संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2900 of 4582

Abhanga 2900

Tumhām na paḍe vecha — (there is) no vecha (cost) for you (to pay); mājhā sarel sankocha — my sankocha (constriction, hesitation) will sarel (go away).

The playful I-teach-the-Lord prayer
Recognizing no-cost-to-Lord for-bhakta's-relief; why-be-lazy
Hungry-for-kṛpā — give-jīva-dāna petition

The verse

तुम्हां न पडे वेच । माझा सरेल संकोच ॥१॥ फुकासाटीं जोडे यश । येथें कां करा आळस ॥ध्रु.॥ कृपेचें भुकेलें । होय जीवदान केलें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे शिकविलें । माझें ऐकावें विठ्ठलें ॥३॥

Literal translation

Tumhām na paḍe vecha(there is) no vecha (cost) for you (to pay); mājhā sarel sankochamy sankocha (constriction, hesitation) will sarel (go away). Phukāsāṭī jōḍe yaśafor-nothing (free), yaśa (glory, fame) joins (you); yethē kām karā āḷasahere, why do (you) make āḷasa (laziness)? Krpeñce bhukelehungry-for-krpā; hōya jīva-dāna kelemake-(me)-have-the-doing-of jīva-dāna (the gift-of-life, gift-as-a-jīva). Tukā says: śikavile(I) have taught; mājhe aikāve ViṭhṭhaleViṭṭhal, listen to me.

What it means

A short playful bhakta-teaches-Lord prayer. Tumhām na paḍe vecha — mājhā sarel sankochano cost to you — my constriction will go away. The argument-to-the-Lord: this costs you nothing; but my-sankocha will go-away (i.e., my-suffering ends).

Phukāsāṭī jōḍe yaśa — yethē kām karā āḷasafree, fame joins you — why be lazy here? The teasing-argument: (by saving me) you-get-fame-for-free; why-be-lazy?

Krpeñce bhukele — hōya jīva-dāna kele(I'm) hungry for kṛpā — give me jīva-dāna. The petition: make my-life a-gift (from your-kṛpā).

The close: Tukā mhaṇe śikavile — mājhe aikāve ViṭhṭhaleI have taught — Viṭṭhal, listen to me. The playful-finish: Tukārām claims-to-have-taught Viṭṭhal; the Lord-should-listen. The bhakta-as-teacher is a striking-reversal — pairs with 2891 (bhakta-as-progenitor-of-Deva).

For someone today

A useful playful bhakta-teaches-Lord prayer. No cost to you — my constriction will go away. For free, fame joins (you) — why be lazy here? (I am) hungry for kṛpā — give me jīva-dāna. (I) have taught — Viṭṭhal, listen to me. The verse permits the playful-arguments to the Lord: (1) the relief-of-bhakta costs-the-Lord-nothing; (2) but the Lord-gains-fame-for-free; (3) the bhakta is hungry-for-kṛpā; (4) the bhakta dares-to-teach-the-Lord. This is bhakti-as-loving-relationship, not formal-supplication.

Where this applies

Related verses