Abhanga 1819
Admitting your flaws honestly is your part of the bargain, and it is fair to expect God's promised mercy to meet you there.
The verse
आतां नको चुकों आपुल्या उचिता । उदारा या कांता रखुमाईंच्या ॥१॥ आचरावे दोष हें आम्हां विहित । तारावे पतित तुमचें तें ॥ध्रु.॥ आम्ही तों आपुलें केलेसें जतन । घडो तुम्हांकून घडेल ते ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे विठो चतुराच्या राया । आहे ते कासया मोडों देसी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Now don't deviate from your ucita — udāra husband of Rakhumāī. To commit doṣa — that is our prescribed (role); to save the fallen — that is yours. We have kept our side — let what happens from your side happen. Tuka says: Viṭho, king of the clever — what is here, for what reason will you let-be-broken?.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आतां नको चुकों आपुल्या उचिता | "now — do not deviate — from your ucita (= fitting role)" |
| उदारा या कांता रखुमाईंच्या | "udāra (generous) — this husband — of Rakhumāī" |
| आचरावे दोष हें आम्हां विहित | "to commit doṣa — that is our prescribed (role)" |
| तारावे पतित तुमचें तें | "to save the fallen — that is yours" |
| आम्ही तों आपुलें केलेसें जतन | "we have kept — what is ours — in custody" |
| घडो तुम्हांकून घडेल ते | "let it happen from your side — what will happen" |
| तुका म्हणे विठो चतुराच्या राया | "Tuka says — Viṭho — king of the clever" |
| आहे ते कासया मोडों देसी | "what is (here) — for what reason — will you let-be-broken" |
What it means
Role-division-bhakta-makes-doṣa-Lord-uplifts-fallen abhang. A humorous theological-claim: the bhakta and the Lord have complementary-prescribed-roles.
The opening: ātām nakō cukōm āpulyā ucitā — udārā yā kāntā Rakhumāīñcyā — now don't deviate from your ucita — udāra husband of Rakhumāī. Ucita = the fitting / prescribed-role; kāntā Rakhumāīñcyā = Viṭhṭhal as Rakhumāī's-husband. Don't break-form, generous Viṭhṭhal.
The role-division: ācarāvē dōṣa hē āmhām vihita — tārāvē patita tumcē tē — to commit doṣa is our prescribed (role) — to save the fallen is yours. Vihita = prescribed, sanctioned. The bhakta's witty-claim: we-bhaktas have-the-prescribed-job of committing-doṣas; you-have-the-prescribed-job of saving-the-fallen; if-we-don't-commit-doṣas, you-have-no-fallen-to-save; therefore-you-need-our-doṣas as-much-as-we-need-your-saving. (= interdependent-role-division.)
The custody-line: āmhī tōm āpulēm kēlēsē jatana — ghaḍō tumhānkūna ghaḍēla tē — we kept our side — let what happens from your side happen. We did our part (= committed-doṣas); now let-yours-happen (= the saving).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē Viṭhō catura-cyā rāyā — āhē tē kāsayā mōḍōm dēsī — Tuka says: Viṭho, king of the clever — what is here, for what reason will you let-be-broken?. Catura-cyā rāyā = king of the clever / wise; mōḍōm dēsī = will you let-be-broken / let-it-collapse. You-are-the-king-of-the-clever; will-you-let-this-arrangement-break-down?.
The implicit-message: the bhakta's-relationship-with-the-Lord rests-on-the-traditional role-division (sinner + savior); the Lord-must-not-break-this-arrangement by-failing-to-save. Witty-but-insistent role-claim. (Compare 1788, 1796, 1797 — the bhakta-pressuring-the-Lord register.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: now don't deviate from your fitting role — udāra husband of Rakhumāī; to commit doṣa is our prescribed role — to save the fallen is yours; we have kept our side — let what happens from your side happen; Tuka says — Viṭho, king of the clever — what is here, for what reason will you let it be broken?.
Where this applies
- When you feel too flawed or broken to deserve help, and you need the reminder that mercy exists precisely for people like you
- When you have made the same mistake again and wonder if you have used up your right to be forgiven
- When you need the courage to hold someone, even God, to a promise they have made rather than staying silently ashamed
- When you realize that admitting your weakness honestly is itself doing your part, and the rest is not entirely on you