Abhanga 1896
Real care comes from quiet, loving attentiveness that reads another's need from the heart, not from polished words or polite formality.
The verse
तोंडें बोलावें तें तरी वाटे खरें । जीव येरेयेरें वंचिजे ना ॥१॥ हें तुम्हां सांगणें काय उगवूनि । जावें समजोनि पांडुरंगा ॥ध्रु.॥ जेवित्याची खूण वाढित्या अंतरीं । प्रीतीनें हे धरी चाली तेथें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे बहु परीचे आदर । अत्यंत वेव्हारसंपादणी ॥३॥
Literal translation
What is said with mouth — may seem true — but the jīva is being cheated again-and-again. What to tell you, untwisting — go after understanding, Pāṇḍuranga. The eater's sign — (is known) by the server's interior — by prīti, this conduct holds. Tuka says: many ways of honor — extreme business-completion.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तोंडें बोलावें तें तरी वाटे खरें | "what is said with mouth — may seem true" |
| जीव येरेयेरें वंचिजे ना | "but the jīva is being cheated again-and-again" |
| हें तुम्हां सांगणें काय उगवूनि | "what to tell you, untwisting" |
| जावें समजोनि पांडुरंगा | "go, after understanding — Pāṇḍuranga" |
| जेवित्याची खूण वाढित्या अंतरीं | "the eater's sign — (is known) by the server's interior" |
| प्रीतीनें हे धरी चाली तेथें | "by prīti, this conduct holds" |
| तुका म्हणे बहु परीचे आदर | "Tuka says — many ways of honor" |
| अत्यंत वेव्हारसंपादणी | "extreme business-completion (vēvhāra-sampādaṇī)" |
What it means
Server-knows-eater-by-prīti abhang.
The opening: tōṇḍē bōlāvē tē tarī vāṭē kharē — jīva yērē-yērē vañcijē nā — what is said with mouth may seem true — but the jīva is being cheated again-and-again. External-words-may-be-true; but-internal-jīva-can-still-be-cheated.
The petition: hē tumhām sāngaṇē kāya ugavūni — jāvē samajōni Pāṇḍurangā — what to tell you, untwisting — go after understanding, Pāṇḍuranga. Don't make me untangle-this-explicitly; understand-it-on-your-own.
The eater-server line: jēvityācī khūṇa vāḍhityā antarī — prītīnē hē dharī cālī tēthē — the eater's sign is (known) by the server's interior — by prīti, this conduct holds. Jēvitā = eater; vāḍhitā = server (of food); khūṇa = sign. The server-of-food-knows-the-eater's-state-of-hunger by-his-own-internal-prīti for-the-eater. The server-loves-the-eater so-much that-he-knows-by-prīti when-the-eater-is-hungry/satisfied/etc. (= the bhakta is the server, the Lord is the eater; the bhakta's-prīti tells-him about-the-Lord's-state).
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē bahu parīcē ādara — atyanta vēvhāra-sampādaṇī — Tuka says: many ways of honor — extreme business-completion. Vēvhāra-sampādaṇī = completion-of-business / settlement-of-deal. Many-ways-of-honor are merely-external-business-completion (= not the same as inner-prīti-knowing).
The implicit-message: don't-deal-with-me through-mouth-words or-honors; deal-through-prīti, like-the-server-knowing-the-eater.
[T]
For someone today
For today: what is said with mouth — may seem true — but the jīva is being cheated again-and-again; what to tell you, untwisting — go after understanding, Pāṇḍuranga; the eater's sign is known by the server's interior — by prīti, this conduct holds; Tuka says — many ways of honor — extreme business-completion.
Where this applies
- When someone's words sound sincere but you can sense something in you still isn't being truly heard
- When you wish a person close to you would just understand your need without you having to explain it
- When you notice how a person who truly loves you can tell exactly what you need without being told
- When you realize polite formalities and gestures of respect are no substitute for genuine, attentive care