Abhanga 4252
The verse
ऐसें काय उणें जालें तुज देवा । भावेंविण सेवा घेसी माझी ॥१॥
काय मज द्यावा न लगे मुशारा । पहावें दातारा विचारूनि ॥ध्रु.॥
करितों पाखांडें जोडूनि अक्षरें । नव्हे ज्ञान खरें भक्तिरस ॥२॥
गुणवाद तुझे न बोलवे वाणी । आणिका छळणी वाद सांगें ॥३॥
तरी आतां मज राखें तुझे पायीं । देखसील कांहीं प्रेमरस ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे तुज हांसतील लोक । निःकाम सेवक म्हणोनियां ॥५॥
Literal translation
What-uṇa-deva-take-sevā-without-bhāva. No-wage-needed — consider-dātāra. Make-pākhaṇḍa-joining-letters — not-real-jñāna-or-bhakti-rasa. Can't-praise-guṇa-vāda — give-others-chhaḷaṇī-vāda. Keep-at-feet — see-prema-rasa. Tukā: people-will-laugh — niṣkāma-sevaka-calling-me.
What it means
★ A 5-verse rare self-deprecating-self-critique. What deficiency for you, Deva — that you take my service without proper bhāva? I don't need a wage given; consider, gracious-giver. I make heresy by joining letters; it's not real knowledge or devotion-essence. I can't speak your praise with my voice; to others I tell mocking-disputation. So now at least keep me at your feet — you'll see some love-essence. Tukā says: people will laugh at you, calling me a desireless-servant. The self-critique angle: I have no real bhāva — my verses are pākhaṇḍa-of-letters — I criticize-others; if you don't keep me at your feet, you'll be embarrassed. Rare bhakta-as-liability self-presentation.
For someone today
Tukārām: my-verses-are-just-joining-letters-not-real-bhāva — keep-me-at-your-feet-or-people-will-laugh-at-you-for-having-me-as-servant.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's rare self-deprecating-self-critique canonical