Abhanga 2015
Tukaram calls out the pretense of calm stillness that hides self-interest, especially when real people are calling for help and being left to drown.
The verse
करितां वेरझारा । उभा न राहासी वेव्हारा ॥१॥ हे तों झोंडाईंचे चाळे । काय पोटीं तें न कळे ॥ध्रु.॥ आरगुणी मुग । बैसलासी जैसा बग ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे किती । बुडविलीं आळवितीं ॥३॥
Literal translation
We make rounds and rounds — you don't stand for the deal. These are vagrant's-antics — what's in your belly is unknown. Amid the dal-grains — you sit like a heron. Tuka says: how many you drowned — (those who) called.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| करितां वेरझारा | "we make rounds and rounds" |
| उभा न राहासी वेव्हारा | "you don't stand for the deal" |
| हे तों झोंडाईंचे चाळे | "these are vagrant's-antics" |
| काय पोटीं तें न कळे | "what's in (your) belly is unknown" |
| आरगुणी मुग | "amid the dal-grains" |
| बैसलासी जैसा बग | "you sit like a heron" |
| तुका म्हणे किती | "Tuka says — how many" |
| बुडविलीं आळवितीं | "you drowned (those who) called" |
What it means
Lord-as-vagrant-not-standing-for-deal + heron-among-dal-grains abhang.
The opening: karitām vēra-jhārā — ubhā na rāhāsī vēvhārā — we make rounds and rounds — you don't stand for the deal. Vēra-jhārā = trips back-and-forth, rounds. Vēvhāra = transaction, deal, business. We-keep-making-rounds; you-won't-stand-still for-the-deal. The Lord-as-elusive-counterparty.
The vagrant-charge: hē tōm jhōṇḍāīñchē chāḷē — kāya pōṭīm tē na kaḷē — these are vagrant's-antics — what's in your belly is unknown. Jhōṇḍāī = a wandering-vagrant, layabout. Chāḷē = antics, mannerisms. Bold-rebuke: you-act-like-a-vagrant; what's-in-your-belly we-can't-know.
THE HERON IMAGE: āraguṇī muga — baisalāsī jaisā baga — amid the dal-grains — you sit like a heron. Muga = mung-dal. Baga = heron / pretending-still-bird (the heron stands-still in-water pretending-not-to-fish). Marathi proverb-image: standing-still-among-dal-grains, like-a-heron = the pretender-saint who looks-pious but-is-actually-waiting-to-grab. Tukārām accuses the Lord (or perhaps the false bhakta): you sit-still-pretending, hiding-your-intent.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē kitī — buḍavilī āḷavitī — Tuka says: how many — you drowned (those who) called. How-many-callers (āḷavitī = those-who-cried-out-to-you) have-you-let-drown?. Strong-rebuke.
[T]
For someone today
For today: we make rounds and rounds — you don't stand for the deal; these are vagrant's-antics — what's in your belly is unknown; amid the dal-grains — you sit like a heron; Tuka says — how many you drowned (those who) called.
Where this applies
- When someone keeps promising to commit but always finds a way to avoid actually standing behind their word
- When you notice a person who looks calm and pious on the outside but seems to be waiting for their own advantage
- When people around you are crying out for help and the response keeps being delayed or withheld
- When you feel frustrated going back and forth with someone whose real intentions you can never quite read