Abhanga 1770
For today: for the servant, the master's command is the pramāṇa — until the prāṇa leaves his body; don't hold the fear of others in your mind — don't deviate from the master's instruction-word; reading the timing, give the forthright reply — piercing like vajra, yet tempered; Tuka says — only then call yourself a sevaka — the food you have eaten becomes (rightly-earned) food.
The verse
सेवकासी आज्ञा स्वामीची प्रमाण । जोंवरी हा प्राण जाय त्याचा ॥१॥ आणिकांचा धाक न धरावा मनीं । निरोपावचनीं टळों नये ॥ध्रु.॥ समय सांभाळूनि आगळें उत्तर । द्यावें भेदी वज्र तपायरी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे तरी म्हणवावें सेवक । खादलें तें हाक अन्न होय ॥३॥
Literal translation
For the servant, the master's command is the pramāṇa — until the prāṇa goes from his (body). The fear of others should not be held in the mind — one should not deviate from the niropa-vacana. Saving the moment, the forthright reply should be given — piercing like vajra, yet tempered. Tuka says: only then should one call oneself a sevaka — what was eaten becomes the answer (= the food has earned the deed).
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सेवकासी आज्ञा स्वामीची प्रमाण | "for the servant — the master's command — is the pramāṇa" |
| जोंवरी हा प्राण जाय त्याचा | "until — the prāṇa — goes — of his" |
| आणिकांचा धाक न धरावा मनीं | "the fear of others — should not be held — in the mind" |
| निरोपावचनीं टळों नये | "from the niropa-vacana (= the master's-instruction-word) — one should not deviate" |
| समय सांभाळूनि आगळें उत्तर | "saving the moment (= reading the timing) — a forthright/distinct reply" |
| द्यावें भेदी वज्र तपायरी | "should be given — piercing-vajra — yet-tempered/warmly (tapāyarī)" |
| तुका म्हणे तरी म्हणवावें सेवक | "Tuka says — only-then — call yourself sevaka" |
| खादलें तें हाक अन्न होय | "what was eaten — that — call/answer (hāka) — the food becomes" |
What it means
True-sevaka-discipline abhang. A manual-of-conduct for the bhakta-as-svāmi-sevaka.
The opening: sēvakāsī ājñā svāmīcī pramāṇa — jōmvarī hā prāṇa jāya tyācā — for the servant, the master's command is the pramāṇa — until the prāṇa goes. Pramāṇa = valid-source-of-authority / standard. The master's ājñā is the absolute-criterion until the very-end-of-life. Servant's-loyalty extends to prāṇa-tyāga.
The fear-line: āṇikāñcā dhāka na dharāvā manīm — nirōpa-vacanīm ṭaḷōm nayē — the fear of others should not be held in the mind — one should not deviate from the niropa-vacana. Dhāka = fear, dread; niropa-vacana = the parting-instruction / the master's-word-of-charge. No-other-fear can compete with the master's-command.
The forthright-reply line: samaya sāmbhāḷūni āgaḷēm uttara — dyāvēm bhēdī vajra tapāyarī — saving the moment, the forthright reply — should be given, piercing-vajra, yet tempered. Samaya sāmbhāḷūni = while-saving-the-moment (= with right-timing); āgaḷēm uttara = a forthright / distinct reply; bhēdī vajra = piercing-like-vajra (the diamond-thunderbolt); tapāyarī = warmly-tempered, with-due-respect. The sevaka-speaks-truth-with-vajra-precision-yet-with-tempered-warmth — neither cowardly-silent nor arrogantly-blunt. (= bold-but-respectful.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē tarī mhaṇavāvēm sēvaka — khādalēm tēm hāka anna hōya — Tuka says: only then should one call oneself a sevaka — what was eaten becomes the answer (= the food). Khādalēm tēm hāka anna hōya = what-was-eaten becomes the call-out / response / earned-food — only then is the food eaten worth-calling-food (= the anna becomes truly anna only when the sevaka has earned-it through this discipline). Otherwise, eating-the-master's-food without serving-properly is theft.
This abhang is a clear ethical-charter for the bhakta-as-Viṭhṭhal-sevaka: loyalty-unto-prāṇa, fearlessness-of-others, vajra-with-warmth in speech, food-eaten-must-be-earned.
[T]
For someone today
For today: for the servant, the master's command is the pramāṇa — until the prāṇa leaves his body; don't hold the fear of others in your mind — don't deviate from the master's instruction-word; reading the timing, give the forthright reply — piercing like vajra, yet tempered; Tuka says — only then call yourself a sevaka — the food you have eaten becomes (rightly-earned) food.
Where this applies
- When you are in a demanding job or duty and tempted to bend to outside pressure instead of doing what your role requires
- When you need to speak an uncomfortable truth to someone you serve or work for
- When you feel like you are just going through the motions instead of earning your keep honestly
- When you are afraid of what others will think if you follow through on your responsibility