Abhanga 1704
For today: while delivering the message, don't hold any fear, don't worry; whatever belongs to whom stays on his own head — you just do the kathā yourself; either lower the burden, or don't become engaged-with-deference; Tuka says — the fearful one (loses) neither this world nor the next.
The verse
निरोप सांगतां । न धरीं भय न करीं चिंता ॥१॥ असो ज्याचें त्याचे त्याचे माथां । आपण करावी ते कथा ॥ध्रु.॥ उतरावा भार । किंवा न व्हावें सादर ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे धाक । तया इह ना परलोक ॥३॥
Literal translation
While telling the message, don't hold fear, don't worry. Let whose-is-whose stay on his head — (you) yourself do that kathā. Lower the burden — or don't become sādara. Tuka says: the fearful one — neither this nor next-loka.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| निरोप सांगतां | "while telling the message" |
| न धरीं भय न करीं चिंता | "don't hold fear — don't worry" |
| असो ज्याचें त्याचे त्याचे माथां | "let it be — whose-is-whose-on-his-head" |
| आपण करावी ते कथा | "(you) yourself — do that kathā" |
| उतरावा भार | "lower the burden" |
| किंवा न व्हावें सादर | "or — don't become sādara" |
| तुका म्हणे धाक | "Tuka says — fear" |
| तया इह ना परलोक | "to that one — neither this nor next-loka" |
What it means
Anti-fear-in-message-delivering abhang.
The opening: nirōpa sāngatām — na dharīm bhaya na karīm cintā — while telling the message, don't hold fear, don't worry. When you have a message to deliver, don't fear or worry about consequences.
The let-it-be: asō jyācēm tyācē tyācē māthām — āpaṇa karāvī tē kathā — let whose-is-whose stay on his head — (you) do the kathā yourself. Whatever-belongs-to-whom (= karmic-consequence) stays on his-own-head; you just-do the kathā.
The lower-or-don't-engage: utarāvā bhāra — kimvā na vhāvēm sādara — lower the burden — or don't become sādara. Sādara = engaged-with-deference, eager-to-please. Either lower-the-burden (= deliver-the-message-and-be-done) or don't-engage-yourself-with-deference (= don't get-tangled-in-the-listener's-emotions).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē dhāka — tayā iha nā para-lōka — Tuka says: fear — to that one — neither this nor next-loka. Dhāka = fear, terror. The one who fears (loses) both this-world and the next.
[T]
For someone today
For today: while delivering the message, don't hold any fear, don't worry; whatever belongs to whom stays on his own head — you just do the kathā yourself; either lower the burden, or don't become engaged-with-deference; Tuka says — the fearful one (loses) neither this world nor the next.
Where this applies
- When you have to tell someone a hard truth and you are tempted to soften it out of fear of their reaction
- When you have delivered difficult news and then start anxiously managing how the other person feels about it
- When you are avoiding a necessary conversation because you dread the consequences that might follow
- When you finish a task you were responsible for and feel unsure whether to let go or keep hovering over it