संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2277 of 4582

Abhanga 2277

For today: if I leave to Time — Time same — desire unfulfilled — what dāsa; no work of delay now — don't break prema, Nārāyaṇa; if you must give — why delay — sweet, then sweet ādi-anta; Tuka says — with darshan, niścinti — I'll sing — then in gītī, dhyāna.

When you catch yourself passively waiting for time to fix a longing instead of asking directly for what you need

When you want your happiness to be real from the start rather than something promised only after long suffering

When a moment of closeness or relief settles your mind enough that you can finally sing, create, or sit in quiet meditation

The verse

काळावरि घालूं तरि तो सरिसा । न पुरतां इच्छा दास कैसे ॥१॥ आतां नाहीं कांहीं उसिराचें काम । न खंडावें प्रेम नारायणा ॥ध्रु.॥ देणें लागे मग विलंब कां आड । गोड तरि गोड आदि अंत ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे होइल दरुषणें निश्चिंती । गाईंन तें गीतीं ध्यान मग ॥३॥

Literal translation

If I leave it to Time — Time itself is the same — if desire isn't fulfilled — what kind of dāsa? Now there's no work of delay — don't break the prema, Nārāyaṇa. If you must give, then why delay across — if sweet, sweet beginning-and-end. Tuka says: with darshan, niścinti will arise — I'll sing — then in gītī, dhyāna.

Word-by-word gloss

Marathi	Meaning
काळावरि घालूं तरि तो सरिसा	"if I leave it to Time — Time itself is the same"
न पुरतां इच्छा दास कैसे	"if desire isn't fulfilled — what kind of dāsa"
आतां नाहीं कांहीं उसिराचें काम	"now there's no work of delay"
न खंडावें प्रेम नारायणा	"don't break the prema, Nārāyaṇa"
देणें लागे मग विलंब कां आड	"if you must give, then why delay across"
गोड तरि गोड आदि अंत	"if sweet, sweet beginning and end"
तुका म्हणे होइल दरुषणें निश्चिंती	"Tuka says — with darshan, niścinti will arise"
गाईंन तें गीतीं ध्यान मग	"I'll sing — then [in] gītī, dhyāna"

What it means

No-more-delay + sweet-ādi-anta + with-darshan-niścinti abhang.

The opening — leave to Time, same: kāḷāvari ghālūm tari tō sarisā — na puratām icchā dāsa kaisē — if I leave it to Time — Time itself is the same — if desire isn't fulfilled — what kind of dāsa. If-I-leave-it-to-Time, Time-is-the-same (= no different outcome); if-desire-isn't-fulfilled, what-kind-of-dāsa am-I?

The no-delay: ātām nāhīm kāmhīm usirāchē kāma — na khaṇḍāvē prēma Nārāyaṇā — now there's no work of delay — don't break the prema, Nārāyaṇa. Now-there's-no-work-of-delay; don't-break the-prema, Nārāyaṇa.

The sweet-ādi-anta: dēṇē lāgē maga vilamba kām āḍa — gōḍa tari gōḍa ādi anta — if you must give, then why delay across — if sweet, sweet beginning-and-end. If-you-must-give, why-delay across-(time); if-sweet, sweet-from-beginning-to-end (= the whole-trajectory should-be-sweet).

The closing — darshan-niścinti, then-dhyāna-in-gītī: Tukā mhaṇē hō'ila daruṣaṇē niścintī — gā'īmna tē gītīm dhyāna maga — Tuka says: with darshan, niścinti will arise — I'll sing — then in gītī, dhyāna. With-darshan, niścinti (worry-freeness) will-arise; then I'll-sing — and in-gītī (song), there-will-be-dhyāna. The sequence: darshan → niścinti → song → dhyāna.

[T]

For someone today

Where this applies

When you keep telling yourself things will just work out with time, but the waiting itself is wearing down your hope
When you wonder whether your faith or commitment even means anything if your deepest longing never gets answered
When you want happiness now instead of a promise that it will come only after years of hardship
When a small moment of relief or connection suddenly lets you relax enough to sing, create, or simply feel present

Bhakti