Abhanga 2155
For today: how long does the paint-color last — body is brass, if-not-noticed; my chitta-secret is right beside me — yet I haven't met you like this; dāsī's-son has no place-for-father — all empty, his disguise; Tuka says — my disgrace happened — people will come to know by anubhava.
The verse
बेगडाचा रंग राहे कोण काळ । अंगें हें पितळ न देखतां ॥१॥ माझें चित्ती मज जवळीच गो ही । तुझी मज नाहीं भेटी ऐसें ॥ध्रु.॥ दासीसुतां नाहीं पितियाचा ठाव । अवघें चि वाव सोंग त्याचें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे माझी केली विटंबना । अनुभवें जना येईंल कळों ॥३॥
Literal translation
How long does the paint-color last — body is brass, if-not-noticed. My chitta-secret is right beside me — yet I haven't met you like this. Dāsī's-son has no place-for-father — all empty, his disguise. Tuka says: my disgrace happened — people will come to know by anubhava.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| बेगडाचा रंग राहे कोण काळ | "how long does the paint-color last" |
| अंगें हें पितळ न देखतां | "body is brass — if-not-noticed" |
| माझें चित्ती मज जवळीच गो ही | "my chitta-secret is right beside me" |
| तुझी मज नाहीं भेटी ऐसें | "yet I haven't met you like this" |
| दासीसुतां नाहीं पितियाचा ठाव | "dāsī's-son has no place-for-father" |
| अवघें चि वाव सोंग त्याचें | "all empty — his disguise" |
| तुका म्हणे माझी केली विटंबना | "Tuka says — my disgrace happened" |
| अनुभवें जना येईंल कळों | "people will come to know by anubhava" |
What it means
Paint-fades-brass-underneath + dāsī's-son-no-father's-place abhang.
The opening — paint-and-brass: bēgaḍāchā ranga rāhē kōṇa kāḷa — angē hē pitaḷa na dēkhatām — how long does the paint-color last — body is brass, if-not-noticed. Bēgaḍa = gilt, ornamental paint. Pitaḷa = brass. The paint-on-the-ornament fades; the brass-underneath is-then-visible. Outward-show fades; true-substance shows-through.
The longing-yet-unmet: mājhē chittī maja javaḷī cha gō hī — tujhī maja nāhīm bhēṭī aisē — my chitta-secret is right beside me — yet I haven't met you like this. The chitta-secret is near, but the meeting hasn't-yet-happened.
The dāsī's-son image: dāsī-sutām nāhīm pitiyāchā ṭhāva — avaghē chi vāva sōnga tyāchē — dāsī's-son has no place-for-father — all empty, his disguise. Dāsī-suta = son of a maidservant (= a child-of-uncertain-paternity). Such-a-son has-no-place-with-the-father; his disguise (sōnga) is-all-empty (vāva). Bitter image of non-legitimacy.
The closing — anubhava-will-reveal: Tukā mhaṇē mājhī kēlī viṭambanā — anubhavē janā yē'īla kaḷōm — Tuka says: my disgrace happened — people will come to know by anubhava. My-disgrace (viṭambanā) has-been-done; people-will-know it by-their-own-anubhava.
[T]
For someone today
For today: how long does the paint-color last — body is brass, if-not-noticed; my chitta-secret is right beside me — yet I haven't met you like this; dāsī's-son has no place-for-father — all empty, his disguise; Tuka says — my disgrace happened — people will come to know by anubhava.
Where this applies
- When you sense that a polished outward image is starting to wear thin and reveal what's really underneath
- When you admit that despite knowing the truth in your own heart, you haven't lived up to what you claim
- When you catch yourself keeping up appearances that don't match your actual inner standing
- When you choose to openly admit a gap between how you appear and who you really are