Abhanga 1901
For today: no patience — let me send a message — if anger comes, let it come gladly; if angry, will give a reply, turning around as it is; if not — what one child? — for me, there is no other māhēra; Tuka says — there is hita in him — (I) shouldn't stay quiet.
The verse
नव्हे धीर कांहीं पाठवूं निरोप । आला तरीं कोप येऊ सुखें ॥१॥ कोपोनियां तरी देईंल उत्तर । जैसें तैसें पर फिरावूनि ॥ध्रु.॥ नाहीं तया तरी काय एक पोर । मज तों माहेर आणीक नाहीं ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे असे तयामध्यें हित । आपण निवांत असों नये ॥३॥
Literal translation
No patience — let me send a message — if anger comes, let it come gladly. If angry — will give a reply — as it is, after turning around. If not — what one child? — for me, there is no other māhēra. Tuka says: there is hita in him — (I) shouldn't stay quiet myself.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नव्हे धीर कांहीं पाठवूं निरोप | "no patience — let me send a message" |
| आला तरीं कोप येऊ सुखें | "if anger comes — let it come gladly" |
| कोपोनियां तरी देईंल उत्तर | "if angry — will give a reply" |
| जैसें तैसें पर फिरावूनि | "as it is — after turning around" |
| नाहीं तया तरी काय एक पोर | "if not — what one child" |
| मज तों माहेर आणीक नाहीं | "for me — there is no other māhēra" |
| तुका म्हणे असे तयामध्यें हित | "Tuka says — there is hita in him" |
| आपण निवांत असों नये | "(I) shouldn't stay quiet myself" |
What it means
Send-the-message-even-if-it-provokes-anger abhang. Letter-sent-with-saints cluster. The bhakta's-decision to actually-send the letter.
The opening: navhē dhīra kāhīm pāṭhavūm niropa — ālā tarī kōpa yē'ū sukhē — no patience — let me send a message — if anger comes, let it come gladly. Decision-to-act: I-can-no-longer-stay-patient; let-me-send-the-message; even-if-anger-results, it's-fine.
The angry-reply: kōpōniyām tarī dē'īla uttara — jaisē taisē para phirāvūni — if angry, will give a reply — as it is, after turning around. Even-an-angry-reply is-better-than-no-reply (= the bhakta wants response in any form).
The māhēra-line: nāhīm tayā tarī kāya ēka pōra — maja tōm māhēra āṇīka nāhīm — if not — what one child? — for me, there is no other māhēra. Pōra = child; māhēra = natal-home. Even-if-the-Lord-disowns-me — what's-one-child? — but-I-have-no-other-māhēra. (= the Lord-can-disown-me, but-the-bhakta-has-no-second-home.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē asē tayāmadhyē hita — āpaṇa nivānta asōm nayē — Tuka says: there is hita in him — (I) shouldn't stay quiet. The bhakta's-good-is-in-the-Lord; therefore can't-stay-silent.
This is the fourth letter-fragment — the actual-decision to-send-the-letter.
[T]
For someone today
For today: no patience — let me send a message — if anger comes, let it come gladly; if angry, will give a reply, turning around as it is; if not — what one child? — for me, there is no other māhēra; Tuka says — there is hita in him — (I) shouldn't stay quiet.
Where this applies
- When you'd rather risk an argument than keep living with unbearable silence
- When you realize even an angry response from someone would feel better than being ignored
- When you feel pushed away but know you have nowhere else that feels like home
- When you decide you can't stay passive because your own wellbeing depends on this relationship