Abhanga 1849
Once you have given everything and seen the truth of a situation clearly, don't let old excuses drag on — settle the account and refuse to be strung along any further.
The verse
नाहीं जालें मोल कळे देतां काळीं । कोण पाहों बळी दोघांमध्यें ॥१॥ आम्ही तरी जालों जीवासी उदार । कैंचा हा धीर तुजपाशीं ॥ध्रु.॥ बहु चाळविलें मागें आजिवरी । आतां पुढें हरि जाऊं नेदीं ॥२॥ नव्हती जों भेटी नामाची ओळखी । म्हणऊनि दुःखी बहु जालें ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे कांहीं राहों नेदीं बाकी । एकवेळा चुकी जाली आतां ॥४॥
Literal translation
The value is known only at the giving-time — let's see who is stronger between us. We have become udāra with the jīva — what patience do you have? Much you deceived behind, until today — now ahead, Hari, I won't let (you) go. Till there was no meeting, no recognition of the Name — therefore I became very sad. Tuka says: let no balance remain — once the error has happened, now.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नाहीं जालें मोल कळे देतां काळीं | "the value is known — only at the giving-time" |
| कोण पाहों बळी दोघांमध्यें | "let's see — who is stronger — between us two" |
| आम्ही तरी जालों जीवासी उदार | "we have become — udāra — with the jīva" |
| कैंचा हा धीर तुजपाशीं | "what kind — of patience — do you have" |
| बहु चाळविलें मागें आजिवरी | "much (you) deceived — behind, until today" |
| आतां पुढें हरि जाऊं नेदीं | "now ahead, Hari — I won't let (you) go" |
| नव्हती जों भेटी नामाची ओळखी | "till there was no meeting — no recognition of the Name" |
| म्हणऊनि दुःखी बहु जालें | "therefore (I) became very sad" |
| तुका म्हणे कांहीं राहों नेदीं बाकी | "Tuka says — let no balance remain" |
| एकवेळा चुकी जाली आतां | "once — the error has happened — now" |
What it means
Demanding-account + won't-let-Lord-deceive-anymore abhang. Part of the 1848-1857 confrontation-cluster.
The opening: nāhīm jālē mōla kaḷē dētām kāḷī — kōṇa pāhōm baḷī dōghāmmadhyē — the value is known only at the giving-time — let's see who is stronger between us. Mōla = value, price; baḷī = the strong-one. The value-of-things is-known when-they-are-given; let's-see who-can-out-give-whom.
The udāra-claim: āmhī tarī jālōm jīvāsī udāra — kaiñcā hā dhīra tujapāśīm — we have become udāra with the jīva — what patience do you have?. We-have-given-the-jīva-itself; do you-have the-patience to-match this udāra.
The won't-let-go line: bahu cāḷavilē māgē ājivarī — ātām puḍhē Hari jāūm nēdī — much (you) deceived behind, until today — now ahead, Hari, I won't let (you) go. The line in the sand: up-to-now-you've-deceived-me; from-now-on, no-more.
The past-sadness: navhatī jōm bhēṭī nāmācī ōḷakhī — mhaṇa'ūni duḥkhī bahu jālē — till there was no meeting, no recognition of the Name — therefore I became very sad. Before the meeting and Name-recognition, I was-very-sad.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē kāhīm rāhōm nēdī bākī — ēka-vēḷā cukī jālī ātām — Tuka says: let no balance remain — once the error has happened, now. Bākī = balance, debt-balance; cukī = error, mistake. No balance should remain; the error has-already-happened-once (= the past-deception); now-is-the-time-to-settle.
This abhang is the bhakta drawing-the-line: no-more-deception, time-to-settle-the-account.
[T]
For someone today
For today: the value is known only at the giving-time — let's see who is stronger between us; we have become udāra with the jīva — what patience do you have?; much (you) have deceived back-then, until today — now ahead, Hari, I won't let (you) go; till there was no meeting, no Name-recognition — therefore (I) became very sad; Tuka says — let no balance remain — the error has happened once, now.
Where this applies
- When you've given everything you have to a relationship, goal, or cause and want the same commitment back
- When you realize you've been let down or strung along and decide enough is enough
- When you look back at a painful, directionless period and resolve not to return to it
- When you need to finally settle unfinished business instead of leaving it hanging