Abhanga 1886
For today: we are happy just by saying Viṭhṭhal, Viṭhṭhal with our lips. Your wealth and riches, all the rest of it — to me it's no more than dirt. Wear the tulasī beads around your neck, keep the ekādaśī fast. Let people call me Hari's servant — Tuka says: that is the only thing I hope for.
The verse
आम्ही तेणें सुखी । म्हणा विठ्ठल विठ्ठल मुखीं ॥१॥ तुमचें येर वत्ति धन । तें मज मृत्तिकेसमान ॥ध्रु.॥ कंटीं मिरवा तुळसी । व्रत करा एकादशी ॥२॥ म्हणवा हरिचे दास । तुका म्हणे मज हे आस ॥३॥ ॥९॥
Literal translation
We are happy thereby — say Viṭhṭhal-Viṭhṭhal with mouth. Your other wealth-and-money — to me, equal to dirt. Wear tulasī on the neck — observe ekādaśī vrata. Let-them-be-called Hari's dāsa — Tuka says — this is my hope.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आम्ही तेणें सुखी | "we are happy thereby" |
| म्हणा विठ्ठल विठ्ठल मुखीं | "say Viṭhṭhal Viṭhṭhal — with mouth" |
| तुमचें येर वत्ति धन | "your other wealth-and-money" |
| तें मज मृत्तिकेसमान | "to me, equal to dirt (mṛttikā)" |
| कंटीं मिरवा तुळसी | "wear tulasī — on the neck" |
| व्रत करा एकादशी | "observe — ekādaśī vrata" |
| म्हणवा हरिचे दास | "let-them-be-called — Hari's dāsa" |
| तुका म्हणे मज हे आस | "Tuka says — this is my hope" |
What it means
Viṭhṭhal-Name-is-enough + your-wealth-equals-dirt + Vārkarī-marks abhang. Part of Śivājī-cluster (1877-1890). The closing-marker ॥९॥ may indicate this is the 9th of a sub-section within the cluster.
The opening: āmhī tēṇē sukhī — mhaṇā Viṭhṭhala Viṭhṭhala mukhī — we are happy thereby — say Viṭhṭhal-Viṭhṭhal with mouth. The bhakta's-happiness is entirely-from saying-the-Name (= no-other-source-of-happiness needed).
The wealth-rejection line: tumacē yēra vitta dhana — tē maja mṛttikē-samāna — your other wealth-and-money — to me, equal to dirt. Yēra = other; mṛttikē-samāna = equal-to-dirt / clay. The royal-wealth equals-ordinary-dirt for-the-bhakta (= no-special-value).
The Vārkarī-marks line: kaṇṭhī miravā tuḷasī — vrata karā ēkādaśī — wear tulasī on the neck — observe ekādaśī vrata. The two essential-Vārkarī-marks: tuḷasī-mālā around-the-neck + ekādaśī-fast on-the-eleventh-day-of-the-fortnight. These are all I want.
The closing: mhaṇavā Haricē dāsa — Tukā mhaṇē maja hē āsa — let-them-be-called Hari's dāsa — Tuka says — this is my hope. The only-honor I-want — to-be-called-Hari's-dāsa. (= not Śivājī's royal-honor; Hari's-dāsa-status is the only-title.)
In the Śivājī-context: Tuka rejects the royal-honors (vitta-dhana = dirt) and-instead asks-for-the-bhakta-marks (tulasī, ekādaśī, Hari-dāsa-name) as the only-honor-he-wants. Foundational Vārkarī-identity-statement.
[T]
For someone today
For today: we are happy just by saying Viṭhṭhal, Viṭhṭhal with our lips. Your wealth and riches, all the rest of it — to me it's no more than dirt. Wear the tulasī beads around your neck, keep the ekādaśī fast. Let people call me Hari's servant — Tuka says: that is the only thing I hope for.
मराठी: आजसाठी: विठ्ठल विठ्ठल असे मुखाने म्हणतच आम्ही सुखी आहोत. तुझी बाकीची संपत्ती आणि धन — ते मला मातीसमान आहे. गळ्यात तुळशीची माळ घाल, एकादशीचे व्रत कर. मला हरीचा दास म्हणवून घ्या — तुका म्हणतो: एवढीच माझी आस आहे.
Where this applies
- When you're offered money or status and wonder if it will actually make you happy
- When you feel pressure to want bigger titles or rewards than the simple practice you already love
- When you want to remember what genuinely brings you contentment instead of chasing more
- When you're choosing between an impressive honor and a quiet, faithful identity