Abhanga 2898
Like a child asking a parent not to give up on them, keep asking to be taught and guided rather than abandoned, trusting that whoever cares for you will look out for your welfare once you show real effort and attention.
The verse
शिकवूनि हित । सोयी लावावे हे नीत ॥१॥
त्याग करूं नये खरें । ऐसें विचारावें बरें ॥ध्रु.॥
तुमचिया तोंडें । धर्माधर्म चि खंडे ॥२॥
मजसाटीं देवा । कां हो लपविला हेवा ॥३॥
जाला सावधान । त्यासी घालावें भोजन ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे पिता । वरी बाळाच्या तो हिता ॥५॥
Literal translation
Śikavūni hita — teaching (toward)hita(welfare); sōī lāvāve he nīta — bring (them) tosōī(the way, side) always. Tyāga karūm nye khare — don't truly cast (them) off; aise vichārāve bare — consider (it) well. Tumchiyā tōṇḍe — from your mouth; dharmā-dharma chi khaṇḍe — dharma-and-adharma themselves getkhaṇḍe(cut, decided). Majsāṭī Devā — for me, Deva; kām hō lapavilā hevā — why have (you) hidden thehevā(zealous-effort, gift, good)? Jālā sāvadhāna — (when one is) becomesāvadhāna(attentive); tyāsī ghālāve bhōjana — give himbhōjana(meal). Tukā says: pitā — (the) father; varī bāḷāñcyā tō hitā — (acts) toward thebāḷa's(child's)hita(welfare).
What it means
A 5-verse father-instruction-pleading verse. Śikavūni hita — sōī lāvāve he nīta — teach hita — bring to the way always. The discipline: teach and lead-to-the-right-side, always.
Tyāga karūm nye khare — aise vichārāve bare — don't truly cast-off — consider well. The petition: don't abandon-the-child (the bhakta); consider-it carefully.
Tumchiyā tōṇḍe — dharmā-dharma chi khaṇḍe — from your mouth, dharma-and-adharma themselves are decided. The bhakti-claim: Deva's-mouth is the dharma-and-adharma authority.
Majsāṭī Devā — kām hō lapavilā hevā — for me, Deva — why have you hidden the hevā? The protest: why are you withholding the gift-or-zealous-effort-for-me?
Jālā sāvadhāna — tyāsī ghālāve bhōjana — (when one is) attentive — give him bhojana. The discipline-image: feed-the-attentive-one.
The close: Tukā mhaṇe pitā — varī bāḷāñcyā tō hitā — the father acts toward the child's hita. The closing claim: fathers act for-children's-welfare. The implicit petition: Deva-as-Father, act-for-my-welfare.
For someone today
A useful father-instruction-pleading prayer. Teach hita — bring (them) to the way always. Don't truly cast off — consider well. From your mouth, dharma-adharma is decided. For me, Deva — why have you hidden the good? (When one is) attentive — give him bhojana. The father (acts) toward the child's hita. The verse permits the petitionary-claim that the Lord-as-Father must act for the bhakta's-hita. Five operative-claims: (1) teach toward hita; (2) don't cast off; (3) Deva's-mouth decides dharma; (4) the attentive should be fed; (5) the father acts for child's welfare.
Where this applies
- When you feel like you're struggling and want to ask for guidance instead of giving up on yourself
- When you're trying hard to pay attention and do the right thing and need some support to keep going
- When you're a parent or mentor deciding whether to keep guiding someone who keeps stumbling
- When you want to protest, even respectfully, that good things you deserve seem to be withheld from you