Abhanga 1894
If you have welcomed someone into your village, do not turn aloof toward them, and a devoted servant should not be cut off from care.
The verse
ज्याचे गांवीं केला वास । त्यासी नसावें उदास॥१॥ तरी च जोडिलें तें भोगे । कांहीं आघात न लगे ॥ध्रु.॥ वाढवावी थोरी । मुखें म्हणे तुझे हरी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे हे गोमटी । दासा न घलावी तुटी ॥३॥
Literal translation
In whose village (one) has settled — should not be aloof to him. Only then — what is gained gets enjoyed — no harm comes. The greatness should be expanded — with mouth — saying yours, Hari. Tuka says: this is fitting — don't put a cut on the dāsa.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ज्याचे गांवीं केला वास | "in whose village (one) has settled" |
| त्यासी नसावें उदास | "should not be aloof to him" |
| तरी च जोडिलें तें भोगे | "only then — what is gained gets enjoyed" |
| कांहीं आघात न लगे | "no harm comes" |
| वाढवावी थोरी | "the greatness should be expanded" |
| मुखें म्हणे तुझे हरी | "with mouth — saying yours, Hari" |
| तुका म्हणे हे गोमटी | "Tuka says — this is fitting (gōmaṭī)" |
| दासा न घलावी तुटी | "don't put a cut on the dāsa" |
What it means
Don't-be-aloof-to-the-bhakta-in-your-village abhang.
The opening-principle: jyāce gāmvī kēlā vāsa — tyāsī nasāvē udāsa — in whose village one has settled — should not be aloof to him. The classical-village-ethics: the village-host shouldn't-be-aloof to-the-resident. Applied-to-Lord: Lord, you-have-let-me-settle-in-your-village (= the bhakti-village); now-don't-be-aloof to-me. (Echoes 1876's ēkē gāmvīñcī vasatī.)
The harm-line: tarī chi jōḍilē tē bhōgē — kāhīm āghāta na lagē — only then — what is gained gets enjoyed — no harm comes. Only-when-the-host-isn't-aloof, do-the-resident's-gains-get-enjoyed without-harm.
The praise-expansion: vāḍhavāvī thōrī — mukhē mhaṇē tujhē Hari — the greatness should be expanded — with mouth — saying yours, Hari. The bhakta-expands-the-Lord's-greatness through-mouth-recitation; this-itself-is-the-payment to-the-Lord-host.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē hē gōmaṭī — dāsā na ghalāvī tuṭī — Tuka says: this is fitting — don't put a cut on the dāsa. Gōmaṭī = fitting, becoming; tuṭī = cut, severance. It's-fitting-and-proper — don't-put-a-cut-on-the-dāsa.
[T]
For someone today
For today: in whose village (one) has settled — should not be aloof to him; only then — what is gained gets enjoyed — no harm comes; the greatness should be expanded — with mouth, saying yours, Hari; Tuka says — this is fitting — don't put a cut on the dāsa.
Where this applies
- When someone has settled into your community and you're tempted to keep them at arm's length
- When you feel unsafe or unsupported despite having genuinely tried to belong somewhere
- When you keep praising and honoring someone in good faith and hope they won't abandon you in return
- When you wonder whether your devotion or loyalty will actually be rewarded with care rather than neglect