Abhanga 1879
When the world keeps handing you exactly what you don't want, ask God directly for release into solitude and renunciation, since that power is not fully yours.
The verse
नावडे जें चित्ती । तें चि होसी पुरविता ॥१॥ कां रे पुरविली पाठी । माझी केली जीवेसाटीं ॥ध्रु.॥ न करावा संग । वाटे दुरावावें जग ॥२॥ सेवावा एकांत । वाटे न बोलावी मात ॥३॥ जन धन तन । वाटे लेखावें वमन ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे सत्ता । हातीं तुझ्या पंढरिनाथा ॥५॥
Literal translation
What doesn't please the chitta — that's exactly what you fulfill. Why have you pursued me on the back — staked my jīva? No company should be made — I want to distance the world. Ekānta should be served — I want not to speak the matter. People, wealth, body — I want to count as vomit. Tuka says: the sattā is in your hand, Pandhari-nātha.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नावडे जें चित्ती | "what doesn't please the chitta" |
| तें चि होसी पुरविता | "that's exactly what you fulfill" |
| कां रे पुरविली पाठी | "why — have you pursued me — on the back" |
| माझी केली जीवेसाटीं | "staked my jīva" |
| न करावा संग | "no company should be made" |
| वाटे दुरावावें जग | "I want — to distance the world" |
| सेवावा एकांत | "ekānta should be served" |
| वाटे न बोलावी मात | "I want — not to speak the matter" |
| जन धन तन | "people, wealth, body" |
| वाटे लेखावें वमन | "I want to count — as vomit (vamana)" |
| तुका म्हणे सत्ता | "Tuka says — the sattā" |
| हातीं तुझ्या पंढरिनाथा | "is in your hand — Pandhari-nātha" |
What it means
Anti-sanga + ekānta-petition + jana-dhana-tana-as-vamana abhang. Part of the Śivājī-cluster (1877-1890).
The opening: nāvaḍē jē chittī — tē chi hōsī puravitā — what doesn't please the chitta — that's exactly what you fulfill. Sharp irony: the Lord-fulfills exactly-what-the-bhakta-doesn't-want (= the bhakta doesn't-want-royal-honors but the Lord-has-given them anyway).
The pursued-line: kām rē puravilī pāṭhī — mājhī kēlī jīvē-sāṭīm — why have you pursued me on the back — staked my jīva?. The bhakta's-jīva is being-staked-as-collateral against-the-bhakta's-will.
The triple-rejection: na karāvā sanga — vāṭē durāvāvē jaga (no company should be made — I want to distance the world); sēvāvā ēkānta — vāṭē na bōlāvī māta (ekānta should be served — I want not to speak the matter); jana dhana tana — vāṭē lēkhāvē vamana (people, wealth, body — I want to count as vomit). Three-fold renunciation-petition: no-sanga, ekānta, jana-dhana-tana-as-vamana.
Vamana = vomit (= the most-disgusting bodily-product). People, wealth, body — equate-them-with-vomit. Foundational rejection-of-the-three-pillars-of-worldly-life.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē sattā — hātīm tujhyā Pandhari-nāthā — Tuka says: the sattā is in your hand, Pandhari-nātha. The sovereign-power is in-your-hand — grant-me-this-renunciation.
This abhang directly-responds to the Śivājī-context: the bhakta-petitions-the-Lord to-grant-renunciation, not-the-royal-attentions-being-offered.
[T]
For someone today
For today: what doesn't please the chitta — that's exactly what you fulfill; why have you pursued me on the back — staked my jīva?; no company should be made — I want to distance the world; ekānta should be served — I don't want to speak the matter; people, wealth, body — I want to count as vomit; Tuka says — the sattā is in your hand, Pandhari-nātha.
Where this applies
- When you keep getting offered exactly the recognition or attention you don't actually want.
- When you crave solitude and quiet instead of company, conversation, and social obligation.
- When status, money, or even your own body start to feel like burdens you want to be rid of.
- When you realize the choice to let go isn't entirely up to you, and you have to ask for it.