Abhanga 1869
For today: now Cakra-dhara — don't dishonor us in haste; after being called yours — whatever we are, then Hari; if kāḷa eats us — then your name goes (down); Tuka says — deva — now bring the wager to siddhi.
The verse
आतां चक्रधरा । झणी आम्हांस अव्हेरा ॥१॥ तुमचीं म्हणविल्यावरी । जैसीं तैसीं तरी हरी ॥ध्रु.॥ काळ आम्हां खाय । तरी तुझें नांव जाय ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे देवा । आतां पण सिद्धी न्यावा ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: Now Cakra-dhara — don't dishonor us in haste. After being called yours — whatever we are, then Hari. If kāḷa eats us — then your name goes (down). Tuka says: deva — now bring the wager to siddhi.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आतां चक्रधरा | "now Cakra-dhara" |
| झणी आम्हांस अव्हेरा | "don't dishonor us (avhērā) — in haste (jhaṇī)" |
| तुमचीं म्हणविल्यावरी | "after being called yours" |
| जैसीं तैसीं तरी हरी | "whatever we are, then Hari" |
| काळ आम्हां खाय | "if kāḷa eats us" |
| तरी तुझें नांव जाय | "then your name goes (down)" |
| तुका म्हणे देवा | "Tuka says — deva" |
| आतां पण सिद्धी न्यावा | "now — bring — the wager (paṇa) to siddhi" |
What it means
If-we-fall-your-name-falls + bring-wager-to-siddhi abhang.
The opening: ātām Cakra-dharā — jhaṇī āmhāmsa avhērā — now Cakra-dhara — don't dishonor us in haste. Cakra-dhara = the bearer-of-the-cakra (= Viṣṇu / Kṛṣṇa); jhaṇī = in-haste; avhērā = insult, dishonor. Don't-cast-us-aside hastily.
The mhaṇavilyāvarī-line: tumacīm mhaṇavilyāvarī — jaisīm taisīm tarī Hari — after being called yours — whatever we are, then Hari. Once we have been-named-yours, we belong-to-you-as-we-are.
The leverage-line: kāḷa āmhām khāya — tarī tujhē nāva jāya — if kāḷa eats us — then your name goes (down). Brilliant pressure-tactic: if I-fall to-kāḷa, your-reputation-as-savior falls-with-me. (= the bhakta's-fate is leveraged on the Lord's-public-reputation.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē devā — ātām paṇa siddhī nyāvā — Tuka says: deva — now bring the wager to siddhi. Paṇa = wager, contest; siddhī = successful conclusion. Bring-this-wager (= our bhakti-relationship) to-its-successful-conclusion.
This abhang invokes the legal-leverage of shared-reputation — the Lord-must-save the bhakta because-the-Lord's-reputation is-on-the-line. Pairs with abhang 1788's bhakta-Lord legal-contest register.
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For someone today
For today: now Cakra-dhara — don't dishonor us in haste; after being called yours — whatever we are, then Hari; if kāḷa eats us — then your name goes (down); Tuka says — deva — now bring the wager to siddhi.
Where this applies
- Cakra-dhara-don't-dishonor-in-haste.* Cakra-dhara-jhaṇī-avhērā-na.
- Called-yours-whatever-we-are-then-Hari.* Tumacī-mhaṇavilyāvarī-jaisīm-taisīm.
- If-kāḷa-eats-us-your-name-falls.* Kāḷa-khāya-nāva-jāya.
- Bring-wager-to-siddhi-now.* Paṇa-siddhī-nyāvā.