Abhanga 2011
For today: whatever surfaces — should be reported at your feet; we should do contemplation — your Nāma-sankīrtana; at meal-time, meal — we'll ask having made appeal; Tuka says — the burden on your head, Paṇḍhari-nātha.
The verse
उमटे तें ठायीं । तुझे निरोपावें पायीं ॥१॥ आम्हीं करावें चिंतन । तुझें नामसंकीर्तन ॥ध्रु.॥ भोजन भोजनाच्या काळीं । मागों करूनियां आळी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे माथां । भार तुझ्या पंढरिनाथा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Whatever surfaces in place — should be reported at your feet. We should do contemplation — your Nāma-sankīrtana. At meal-time, meal — we'll ask having made appeal. Tuka says: the burden on your head, Paṇḍhari-nātha.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| उमटे तें ठायीं | "whatever surfaces in place" |
| तुझे निरोपावें पायीं | "should be reported at your feet" |
| आम्हीं करावें चिंतन | "we should do contemplation" |
| तुझें नामसंकीर्तन | "your Nāma-sankīrtana" |
| भोजन भोजनाच्या काळीं | "at meal-time, meal" |
| मागों करूनियां आळी | "we'll ask, having made appeal" |
| तुका म्हणे माथां | "Tuka says — the burden on (your) head" |
| भार तुझ्या पंढरिनाथा | "Paṇḍhari-nātha" |
What it means
Whatever-surfaces-report-at-feet + burden-on-Paṇḍhari-nātha's-head abhang.
The opening: umaṭē tē ṭhāyī — tujhē niropāvē pāyīm — whatever surfaces in place — should be reported at your feet. Anything-that-comes-up-in-life — report-at-your-feet (= take everything to-the-Lord).
The bhakta's-task: āmhī karāvē chintana — tujhē Nāma-sankīrtana — we should do contemplation — your Nāma-sankīrtana. The bhakta's-task is-only chintana and-Nāma-sankīrtana.
The meal-time: bhōjana bhōjanāchyā kāḷīm — māgōm karūniyām āḷī — at meal-time, meal — we'll ask having made appeal. At meal-time, we'll ask-for-meal — by-appealing (= child-like asking-the-Lord at appropriate-times).
The closing — burden-transfer: Tukā mhaṇē māthām — bhāra tujhyā Paṇḍhari-nāthā — Tuka says: the burden on your head, Paṇḍhari-nātha. The burden (of-our-samsāra) is-on-YOUR head, Paṇḍhari-nātha. A classic bhakta-surrender statement — the Lord carries-the-burden.
[T]
For someone today
For today: whatever surfaces — should be reported at your feet; we should do contemplation — your Nāma-sankīrtana; at meal-time, meal — we'll ask having made appeal; Tuka says — the burden on your head, Paṇḍhari-nātha.
Where this applies
- When something difficult happens and you do not know what to do with it except bring it honestly to prayer
- When you feel that your only real task each day is quiet reflection rather than constant striving
- When you hesitate to ask for something simple you need, like a child unsure whether to ask a parent
- When you are exhausted from carrying a worry alone and need to consciously hand it over