Abhanga 2240
For today: what are you bearing for free — you drowned my rukā; debt of house fastened — doesn't release; by four-witnesses opinion — made true earlier; Tuka says — on this — who now holds back in awe.
The verse
काय साहतोसी फुका । माझा बुडविला रुका ॥१॥ रीण घराचें पांगिलें । तें न सुटे कांहीं केलें ॥ध्रु.॥ चौघांचिया मतें । आधीं खरें केलें होते ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे यावरी । आतां भीड कोण धरी ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: What are you bearing for free — you've drowned my coin. The debt of the house got fastened — it doesn't release, whatever I do. By four-witnesses' opinion — it was made true earlier. Tuka says: on this — who now holds back in awe?
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| काय साहतोसी फुका | "what are you bearing for free" |
| माझा बुडविला रुका | "you've drowned my coin (rukā)" |
| रीण घराचें पांगिलें | "the debt of the house got fastened" |
| तें न सुटे कांहीं केलें | "it doesn't release, whatever I do" |
| चौघांचिया मतें | "by four-witnesses' opinion" |
| आधीं खरें केलें होते | "it was made true earlier" |
| तुका म्हणे यावरी | "Tuka says — on this" |
| आतां भीड कोण धरी | "who now holds back in awe" |
What it means
You-drowned-my-rukā + who-holds-back-in-awe-now abhang. Third abhang of the 4-abhang quarrel-cluster (2238-2241).
The drowning-of-coin accusation: kāya sāhatōsī phukā — mājhā buḍavilā rukā — what are you bearing for free — you've drowned my coin. Phukā = for free, gratis. Rukā = small coin, paisā. Buḍavilā = drowned, sunk. What-are-you-bearing-(receiving) for-free? You've-drowned-my-rukā (= my-livelihood, the trade-coin). A possible double-wordplay: buḍavilā echoes the kavitvā-buḍavaṇē (the poetry-drowning); now-the-bhakta-counter-charges that-the-Lord-has-drowned the bhakta's-coin (livelihood, social-standing). The mercantile-Tukārām-the-grain-merchant here-uses-trade-language.
The fastened-debt: rīṇa gharāchē pāngilē — tē na suṭē kāmhīm kēlē — the debt of the house got fastened — it doesn't release, whatever I do. The household-debt got-fastened-(on-me); it-doesn't-release no-matter-what-I-do. (= the debt-to-Viṭhṭhal stays-fastened-no-matter-how-I-try-to-clear-it. Or: the worldly-debt remained-after-I-gave-everything-to-bhakti.)
The four-witnesses oath: chaughāñchiyā matē — ādhīm kharē kēlē hōtē — by four-witnesses' opinion — it was made true earlier. Chaughā = four-(witnesses). By-four-witnesses'-opinion, it was-made-true-earlier. (= the agreement-between-us was-formally-sealed earlier-with-witnesses; you can't-back-out-now.)
The closing — no-more-awe: Tukā mhaṇē yāvarī — ātām bhīḍa kōṇa dharī — Tuka says: on this — who now holds back in awe. Bhīḍa = awe, hesitation, embarrassment. On-this (= given-all-this), who-now would-hold-back in-awe? (= the bhakta-feels-licensed to-speak-without-deference.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: what are you bearing for free — you drowned my rukā; debt of house fastened — doesn't release; by four-witnesses opinion — made true earlier; Tuka says — on this — who now holds back in awe.
Where this applies
- You-drowned-my-coin-for-free.* Kāya-sāhatōsī-phukā-buḍavilā-rukā.
- Household-debt-fastened-doesn't-release.* Rīṇa-gharāchē-pāngilē-na-suṭē.
- Four-witnesses-oath-was-made-earlier.* Chaughāñchiyā-matē-kharē.
- Who-now-holds-back-in-awe.* Yāvarī-bhīḍa-kōṇa-dharī.