संत साहित्य
Work in progress. Translations and commentary are AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies or hallucinations — please use your own judgement and check against the original sources.
संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2088 of 4582

Abhanga 2088

English: Nārāyaṇa gives the gift-of-favorites — standing with arms raised.

When you'd express Lord-gives-favorites + you-are-your-own-friend-or-foe — āvaḍīchē-dāna-Nārāyaṇa-bāhē-ubhārōni; jayāsī-ruchē-samōra-sarva-jña-udāra; ṭhāyīm-paḍiliyā-khāvē; bīja-pērūniyām-phaḷa-ḍōralīsa-kēḷa-na; Dēvā-bōla-na-tūm-śatru-sakhā

The verse

आवडीचें दान देतो नारायण । बाहे उभारोनि राहिलासे ॥१॥ जें जयासी रुचे तें करी समोर । सर्वज्ञ उदार मायबाप ॥ध्रु.॥ ठायीं पडिलिया तें चि लागे खावें । ठायींचे चि घ्यावें विचारूनि ॥२॥ बीज पेरूनियां तें चि घ्यावें फळ । डोरलीस केळ कैंचें लागे ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे देवा कांहीं बोल नाहीं । तुझा तूं चि पाहीं शत्रु सखा ॥४॥

Literal translation

English: Nārāyaṇa gives the gift-of-favorites — standing with arms raised. Whatever pleases whom — that he sets-before — the all-knowing, generous, māyabāpa. What falls in place, that must be eaten — take what's-in-place, considered. Sown seed bears that very fruit — the doralī cannot bear banana. Tuka says: no blame on Deva — yourself — be friend-or-foe-to-yourself.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
आवडीचें दान देतो नारायण "Nārāyaṇa gives the gift-of-favorites"
बाहे उभारोनि राहिलासे "standing with arms raised"
जें जयासी रुचे तें करी समोर "whatever pleases whom — that he sets-before"
सर्वज्ञ उदार मायबाप "the all-knowing, generous, māyabāpa"
ठायीं पडिलिया तें चि लागे खावें "what falls in place, that must be eaten"
ठायींचे चि घ्यावें विचारूनि "take what's-in-place — considered"
बीज पेरूनियां तें चि घ्यावें फळ "sown seed bears that very fruit"
डोरलीस केळ कैंचें लागे "the doralī cannot bear banana"
तुका म्हणे देवा कांहीं बोल नाहीं "Tuka says — no blame on Deva"
तुझा तूं चि पाहीं शत्रु सखा "yourself — be friend-or-foe-to-yourself"

What it means

Lord-gives-favorites + you-are-your-own-friend-or-foe abhang.

The opening — open-arms: āvaḍīchē dāna dētō Nārāyaṇa — bāhē ubhārōni rāhilāsēNārāyaṇa gives the gift-of-favorites — standing with arms raised. The Lord stands-with-arms-raised giving-the-gift-of-favorites (= what-each-jīva-wants).

The all-knowing māyabāpa: jē jayāsī ruchē tē karī samōra — sarva-jña udāra māyabāpawhatever pleases whom — that he sets before — the all-knowing, generous, māyabāpa. He places-before-each what-pleases-them.

The place-determined: ṭhāyīm paḍiliyā tē chi lāgē khāvē — ṭhāyīñchē chi ghyāvē vichārūniwhat falls in place, that must be eaten — take what's-in-place, considered. What's-allotted (ṭhāyīm paḍilē = fallen-into-place) must-be-eaten; take with-consideration.

The doralī-and-banana: bīja pērūniyām tē chi ghyāvē phaḷa — ḍōralīsa kēḷa kaiñchē lāgēsown seed bears that very fruit — the doralī cannot bear banana. Doralī = a wild-thorny-vine, no fruit. The seed-yields-its-own-fruit; you-can't-get-banana from-a-doralī. Karma-doctrine in farming-image.

The closing — self-responsibility: Tukā mhaṇē Dēvā kāhīm bōla nāhīm — tujhā tūm chi pāhīm śatru sakhāTuka says: no blame on Deva — yourself — be friend-or-foe-to-yourself. No-blame-on-Deva (the Lord can't be-blamed); you-are-your-own-friend-or-foe. The Bhagavad-Gītā's classic principle in Marathi rhyme.

[T]

For someone today

For today: Nārāyaṇa gives the gift-of-favorites — standing with arms raised; whatever pleases whom — that he sets before — the all-knowing, generous, māyabāpa; what falls in place, that must be eaten — take what's-in-place, considered; sown seed bears that very fruit — the doralī cannot bear banana; Tuka says — no blame on Deva — yourself — be friend-or-foe-to-yourself.

Where this applies

Related verses