Abhanga 1960
Devotion can be warm and honest about ordinary human wants, like eating the gift before singing, and listening fully before asking questions.
The verse
आलें तें आधीं खाईंन भातुकें । मग कवतुकें गाईंन ओव्या ॥१॥ सांगितला आधीं आइकों निरोप । होइल माझा बाप पुसें तों तें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे माझे सखे वारकरी । आले हे माहेरीहून आजि ॥३॥
Literal translation
What came — first I'll eat the bhātukē — then with delight I'll sing ovyās. First I'll listen to the message — I'll ask all about my father. Tuka says: my dear-companion Vārakarīs — they came from māhēra today.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आलें तें आधीं खाईंन भातुकें | "what came — first I'll eat the bhātukē" |
| मग कवतुकें गाईंन ओव्या | "then with delight I'll sing ovyās" |
| सांगितला आधीं आइकों निरोप | "first I'll listen to the message" |
| होइल माझा बाप पुसें तों तें | "I'll ask all about my father" |
| तुका म्हणे माझे सखे वारकरी | "Tuka says — my dear-companion Vārakarīs" |
| आले हे माहेरीहून आजि | "they came from māhēra today" |
What it means
First-the-bhātukē-then-the-ovī abhang.
The eager-priorities opening: ālē tē ādhīm khāīna bhātukē — maga kavatukē gā'īna ōvyā — what came — first I'll eat the bhātukē — then with delight I'll sing ovyās. Ovī = Marathi devotional-song-form, traditionally sung-while-grinding (= the women's-bhakti-form). The bhakta's-priorities: first-eat-the-bhātukē (the prasāda from-Pandhari), then-sing-the-ovyās (in praise). Eat-first, sing-second.
The listening-priority: sāngitalā ādhīm ā'ikōm niropa — hō'ila mājhā bāpa pusēm tōm tē — first I'll listen to the message — I'll ask all about my father. Bāpa = Viṭhṭhal-as-Father. First listen, then ask.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē mājhē sakhē Vārakarī — ālē hē māhērīhūna āji — Tuka says: my dear-companion Vārakarīs — came from māhēra today. The Vārakarīs came-from-māhēra today — māhērīhūna = from-māhēra.
[T]
For someone today
For today: what came — first I'll eat the bhātukē — then with delight I'll sing ovyās; first I'll listen to the message — I'll ask all about my father; Tuka says — my dear-companion Vārakarīs — came from māhēra today.
Where this applies
- When someone dear arrives with news and a small gift, and you cannot help wanting to open the gift first
- When you catch yourself wanting to listen fully to news before jumping in with your own questions
- When friends who share your faith or community feel as close and familiar as family from your childhood home
- When you notice devotion or love does not have to be formal, it can be eager, playful, and honest about small wants