Abhanga 1850
When God or life stays silent, the support and companionship of fellow devotees is enough proof that you are not alone and that your side has already won.
The verse
कैसा कृपाळु हें न कळसी देवा । न बोलसी सेवा घेसी माझी ॥१॥ काय ऐसें बळ आहे तुजपाशीं । पाहों हा रिघेसी कोणा आड ॥ध्रु.॥ पाडियेला ठायीं तुझा थारा मारा । अवघा दातारा लपसी तो ॥२॥ आतां तुम्हां आम्हां उरी तों चि बरें । काय हें उत्तरें वाढवूनि ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे मज साहए झाले संत । म्हणऊनि मात फावली हे ॥४॥
Literal translation
What kind of kṛpāḷu — you don't reveal, deva — don't speak — while taking my service. What strength do you have? — let's see behind whom you slip. Your place-of-rest was fixed — yet all of you, dātāra, you hide. Now, what's left between us, that's good — what good is increasing the words? Tuka says: the saints have come to my aid — therefore the matter has succeeded.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कैसा कृपाळु हें न कळसी देवा | "what kind of kṛpāḷu — you don't reveal — deva" |
| न बोलसी सेवा घेसी माझी | "don't speak — while taking my service" |
| काय ऐसें बळ आहे तुजपाशीं | "what kind of strength — do you have" |
| पाहों हा रिघेसी कोणा आड | "let's see — behind whom — you slip" |
| पाडियेला ठायीं तुझा थारा मारा | "your place-of-rest — was fixed" |
| अवघा दातारा लपसी तो | "all of you — dātāra — you hide" |
| आतां तुम्हां आम्हां उरी तों चि बरें | "now — what's left between us — that's good" |
| काय हें उत्तरें वाढवूनि | "what good — increasing the words" |
| तुका म्हणे मज साहए झाले संत | "Tuka says — the saints — have come to my aid" |
| म्हणऊनि मात फावली हे | "therefore — the matter has succeeded (māta phāvalī)" |
What it means
Lord-hides + saints-as-bhakta's-allies abhang. Part of the 1848-1857 cluster.
The opening: kaisā kṛpāḷu hē na kaḷasī devā — na bōlasī sēvā ghēsī mājhī — what kind of kṛpāḷu — you don't reveal — deva — don't speak — while taking my service. Echoes 1848's closing: what kind of compassionate-one stays-silent while-taking-service?.
The hiding-line: kāya aisē baḷa āhē tujapāśī — pāhōm hā righēsī kōṇā āḍa — what strength do you have? — let's see behind whom you slip. If-you-have-strength, why-hide-behind-something? — let's-see-where you-take-cover.
The fixed-place line: pāḍiyēlā ṭhāyī tujhā thārā mārā — avaghā dātārā lapasī tō — your place-of-rest was fixed — yet all of you, dātāra, you hide. Your-residence-is-known (= the bhakta knows-where-you-belong), but-you-still-hide.
The end-of-words: ātām tumhām āmhām urī tōm chi barē — kāya hē uttarē vāḍhavūni — now what's left between us, that's good — what good is increasing the words?. Whatever-is-left-between-us-now is-fine; no-need to-keep-talking.
The saints-allies closing: Tukā mhaṇē maja sāhya jhālē santa — mhaṇa'ūni māta phāvalī hē — Tuka says: the saints have come to my aid — therefore the matter has succeeded. Sāhya = aid, support; māta phāvalī = the matter has succeeded / the case has been won. The saints have-taken-the-bhakta's-side; therefore the bhakta-wins. (= the saints-as-allies-of-the-bhakta against-the-aloof-Lord.)
The implicit-message: the Lord may-hide and-stay-silent; but-the-saints have-aided-me, so the case-is-already-won. The Vārkarī tradition's-strong-claim that the saints' validation is sufficient even-against-the-Lord's-apparent-aloofness.
[T]
For someone today
For today: what kind of kṛpāḷu — you don't reveal — deva — don't speak — while taking my service?; what strength do you have? — let's see behind whom you slip; your place-of-rest was fixed — yet all of you, dātāra, you hide; now what's left between us, that's good — what's the good of increasing the words?; Tuka says — the saints have come to my aid — therefore the matter has succeeded.
Where this applies
- When you feel God, or life, is silent even though you've given devoted effort
- When you stop demanding explanations and simply accept that enough has been said
- When you feel strengthened not by direct answers but by the support of a community around you
- When you find peace in fellowship even while a bigger question remains unresolved