Abhanga 2214
When words go unheard and every remedy has been tried, the only thing left is to stay put, wait faithfully, and bow.
The verse
नाहीं आइकत तुम्ही माझे बोल । कासया हें फोल उपणूं भूस ॥१॥ येसी तें करीन बैसलिया ठाया । तूं चि बुझावया जवळी देवा ॥ध्रु.॥ करावे ते केले सकळ उपाय । आतां पाहों काय अझुनि वास ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आला आज्ञेसी सेवट । होऊनियां नीट पायां पडों ॥३॥
Literal translation
You don't listen to my words — why am I winnowing chaff, hollow grain? Whatever you do, I'll be at this place — only you can comfort, near, Lord. I've done all the upāyas — now what more should I wait for? Tuka says: the end of [waiting-for]-command has come — making things straight, I prostrate at the feet.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नाहीं आइकत तुम्ही माझे बोल | "you don't listen to my words" |
| कासया हें फोल उपणूं भूस | "why am I winnowing chaff, hollow grain" |
| येसी तें करीन बैसलिया ठाया | "whatever you do, I'll be at this place" |
| तूं चि बुझावया जवळी देवा | "only you can comfort, near, Lord" |
| करावे ते केले सकळ उपाय | "I've done all the upāyas" |
| आतां पाहों काय अझुनि वास | "now what more should I wait for" |
| तुका म्हणे आला आज्ञेसी सेवट | "Tuka says — the end of [waiting-for]-command has come" |
| होऊनियां नीट पायां पडों | "making things straight, I prostrate at the feet" |
What it means
You-don't-listen-I-stay-at-this-place + I-prostrate-at-the-feet abhang. Fourth abhang of the niḍrā-cluster — the staying-put at-the-river-bank.
The opening — winnowing-chaff: nāhīm ā'ikata tumhī mājhē bōla — kāsayā hē phōla upaṇūm bhūsa — you don't listen to my words — why am I winnowing chaff, hollow grain. Phōla = hollow-grain. Upaṇaṇē = to winnow. Bhūsa = chaff. You don't-listen; why-am-I winnowing the-empty-chaff (= speaking-empty-words)?
The staying-put resolve: yēsī tē karīna baisaliyā ṭhāyā — tūm chi bujhāvayā javaḷī Dēvā — whatever you do, I'll be at this place — only you can comfort, near, Lord. Whatever-you-do, I-will-stay at-this-place; only-you (Lord) can-comfort, [be] near. The image of-the-sit-down at-the-river-bank — Tukārām remaining-fixed at-the-spot of-the-poetry-drowning until-Viṭhṭhal-comes.
The all-upāyas-done: karāvē tē kēlē sakaḷa upāya — ātām pāhōm kāya ajhuni vāsa — I've done all the upāyas — now what more should I wait for. All upāyas done; what-more to-wait-for?
The closing — prostrating-with-straight-mind: Tukā mhaṇē ālā ājñēsī sēvaṭa — hō'ūniyām nīṭa pāyām paḍōm — Tuka says: the end of [waiting-for]-command has come — making things straight, I prostrate at the feet. The end-of-waiting-for-command has-come; setting-things-straight, I-prostrate at-the-feet.
[T]
For someone today
For today: you don't listen — why winnow chaff; whatever you do, I stay at this place — only you comfort; all upāyas done — what more wait; Tuka says — end of waiting-for-command — prostrate at the feet.
Where this applies
- When you've explained yourself over and over and no one seems to be listening
- When you decide to stop pushing and simply wait quietly for things to unfold
- When you've genuinely tried every option available and there's nothing left to do but wait
- When continuing to argue your case starts to feel like wasted breath