Abhanga 78
If you don't know singing, raga, timing — lay the burden on Pandurang. The mind kept at his feet is the practice; the technique is his to manage.
The verse
नेणें गाणें कंठ नाहीं हा सुस्वर । घालूं तुज भार पांडुरंगा ॥१॥ नेणें राग वेळ काळ घात मात । तुझे पायीं चित्त ठेवीं देवा ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे मज चाड नाहीं जना । तुज नारायणा वांचूनिया ॥३॥
Literal translation
English: I do not know singing; this throat is not sweet-voiced — I lay the burden on you, Pandurang. I do not know raga, time, the ghāta and māta (technical melodic moves); I keep my heart at your feet, O God. Tuka says: I have no concern with the world — only with you, Narayana.
मराठी: मला गाणं माहीत नाही; हा कंठ सुस्वर नाही — हा भार तुझ्यावर ठेवतो, पांडुरंगा. मला राग, वेळ, काळ, घात-मात कळत नाही; मी माझं चित्त तुझ्या पायांशी ठेवतो, देवा. तुकाराम म्हणतात — मला जनांची चाड नाही; नारायणाशिवाय (कोणाची नाही).
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| नेणें गाणें | "I do not know singing" |
| कंठ नाहीं हा सुस्वर | "this throat is not sweet-voiced" |
| घालूं तुज भार पांडुरंगा | "I lay the burden on you, Pandurang" |
| नेणें राग वेळ काळ घात मात | "I don't know raga, time, killing-style, deepening" |
| तुझे पायीं चित्त ठेवीं देवा | "I keep my heart at your feet, O God" |
| मज चाड नाहीं जना | "I have no concern for the world / people" |
| तुज नारायणा वांचूनिया | "(no concern) except for you, Narayana" |
What it means
Pair with 0032's "Vitthal isn't hungry for sweet voice" — this abhang is the same teaching from inside, as a personal prayer. Tukaram lays the burden of not-knowing-the-technique on the deity: घालूं तुज भार पांडुरंगा — I lay this burden on you, Pandurang. The bhakti-formula: technique-burden goes to the deity; the bhakta keeps the heart at the deity's feet. The deity manages the technique; the bhakta manages only the placement of attention. [T]
For someone today
The technique-anxiety that keeps people from starting any practice — I don't know how to meditate properly, I can't sing, I'm not eloquent in prayer — Tukaram is dismantling here. Lay the burden on the deity. The technique is the deity's department. Your job is placement of attention — keeping the heart at the feet — and that is the only job. The sweet voice, the right raga, the timing — these are not your problem.
मराठी: technique-चिंता जी लोकांना कुठलीही साधना सुरू करायला अडवते — मला नीट ध्यान येत नाही, गाता येत नाही, प्रार्थना नीट करता येत नाही — तुकाराम इथे demolish करत आहेत. भार देवावर ठेवा. technique देवाचा विभाग. तुमचं काम लक्षाची स्थापना — पायांशी हृदय ठेवणं — एवढंच एक काम. सुस्वर, योग्य राग, timing — तुमचा problem नाहीत.
Where this applies
- Refusing to attempt practice for lack of technique. Lay the burden.
- Carrying getting it right burden. Hand it over.
- No need of world, only deity. That position is the practice.