra makes, will happen.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
आदि वर्तमान जाणसी भविष्य "ādi-vartamānayou knowbhaviṣya"
मागें पुढें नीस संचिताचा "behind, aheadropeof samcita"
आतां काय देऊं पायांपें परिहार "nowwhat to giveat feetas parihāra"
जाणां तो विचार करा देवा "the vicāra you knowdo, Devā"
आपुलें तें येथें काय चाले केलें "one's-ownwhat worksheredone"
जोडावे ते भले हात पुढें "the good (ones)joinhands ahead"
तुका म्हणे फिके बोल माझे वारा "Tuka says — fadingmy wordsair"
कराल दातारा होईंल तें "what dātāra makeswill happen"

What it means

Past-present-future-known-to-Lord + leave-it-to-dātāra abhang.

The opening: ādi vartamāna jāṇasī bhaviṣya — māgē puḍhē nīsa samcitācāyou know ādi (past), vartamāna (present), bhaviṣya (future); behind and ahead, the rope of samcita. Nīsa = rope, line. The rope-of-samcita stretches both behind and aheadthe Lord sees the whole-rope.

The remedy-question: ātām kāya dē'ūm pāyāmpē parihāra — jāṇām tō vicāra karā Devānow what to give at feet as parihāra (= remedy / settlement)? — do the vicāra you know, Devā. Parihāra = remedy, settlement, way-to-clear-debt. I have nothing to give as parihāra; you do the vicāra (consideration / judgment) which you know.

The good-ones-fold-hands: āpulēm tēm yēthē kāya cālē kēlēm — jōḍāvē tē bhalē hāta puḍhēwhat works here by one's-own doing? — the good-ones (bhalē) join hands ahead. Bhalē = the good-people / the wise. The wise simply join their hands in supplication and let the dātāra act.

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē phikē bōla mājhē vārā — karāla dātārā hō'īla tēmTuka says: my fading words are air — what dātāra makes, will happen. Phikē = fading, weakening; vārā = air, breath. My weak-fading words are mere-air; whatever the dātāra (giver) does, will happen. (= complete-surrender of effort; my-words-as-air-and-dātāra-as-effective-agent.)

[T]

For someone today

For today: you know my past, present, and future — the whole rope of accumulated-karma stretching behind and ahead; what can I now give at your feet as remedy? — do the consideration you yourself know, Devā; what works here by my own-doing? — the wise simply join hands ahead in supplication; Tuka says — my fading words are mere-air — whatever the giver makes happen, will happen.

Where this applies

Related verses