Abhanga 1802
For today: I won't take your Name — won't do the assigned work; word grows by word — calling-out-doṣa gives guṇa; now, to your house — who makes the to-and-fro?; Tuka says — at my place, what is not (already here)?.
The verse
नेघें तुझें नाम । न करीं सांगितलें काम ॥१॥ वाढे वचनें वचन । दोष उच्चारितां गुण ॥ध्रु.॥ आतां तुझ्या घरा । कोण करी येरझारा ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे ठायीं । मजपाशीं काय नाहीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: I won't take your Name — won't do the assigned work. Word grows by word — calling-out-doṣa gives guṇa. Now, to your house — who makes the to-and-fro? Tuka says: at my place — what is not (here)?.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नेघें तुझें नाम | "I won't take — your Name" |
| न करीं सांगितलें काम | "I won't do — the assigned work" |
| वाढे वचनें वचन | "word grows by word" |
| दोष उच्चारितां गुण | "calling out doṣa — gives guṇa (= calling out faults reveals strengths)" |
| आतां तुझ्या घरा | "now — to your house" |
| कोण करी येरझारा | "who makes — the to-and-fro" |
| तुका म्हणे ठायीं | "Tuka says — at my place" |
| मजपाशीं काय नाहीं | "at my side — what is not (here)" |
What it means
Sulking-bhakta-strike abhang. A short-sharp playful-strike — Tuka mock-refuses to do bhakti and announces self-sufficiency.
The opening: nēghē tujhēm nāma — na karīm sāngitalē kāma — I won't take your Name — won't do the assigned work. Mock-strike-declaration. I'm-on-strike: no Name-recitation, no assigned-work.
The word-grows-line: vāḍhē vacanē vacana — dōṣa uccāritām guṇa — word grows by word — calling-out-doṣa gives guṇa. When-words-multiply, the calling-out-of-doṣa actually-reveals-the-guṇa (= the more I argue with you, the-more-your-strength-is-evident; or alternatively: if I-keep-finding-fault-with-you, your-real-virtues-emerge through-the-very-discussion). The bhakta's-oblique-flattery: I'm-not-praising-you, but-by-faulting-you-your-virtues-show.
The to-and-fro line: ātām tujhyā gharā — kōṇa karī yēra-jhārā — now, to your house — who makes the to-and-fro?. The bhakta's strike-threat: if I refuse to come, who else will come-and-go to-your-temple? You'll be alone if I stop visiting. (= the Lord-needs-the-bhakta as much-as the bhakta-needs-the-Lord. Compare 1786's bhakta-better-than-deva — same playful-superiority register.)
The closing self-sufficiency claim: Tukā mhaṇē ṭhā'īm — majpāśīm kāya nāhīm — Tuka says: at my place — what is not (here)?. At-my-side, what-is-not-already-here? (= I-have-everything-I-need at-my-place; I don't-need to-come-to-your-house.) Mock-self-sufficiency — the-bhakta-who-has-already-internalized-the-Lord doesn't-need to-make pilgrimages.
The whole abhang is a playful-mock-strike — Tuka teasing the Lord by threatening to stop the bhakti-routine, knowing-fully-well that the Lord-and-bhakta-cannot-be-separated. (Pairs with 1788, 1796, 1797, and the 1801-1807 mocking-cluster.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: I won't take your Name — won't do the assigned work; word grows by word — calling-out-doṣa gives guṇa; now, to your house — who makes the to-and-fro?; Tuka says — at my place, what is not (already here)?.
Where this applies
- Won't-take-Name-won't-do-the-work.* Nēghē-Nāma-na-karīm-kāma.
- Word-by-word-doṣa-reveals-guṇa.* Vacanē-vacana-dōṣa-guṇa.
- Now-who-makes-to-and-fro-to-your-house.* Tujhyā-gharā-yēra-jhārā.
- At-my-place-what-is-not-here.* Majpāśīm-kāya-nāhīm.