संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1915 of 4582

Abhanga 1915

Tukaram gently complains that no matter how much is offered, God is never satisfied and never finds a moment's leisure to pause.

When you've given generously to someone and still feel like it was never quite enough for them to notice.

When you're waiting on someone who always seems too busy to give you their full attention.

When you want to voice, half in humor, how tiring it is to love someone who never seems to rest.

The verse

मविलें मविती । नेणों रासी पडिल्या किती ॥१॥ परि तूं धाला चि न धासी । आलें उभाउभीं घेसी ॥ध्रु.॥ अवघ्यां अवघा काळ । वाटा पाहाती सकळ ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे नाहीं । अराणूक तुज कांहीं ॥३॥

Literal translation

Measured and measured — don't know how many heaps fell. But you, sated, are not sated — taking even what comes standing. All-at-all-time — all watch the path. Tuka says: no leisure for you, anything.

Word-by-word gloss

Marathi	Meaning
मविलें मविती	"measured and measured"
नेणों रासी पडिल्या किती	"don't know how many heaps fell"
परि तूं धाला चि न धासी	"but you, sated, are-not-sated"
आलें उभाउभीं घेसी	"taking even what comes-standing"
अवघ्यां अवघा काळ	"all-at-all-time"
वाटा पाहाती सकळ	"all watch the path"
तुका म्हणे नाहीं	"Tuka says — no"
अराणूक तुज कांहीं	"leisure for you, anything"

What it means

Lord-never-sated-no-leisure abhang. Letter-sent-with-saints cluster.

The opening-image: mavilē mavitī — nēṇōm rāsi paḍilyā kitī — measured and measured — don't know how many heaps fell. Endless-bhakti-offerings have-been-measured-out, heap-after-heap.

The not-sated line: parī tūm dhālā chi na dhāsī — ālē ubhā-ubhī ghēsī — but you, sated, are not sated — taking even what comes standing. Dhālā = sated; ubhā-ubhī = standing-up, on-the-spot. The Lord-takes-even-the-on-the-spot-offerings, never-saying-enough.

The all-watching: avaghyām avaghā kāḷa — vāṭā pāhātī sakaḷa — all-at-all-time — all watch the path. All-bhaktas-at-all-times watch-the-path-(for-the-Lord).

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē nāhīm — arāṇūka tuja kāhīm — Tuka says: no leisure for you, anything. Arāṇūka = leisure, ease. The Lord-has-no-leisure (= too-busy-receiving-offerings).

This abhang gently teases the Lord for being-overworked-with-receiving-bhakti — the Lord can't-find-leisure even-to-respond-to-Tuka's-letter.

[T]

For someone today

For today: offerings have been measured out again and again — we've lost count of how many heaps have piled up. But you, though full, never seem satisfied — you keep taking whatever comes, even on the spot. Everyone, at every moment, keeps watching the path for you. Tuka says: you never seem to find a moment's rest.

मराठी: आजसाठी: वारंवार मोजून मोजून अर्पण केले आहे — किती रास साचली हेही आता कळत नाही. पण तू, पोट भरलेला असूनही, कधीच तृप्त होत नाहीस — जे समोर येईल ते उभ्या उभ्याच घेतोस. सगळेजण, सतत, तुझी वाट पाहत बसलेले असतात. तुका म्हणतो: तुला विश्रांतीचा एक क्षणही मिळत नाही.

Where this applies

When you keep giving your time and effort to someone who never seems to pause and notice.
When you feel like no matter how much you offer, it's never quite enough to get a response.
When you're waiting, along with everyone else, for someone important to finally show up.
When you want to gently call out that the person you care for never seems to rest or slow down for you.