Abhanga 1963
Tuka strikes a bargain with his own mind: if it keeps repeating the Name daily, joyful acts like touching saints' feet, singing, and dancing will wash the inner dirt away.
The verse
मना एक करीं । म्हणे जाईंन पंढरी । उभा विटेवरी । तो पाहेन सांवळा ॥१॥ करीन सांगती तें काम । जरी जपसी हें नाम । नित्य वाचे राम । हरि कृष्ण गोविंदा ॥ध्रु.॥ लागें संतांचिया पायां । कथे उल्हास गावया । आलों मागावया । शरण देई उचित ॥२॥ नाचें रंगीं वाहें टाळी । होय सादर ते काळीं । तुका म्हणे मळी । सांडूनियां अंतरी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Mind, do one thing — say I'll go to Pandhari — see the dark one standing on the brick. I'll do the work he tells — if you japa this Name — daily on tongue Rāma — Hari Kṛṣṇa Gōvinda. Touch saints' feet — enthusiasm in kīrtana — for singing — I came to ask — grant proper refuge. Dance in rang — clap-flow tāḷī — be attentive at that time — Tuka says: cast off the dirt — from within.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| मना एक करीं | "mind, do one thing" |
| म्हणे जाईंन पंढरी | "say I'll go to Pandhari" |
| उभा विटेवरी | "standing on the brick" |
| तो पाहेन सांवळा | "the dark one — I will see" |
| करीन सांगती तें काम | "I'll do the work he tells" |
| जरी जपसी हें नाम | "if you'll japa this Name" |
| नित्य वाचे राम | "daily on tongue Rāma" |
| हरि कृष्ण गोविंदा | "Hari Kṛṣṇa Gōvinda" |
| लागें संतांचिया पायां | "touch saints' feet" |
| कथे उल्हास गावया | "enthusiasm in kīrtana — for singing" |
| आलों मागावया | "I came to ask" |
| शरण देई उचित | "grant proper refuge" |
| नाचें रंगीं वाहें टाळी | "dance in rang — clap-flow tāḷī" |
| होय सादार ते काळीं | "be attentive at that time" |
| तुका म्हणे मळी | "Tuka says — cast off the dirt" |
| सांडूनियां अंतरी | "from within" |
What it means
Mind-do-one-thing-go-to-Pandhari abhang. OPENS NEW SUPER-CLUSTER — the manā-ēka-karī (mind-do-one-thing) advice-cluster begins here, after the closing of the 66-abhang letter-narrative at 1962.
The opening — manā ēka karī — mhaṇē jāīna Pandharī — ubhā Viṭēvarī — tō pāhēna sānvaḷā: mind, do one thing — say I'll go to Pandhari — see the dark one standing on the brick. The bhakta-counsels-his-own-mind: do-one-thing — go-to-Pandhari — see-the-Sānvaḷā-on-the-Viṭā (= the dark-one (Viṭhṭhal) standing-on-the-brick (the iconic-image of-Pandhari)).
The bargain: karīna sāngatī tē kāma — jarī japasī hē nāma — I'll do the work he tells, if you'll japa this Name. Bargain with-the-mind: if-you-japa-the-Name, I'll-do-his-work.
The actions: lāgēm santāmciyā pāyām — kathē ulhāsa gāvayā — touch saints' feet — enthusiasm in kīrtana for singing. Praxis: touch-feet, sing-in-kīrtana-with-enthusiasm.
The closing — the dance-and-cleansing: nāchēm rangīm vāhēm ṭāḷī — hōya sādara tē kāḷīm — Tukā mhaṇē maḷī — sāṇḍūniyām antarī — dance in rang, clap-flow tāḷī, be attentive at-that-time — Tuka says: cast off the dirt from within. Dance, clap, be-attentive — and-the-inner-dirt-(maḷī)-falls-off.
This is a long-line format abhang — different rhythm from the previous shorter-format welcoming-cluster.
[T]
For someone today
For today: mind, do one thing — say I'll go to Pandhari — see the dark one on the brick; I'll do the work he tells if you japa this Name — daily on tongue Rāma Hari Kṛṣṇa Gōvinda; touch saints' feet — enthusiasm in kīrtana — I came to ask refuge; dance in rang, clap-flow tāḷī, be attentive — Tuka says — cast off the dirt from within.
Where this applies
- When your mind is scattered and you need one simple anchor to keep returning to
- When you're negotiating with yourself to build a daily habit like prayer or reflection
- When you feel weighed down and need joyful, physical expression like music or dance to release it
- When you want to approach an elder or community with genuine enthusiasm rather than obligation