संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2061 of 4582

Abhanga 2061

For today: I became doorkeeper — guarded all yours; didn't let it touch your body — I stood barring the world; by rule — I move according to your order; staff-and-stick in hand — for the price of my life; strength, intellect, strategy — all powers given to you; Tuka says — truly — now I'll take wages.

When you'd claim bhakta-as-Lord's-doorkeeper + now-take-wages — dvāra-pāḷa-rākhilē-sakaḷa; nāhīm-lāgōm-angā-āḍa-jagā; nītī-dilyāpramāṇē-chālatī; daṇḍa-kāṭhī-bhā-jivāchiyē; baḷa-buddhī-yukti-śakti; muśārā-ghē'īna

The verse

जालों द्वारपाळ । तुझें राखिलें सकळ ॥१॥ नाहीं लागों दिलें अंगा । आड ठाकलों मी जगा ॥ध्रु.॥ करूनियां नीती । दिल्याप्रमाणें चालती ॥२॥ हातीं दंड काठी । भा जिवाचिये साटीं ॥३॥ बळ बुद्धी युक्ति । तुज दिल्या सर्व शक्ति ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे खरा । आतां घेईंन मुशारा ॥५॥

Literal translation

English: I became doorkeeper — guarded all yours. Didn't let it touch (your) body — I stood barring the world. By rule — I move according to (your) order. Staff-and-stick in hand — for the price of (my) life. Strength, intellect, strategy — all powers given to you. Tuka says: truly — now I'll take wages.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
जालों द्वारपाळ "I became doorkeeper"
तुझें राखिलें सकळ "guarded all yours"
नाहीं लागों दिलें अंगा "didn't let it touch (your) body"
आड ठाकलों मी जगा "I stood barring the world"
करूनियां नीती "by rule"
दिल्याप्रमाणें चालती "(I) move according to (your) order"
हातीं दंड काठी "staff-and-stick in hand"
भा जिवाचिये साटीं "for the price of (my) life"
बळ बुद्धी युक्ति "strength, intellect, strategy"
तुज दिल्या सर्व शक्ति "all powers given to you"
तुका म्हणे खरा "Tuka says — truly"
आतां घेईंन मुशारा "now I'll take wages"

What it means

Bhakta-as-Lord's-doorkeeper + now-I'll-take-wages abhang.

The opening — bhakta as gatekeeper: jālōm dvāra-pāḷa — tujhē rākhilē sakaḷaI became doorkeeper — guarded all yours. Tukārām claims: I-have-been your-doorkeeper, guarding-all-of-your-things.

The protection: nāhīm lāgōm dilē angā — āḍa ṭhākalōm mī jagādidn't let it touch (your) body — I stood barring the world. I-stood-between-you-and-the-world; nothing-touched-your-body.

The rule-following: karūniyām nītī — dilyāpramāṇē chālatīby rule — I move according to (your) order. I-followed-your-orders strictly.

The service-with-stake: hātīm daṇḍa kāṭhī — bhā jivāchiyē sāṭīm — baḷa buddhī yukti — tuja dilyā sarva śaktistaff-and-stick in hand — for the price of (my) life — strength, intellect, strategy — all powers given to you. I-took-up-staff-and-stick (= the watchman's tools); gambled-my-life; gave-you all-strength-intellect-strategy.

The closing — wages-demand: Tukā mhaṇē kharā — ātām ghē'īna muśārāTuka says: truly — now I'll take wages. Muśārā = wages, salary. Now-it's-time to-collect-my-wages. The doorkeeper presents-his-bill.

[T]

For someone today

For today: I became doorkeeper — guarded all yours; didn't let it touch your body — I stood barring the world; by rule — I move according to your order; staff-and-stick in hand — for the price of my life; strength, intellect, strategy — all powers given to you; Tuka says — truly — now I'll take wages.

Where this applies

Related verses