Abhanga 2718
Don't let this time go futile — your compassion is the main thing, Deva. Therefore as-is, my staying is at the feet. This loose-mind suffers; the wicked-one ruins. Tukā: I don't know anything — let it not go to waste this way.
The verse
न वजावा तो काळ वांयां । मुख्य दया हे देवा ॥१॥
म्हणऊनि जैसें तैसें । रहणी असें पायांचे ॥ध्रु.॥
मोकळें हे मन कष्ट । करी नष्ट दुर्जन ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे कांहीं नेणें । न वजें येणेंपरी वांयां ॥३॥
Literal translation
Na vajāvā tō kāḷa vāyā — don't let that time go vāyā (futile); mukhya dayā hē Devā — the main thing is your dayā (compassion), Deva. Therefore jaisē taisē (as-is, as-it-happens) — rahaṇī asē pāyāñce (my staying is at the feet). The mokaḷē (loose, free) mind kaṣṭa (suffers); the durjana (wicked-one) naṣṭa karī (causes ruin). Tukā says: I nēṇē (know nothing); let it not go to waste this way (yēṇē-parī).
What it means
A short humble-petition verse. Na vajāvā tō kāḷa vāyā — mukhya dayā hē Devā — don't let this time go futile; the main thing is your compassion, Deva. The opening petition: time should not be wasted, and the operative-condition is not personal-merit but the Lord's compassion.
The dhrūpada: mhaṇa'ūnī jaisē taisē — rahaṇī asē pāyāñce — therefore, as-is, my staying is at the feet. Jaisē taisē — as-it-is, as-it-happens — the bhakta does not pretend to have arrived in a prepared-state; he is at the feet as-is, with whatever condition he came in.
The second verse names two failure-modes: mokaḷē hē mana kaṣṭa — karī naṣṭa durjana — this loose mind suffers; the wicked-one causes ruin. Mokaḷa (loose, unsteady) mind suffers from its own unsteadiness; the durjana (wicked-one) external-to-me causes additional-ruin. Both are obstacles.
The close: kāmhī nēṇē — na vajē yēṇē-parī vāyā — I know nothing — let it not go to waste this way. The honest disclaimer: I don't know anything; please don't let this time-and-life go futile despite my not-knowing.
For someone today
A useful template for the I-don't-know-anything-but-let-this-not-be-wasted petition. Don't let this time go futile; your compassion is the main thing. I am at your feet as-is — without claim of preparation. My loose-mind suffers from its own unsteadiness, and external-wicked-ones add ruin. I don't know anything — let this not go to waste this way. The honesty is the petition; the bhakta does not need to claim qualification to ask for compassion not to be withheld.
Where this applies
- The honest I-don't-know-anything-let-this-not-be-wasted petition
- Recognizing that the protector's compassion is the main-thing, not personal merit
- As-is approach: jaisē taisē rahaṇī pāyāñce
- Naming both obstacles — internal mokaḷē-mana and external durjana