Abhanga 1945

Treat anyone who connects you to what you love as precious themselves, welcoming their news eagerly and never tiring of hearing it.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Vārkarī-saints-themselves-as-māhēra abhang.

The foundational opening: māhēriñcē ālē tē maja māhēra — sukhācē uttara karina tyāsī — what comes from māhēra is māhēra to me — I'll speak sweet-words to them. One of the most-tender bhakta-saint identifications: the saints-coming-from-Pandhari ARE-themselves Pandhari/māhēra for-me. (= the messenger is the message; the saints carrying-news from-the-Lord are themselves the Lord.)

The greeting-rituals: pāyāmvarī māthā āḷingīna bāhīm — ghē'īna lavalāhīm pāyavaṇī — head-on-feet, embrace arms — swiftly receive pāya-vaṇi. Pāya-vaṇi = foot-washing-water (which the bhakta-then-drinks-as-tīrtha). Full pranāma + embrace + pāya-tīrtha.

The questioning: sukha samācāra pusēna sakaḷa — kaisā parva-kāḷa āhē tyāsa — ask all sukha-news — how is parva-kāḷa for him?. Ask-everything, including-cosmic-events.

The reciprocal-telling: āpulē jīvīñcē sukha-duḥkha bhāvē — sāngēna avaghē āhē taisē — my jīva's sukha-duḥkha with bhāva — tell all-as-it-is.

The closing-no-boredom: Tukā mhaṇē vīṭa nēghē āvaḍīcā — bōlilī chi vācā bōlavīna — Tuka says: no boredom of the love — I'll make the spoken-speech speak again. No-boredom; I'll-have-them-tell-the-story-again-and-again.

This is the most-tender abhang in the Vārkarī-arrival sub-cluster — the saints-themselves are māhēra.

[T]

For someone today

For today: whoever comes from my true home becomes my home to me — I'll greet them with warm, sweet words. I'll bow my head to their feet, embrace them with open arms, and eagerly take the water that has washed their feet. I'll ask after every bit of good news — how are things there, how was the festival season for them? I'll share my own heart's joys and sorrows honestly, telling them everything just as it is. Tuka says: love like this never grows tiresome — I'll keep asking them to tell the story again.

मराठी: आजसाठी: माझ्या माहेरून जो कोणी येतो, तोच माझ्यासाठी माहेर होतो — मी त्याच्याशी गोड शब्दांत बोलेन. मी त्याच्या पायांवर मस्तक ठेवीन, बाहूंनी आलिंगन देईन, आणि त्याच्या पायांचे तीर्थ आतुरतेने घेईन. मी सगळी सुखाची खबरबात विचारेन — तिकडे कसे आहे, पर्वकाळ कसा गेला? मी माझ्या मनातले सुखदुःख मनापासून सांगेन, जसे आहे तसे सगळे सांगेन. तुका म्हणतो: अशा प्रेमाचा कधीच कंटाळा येत नाही — मी पुन्हा पुन्हा तीच गोष्ट सांगायला लावेन.

Where this applies

• When a friend brings news or a message from someone you deeply miss, and you welcome them with real warmth
• When you find yourself asking every possible question about someone you love, wanting to know everything
• When you open up honestly about your own joys and sorrows to someone who understands
• When you never tire of hearing the same cherished story or memory told again and again

Related verses

• Abhanga 2464 — For today: Pāṇḍuranga is sukha-rūpa ; no wandering, no shaving, no sādhana-pressure ; Chan
• Abhanga 2494 — Living in devotion turns an ordinary day into a festival and removes the fear of birth and
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center