Abhanga 1811
For today: now Pandhari-rāyā — remove my fear; in mind the doubt remained — the servant's master-fear; place a hand on the head — speak some abhaya-word; Tuka says — affectionately — let it be played thus going forward.
The verse
आता पंढरीराया । माझ्या निरसावें भया ॥१॥ मनीं राहिली आशंका । स्वामिभयाची सेवका ॥ध्रु.॥ ठेवा माथां हात । कांहीं बोला अभयमात ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे लाडें । खेळें ऐसें करा पुढें ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Now Pandhari-rāyā — remove my fear. In mind the doubt remained — the servant's master-fear. Place a hand on the head — speak some abhaya-word. Tuka says: affectionately — let it be played thus going forward.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आता पंढरीराया | "now — Pandhari-rāyā" |
| माझ्या निरसावें भया | "of mine — remove — the fear" |
| मनीं राहिली आशंका | "in mind — remained — the doubt (āśankā)" |
| स्वामिभयाची सेवका | "the master-fear — of the servant" |
| ठेवा माथां हात | "place — on the head — (your) hand" |
| कांहीं बोला अभयमात | "speak some — abhaya-word" |
| तुका म्हणे लाडें | "Tuka says — affectionately (lāḍē)" |
| खेळें ऐसें करा पुढें | "let it be played — thus — going-forward" |
What it means
Abhaya-petition + hand-on-head + lāḍa-going-forward abhang. A tender request for the gesture of abhaya.
The opening: ātām Pandhari-rāyā — mājhyā nirasāvē bhayā — now Pandhari-rāyā — remove my fear. Direct petition: now's the time, remove-my-fear.
The doubt-line: manī rāhilī āśankā — svāmi-bhayācī sēvakā — in mind the doubt remained — the servant's master-fear. Even-after surrender, the servant carries-an-undertone-of-master-fear. (= the bhakta acknowledges that fear-of-the-Lord still flickers in the chitta despite-bhakti.)
The petition: ṭhēvā māthām hāta — kāhīm bōlā abhaya-māta — place a hand on the head — speak some abhaya-word. The classical-gesture of abhaya — the master placing-a-hand-on-the-head of the servant + speaking-a-word-of-abhaya (= "fear not"). (Echoes the abhaya-mudrā iconography of Hindu deities.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē lāḍē — khēḷē aisē karā puḍhē — Tuka says: affectionately — let it be played thus going forward. Lāḍē = with affectionate-pampering; khēḷē = playfully; karā puḍhē = do (it) going-forward. Going-forward, treat-me-with-affectionate-play — the lāḍa-relationship request. (= not just remove-the-fear-once, but-make-the-going-forward affectionately-playful.)
The progression: fear-removal → doubt-acknowledged → hand-on-head + abhaya-word → lāḍa-play-going-forward. From fear to playful-affection in four short verses. The full-emotional-arc of bhakta-requesting-the-abhaya-gesture.
[T]
For someone today
For today: now Pandhari-rāyā — remove my fear; in mind the doubt remained — the servant's master-fear; place a hand on the head — speak some abhaya-word; Tuka says — affectionately — let it be played thus going forward.
Where this applies
- Pandhari-rāyā-remove-my-fear.* Pandhari-bhayā-nirasāvē.
- Servant-still-carries-master-fear.* Svāmi-bhayācī-sēvakā.
- Hand-on-head-and-abhaya-word.* Māthām-hāta-abhaya-māta.
- Affectionate-play-going-forward.* Lāḍē-khēḷē-puḍhē.