Abhanga 2915
Mōla vechūnīyām dhūṇḍitī sevakā — (people) spending mōla (money) seek sevaka (servants); āmhī tarī phukā māgōm baḷe — we (on the other hand) ask freely (phukā) with-force (baḷe).
The verse
मोल वेचूनियां धुंडिती सेवका । आम्ही तरी फुका मागों बळें ॥१॥
नसतां जवळी हित फार करूं । जीव भाव धरूं तुझ्या पायीं ॥ध्रु.॥
नेदूं भोग आम्ही आपुल्या शरीरा । तुम्हांसी दातारा व्हावें म्हूण ॥२॥
कीर्ती तुझी करूं आमुचे सायास । तूं का रे उदास पांडुरंगा ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे तुज काय मागों आम्ही । फुकाचे कां ना भी म्हणसी ना ॥४॥
Literal translation
Mōla vechūnīyām dhūṇḍitī sevakā — (people) spending mōla (money) seek sevaka (servants); āmhī tarī phukā māgōm baḷe — we (on the other hand) ask freely (phukā) with-force (baḷe). Nasatām javaḷī hita phāra karūm — while not near (you), we do much hita (welfare-work); jīva bhāva dharūm tujhyā pāyī — we hold jīva-bhāva at your feet. Nedūm bhōga āmhī āpulyā śarīrā — we will not give bhōga (enjoyment) to our own śarīra (body); tumhāsī dātārā hvāve mhūṇa — so that you become a dātāra (giver, donor) for us. Kīrtī tujhī karūm āmuche sāyāsa — we do your kīrti (fame, praise) (with) our sāyāsa (toil); tūm kā re udāsa Pāṇḍurangā — why are you udāsa (indifferent), Pāṇḍurangā? Tukā says: tuja kāya māgōm āmhī — what do we ask of you?; phukāñce kām nā bhī mhaṇasī nā — are you afraid to say nā (no) to a free (request) (= just say yes!)?
What it means
A 4-verse bhakta-bargains-with-Lord verse. Mōla vechūnīyām dhūṇḍitī sevakā — āmhī tarī phukā māgōm baḷe — people spend money for servants — we ask freely with force. The opening-contrast: normal-employers pay for servants; we (bhaktas) ask-freely-with-force (we don't pay, but demand).
Nasatām javaḷī hita phāra karūm — jīva bhāva dharūm tujhyā pāyī — while not near, we do much hita — we hold jīva-bhāva at your feet. The bhakta's-services-from-afar: even when not in the Lord's-presence, we do much for him; we hold jīva-bhāva at his feet.
Nedūm bhōga āmhī āpulyā śarīrā — tumhāsī dātārā hvāve mhūṇa — we don't give bhōga to our body — so you become a dātāra. The bargain-claim: we forego-bodily-enjoyment (vairāgya) so-that you-become-our-giver. The bhakta foregoes self-bhōga to compel-the-Lord-into-dātāra-mode.
Kīrtī tujhī karūm āmuche sāyāsa — tūm kā re udāsa Pāṇḍurangā — we do your fame with our toil — why are you indifferent, Pāṇḍurangā? The toil-of-kīrtana for the Lord's fame; the complaint about the Lord's udāsa-paṇa (indifference).
The close: Tukā mhaṇe tuja kāya māgōm āmhī — phukāñce kām nā bhī mhaṇasī nā — what do we ask of you — are you afraid to say nā to a free (request)? The playful-challenge: we're-asking-nothing-material; just-say-yes; are you afraid?
For someone today
A useful playful bhakta-bargains-with-Lord prayer. People spend money for servants — we (bhaktas) ask freely with force. While not near, we do much hita for you — we hold jīva-bhāva at your feet. We don't give bhōga to our body — so you become a dātāra. We do your fame with our toil — why are you indifferent, Pāṇḍurangā? What do we ask of you — are you afraid to say no to a free (request)? The verse permits bhakta-as-trading-partner: (1) we work-for-you-freely; (2) we hold jīva-bhāva at-your-feet; (3) we forego-our-own-bhōga; (4) we do-your-kīrti with toil; (5) why are you indifferent? what do we ask in return? — at-least-don't-be-afraid-to-say-yes. The playful-direct-questioning.
Where this applies
- The bhakta-trades-toil-for-Lord's-affection bargain prayer
- Recognizing bhakta-foregoes-bhōga-so-Lord-becomes-dātāra
- Why-udāsa-Pāṇḍurangā — direct-questioning of Lord's silence
- Pairs with 2900 (playful I-teach-the-Lord prayer)