Abhanga 1854
Honor given to a person really belongs to whatever stamped it there, so don't carry the burden of others' praise, and look instead for the reward that comes directly from God's own hand.
The verse
जन पूजी याचा मज कां आभार । हा तुम्ही विचार जाणां देवा ॥१॥ पत्र कोण मानी वंदितील सिक्का । गौरव सेवका त्या चि मुळें ॥ध्रु.॥ मी मीपणें होतों जनामधीं आधीं । कोणें दिलें कधीं काय तेव्हां ॥२॥ आतां तूं भोगिता सर्व नारायणा । नको आम्हां दीनां पीडा करूं ॥३॥ आपुलिया हातें देसील मुशारा । तुका म्हणे खरा तो चि आम्हां ॥४॥
Literal translation
People worship — for this, why is the burden on me? — this account, you know, deva. Who accepts a letter? — they bow to the seal — honor goes to the servant only by that. I existed in self-conception, among people, before — who gave anything when, then? Now you are the enjoyer of all, Nārāyaṇa — don't make affliction for us, the dīna. By your own hand, you'll give wages — Tuka says — that is the true (wages) for us.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| जन पूजी याचा मज कां आभार | "people worship — for this — why is the burden on me" |
| हा तुम्ही विचार जाणां देवा | "this account — you know — deva" |
| पत्र कोण मानी वंदितील सिक्का | "who accepts a letter — they bow to the seal (sikkā)" |
| गौरव सेवका त्या चि मुळें | "honor — to the servant — only by that" |
| मी मीपणें होतों जनामधीं आधीं | "I existed in self-conception — among people, before" |
| कोणें दिलें कधीं काय तेव्हां | "who gave — when, what — then" |
| आतां तूं भोगिता सर्व नारायणा | "now — you are the enjoyer of all — Nārāyaṇa" |
| नको आम्हां दीनां पीडा करूं | "don't make affliction — for us, the dīna" |
| आपुलिया हातें देसील मुशारा | "by your own hand — you'll give wages (muśārā)" |
| तुका म्हणे खरा तो चि आम्हां | "Tuka says — that is true — for us" |
What it means
Honor-comes-from-Lord's-seal + give-true-wages abhang. Part of the 1848-1857 cluster.
The opening: jana pūjī yācā maja kām ābhāra — hā tumhī vicāra jāṇām devā — people worship — why is the burden on me? — this account, you know, deva. The bhakta deflects-the-people's-worship away-from-himself toward-the-Lord.
The seal-and-letter image: patra kōṇa mānī vandita sikkā — gauravā sēvakā tyā chi muḷē — who accepts a letter? — they bow to the seal — honor goes to the servant only by that. Patra = letter; sikkā = the official-seal / royal-stamp. The brilliant analogy: people don't accept the letter (= the bhakta) per-se; they bow to the royal-seal (= the Lord's-mark on-the-bhakta); the servant's honor comes only-from-the-seal. (= the bhakta is-honored-only because-the-Lord-stamps-him.)
The pre-stamp line: mī mīpaṇē hōtōm janāmadhīm ādhī — kōṇē dilē kadhīm kāya tēvhām — I existed in self-conception, among people, before — who gave anything when, then?. Before-the-stamp, I-existed in-self-conception — but-no-one-gave-me-anything. (= all-honor-came-only-after-the-stamp.)
The Nārāyaṇa-as-enjoyer: ātām tūm bhōgitā sarva Nārāyaṇā — nakō āmhām dīnā pīḍā karūm — now you are the enjoyer of all, Nārāyaṇa — don't make affliction for us, the dīna. Now-you-take-all-the-bhoga (= the worship); don't-afflict-the-dīna (= us, the lowly-servants).
The wages-line: āpuliyā hātē dēsīla muśārā — Tukā mhaṇē kharā tō chi āmhām — by your own hand, you'll give wages — Tuka says — that is the true (wages) for us. Muśārā = wages. The true-wages come-from-your-own-hand — that's the only-real-payment for us.
The implicit-message: people's-worship belongs-to-the-Lord; the bhakta is honored only-because-of-the-Lord's-seal-on-him; the bhakta wants only-the-Lord's-direct-wages, not the people's-honor.
[T]
For someone today
For today: people worship — for this, why is the burden on me? — this account, you know, deva; who accepts a letter? — they bow to the seal — honor goes to the servant only by it; I existed in self-conception, among people, before — who gave anything then?; now you are the enjoyer of all, Nārāyaṇa — don't afflict us, the dīna; by your own hand, you'll give wages — Tuka says — that is our true (wages).
Where this applies
- When people praise or credit you for something and you know the real credit belongs elsewhere.
- When you're tempted to let others' admiration go to your head and forget what actually gave your work its value.
- When you feel weighed down by the expectations that come with being publicly honored or looked up to.
- When you want to measure your worth by something more real and lasting than public applause.