Abhanga 2061
Having served completely and held nothing back, Tukaram feels he has earned the right to now openly ask God for what is owed to him.
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
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 sakaḷa — I 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 jagā — didn'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 chālatī — by 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 śakti — staff-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 muśārā — Tuka 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
- When you've given years of loyal service or care to someone and start wondering when you'll be repaid
- When you've held nothing back in protecting or caring for someone and feel it's fair to finally ask for something in return
- When you've put your whole strength, mind, and skill into a cause and want to know it mattered
- When you hesitate to ask for what you've earned because it feels presumptuous, even though you know you gave everything