Abhanga 1848

For today: shouldn't speak — but the prasanga has fallen — the world calls by your name; fake show — array was spread — you are truly a beggar, I have come to know; shamelessly we, gathering courage, remain holding the support; how I don't know now you will do the end — you've made the quarrel ahead; Tuka says — you don't speak anything, deva — is this fitting, while taking my service?.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Bhakta-accuses-Lord-of-disguised-poverty abhang. Part of the 1848-1857 cluster of pressuring-the-Lord abhangs.

The opening: na bōlāvē parī paḍilā prasanga — hākalitē jaga tujhyā nāmē — shouldn't speak — but the prasanga has fallen — the world calls by your name. The bhakta apologizes-for-having-to-speak-out, but the situation has demanded it.

The accusation: laṭikē chi sōnga māṇḍilā pasārā — bhikārī tūm kharā kaḷōm ālē — fake show — the array was spread — you are truly a beggar. Bold accusation: the cosmic-Lord's-show is fake; underneath, you-are-actually-a-beggar. (= the Lord's-promised-saving has-not-come-through, exposing him as bankrupt.)

The shameless-stance: nilājirīm āmhī karōniyām dhīra — rāhilōm ādhāra dharūniyām — shamelessly, gathering courage, we remain, holding the support. Despite-the-disgrace, we-still-hold-on to-you-as-the-only-support.

The end-question: kaisā nēṇōm ātām karisī śēvaṭa — kēlī kaṭakaṭa tyācī puḍhē — how I don't know — now you'll do the end — you've made the quarrel ahead. I-don't-know-how-you'll-conclude-this; you've-set-up-the-quarrel-yourself.

The closing-charge: Tukā mhaṇē kāhīm na bōlasī devā — ucita hē sēvā ghēsī mājhī — Tuka says: you don't speak, deva — is this fitting, while taking my service?. Direct-charge: you-take-my-service-while-staying-silent — this is not-fair.

This abhang is the opening of the 1848-1857 confrontation-cluster — pairs with 1788, 1796, 1797 from earlier as legal-style bhakta-Lord-confrontations.

[T]

For someone today

For today: shouldn't speak — but the prasanga has fallen — the world calls by your name; fake show — array was spread — you are truly a beggar, I have come to know; shamelessly we, gathering courage, remain holding the support; how I don't know now you will do the end — you've made the quarrel ahead; Tuka says — you don't speak anything, deva — is this fitting, while taking my service?.

Where this applies

• When you've prayed and served faithfully but feel like you're getting silence in return
• When you're embarrassed to complain about God or life but the situation leaves you no choice
• When you keep holding on to faith even after feeling let down, because there's nothing else to hold on to
• When you feel it's unfair that your devotion or effort goes unacknowledged

Related verses

• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center
• Abhanga 3902 — God himself takes joy in kirtana and walks alongside whoever sings his praise, as Narada's
• Abhanga 4275 — Holiness comes from devotion, not birth: saints have risen from every caste, trade, and re