Abhanga 2311
Real speech and steadiness come from God working through you, and being placed in the middle of someone else's need is a sign of trust, not a burden you carry alone.
The verse
तुजविण सत्ता । नाहीं वाचा वदविता ॥१॥ ऐसे आम्ही जाणों दास । म्हणोनि जालों उदास ॥ध्रु.॥ तुम्ही दिला धीर। तेणें मन झालें स्थिर ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आड । केलों मी हें तुझें कोड ॥३॥
Literal translation
Without you, [no] sattā — no one to make the vāchā speak. Such we know — being dāsas — therefore we became udāsa. You gave dhīra — by that the mind became sthira. Tuka says: intercepting — I made [myself] — that's your fondness.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तुजविण सत्ता | "without you, [no] sattā" |
| नाहीं वाचा वदविता | "no one to make the vāchā speak" |
| ऐसे आम्ही जाणों दास | "such we know — being dāsas" |
| म्हणोनि जालों उदास | "therefore we became udāsa" |
| तुम्ही दिला धीर | "you gave dhīra" |
| तेणें मन झालें स्थिर | "by that the mind became sthira" |
| तुका म्हणे आड | "Tuka says — intercepting" |
| केलों मी हें तुझें कोड | "I made myself — that's your fondness" |
What it means
Without-you-no-power-to-speak + you-gave-dhīra-mind-stable + I-am-the-medium-of-your-fondness abhang. Fourth of the cluster.
The opening — no-vāchā-without-you: tujaviṇa sattā — nāhīm vāchā vadavitā — without you, [no] sattā — no one to make the vāchā speak. Without-you, no-sattā; no-one makes-the-vāchā-speak.
The dāsa-udāsa: aisē āmhī jāṇōm dāsa — mhaṇōni jālōm udāsa — such we know — being dāsas — therefore we became udāsa. Knowing-this we-are-dāsas; therefore we-became-udāsa (= unconcerned, detached).
The dhīra-mind-stable: tumhī dilā dhīra — tēṇē mana jhālē sthira — you gave dhīra — by that the mind became sthira. You-gave dhīra (patience/firmness); by-that, the mind became-sthira (stable).
The closing — your fondness made me intercept: Tukā mhaṇē āḍa — kēlōm mī hē tujhē kōḍa — Tuka says: intercepting — I made myself — that's your fondness. Intercepting (āḍa = blocking-the-way, being-in-between), I-made-myself; that-is-your-kōḍa (fondness). (= I-am-only-the-medium between-the-Brahmin-pilgrim-and-you; this-is-by-your-fondness.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: without you, no sattā — no one makes vāchā speak; we know dāsa-ness — therefore became udāsa; you gave dhīra — mind became sthira; Tuka says — intercepting — I made myself — that's your fondness.
Where this applies
- When you feel you have no real power to fix something and have to rely on something greater
- When taking on the role of servant or helper frees you from anxious control instead of adding pressure
- When someone else's courage or reassurance is what finally settles your restless mind
- When you realize you've become the go-between for someone else's need and a source of help