Abhanga 1743
Even in a quick or rough deal, give only your best, make things right when they break, and be the same behind closed doors as you appear in public.
The verse
तडामोडी करा । परि उत्तम तें भरा ॥१॥ जेणें खंडे एके खेपे । जाय तेथें लाभें वोपे ॥ध्रु.॥ दाविल्या सारिखें । मागें नसावें पारिखें ॥२॥ मागें पुढें ॠण । तुका म्हणे फिटे हीण ॥३॥
Literal translation
Do trade — but fill the uttama. By which breaks one batch — at the profit-place, return. As shown — behind not be foreign / different. Both-sides debt — Tuka says — finishes the inferior.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तडामोडी करा | "do trade" |
| परि उत्तम तें भरा | "but — fill the uttama" |
| जेणें खंडे एके खेपे | "by which breaks — one batch" |
| जाय तेथें लाभें वोपे | "goes there — at profit-place return" |
| दाविल्या सारिखें | "as shown" |
| मागें नसावें पारिखें | "behind — not be — foreign / different" |
| मागें पुढें ॠण | "behind, ahead — debt" |
| तुका म्हणे फिटे हीण | "Tuka says — finishes the inferior" |
What it means
Anti-fraudulent-trade + fill-only-uttama abhang.
The opening: taḍā-mōḍī karā — parī uttama tēm bharā — do trade — but fill the uttama. Taḍā-mōḍī = quick-and-rough trade. Even-if you do quick-trade, fill-only-the-best (uttama).
The profit-return: jēṇē khaṇḍē ēkē khēpē — jāya tēthē lābhē vōpē — what breaks one batch — at profit-place, return. Lābhē vōpē = return-with-profit. If a batch breaks (= deal goes wrong), the place-of-profit allows-you-to-return.
The as-shown: dāvilyā sārikhēm — māgēm nasāvēm pārikhēm — as shown — don't be foreign behind. Pārikhēm = foreign, different. Don't show-one-thing-and-give-another in-the-back.
The closing: māgēm puḍhē ṛṇa — Tukā mhaṇē phiṭē hīṇa — behind and ahead, debt — Tuka says — finishes the inferior. If you owe-on-both-sides, the inferior-(deal/goods) gets-cleared.
[T]
For someone today
For today: do trade if you must — but fill only the best in your packets; whatever breaks in one batch, at the profit-place return it (rectify it); as you have shown, don't have something different behind; with debt on both sides, Tuka says — the inferior gets-finished.
Where this applies
- When you're closing a fast deal and tempted to skimp on quality because you're in a hurry
- When something you sold or promised turns out flawed and you have to decide whether to make it right
- When you're tempted to show people one version of yourself while acting differently behind their backs
- When you're settling a debt or account and deciding whether to be fully honest about both sides