Abhanga 404

Even when you feel lost, frightened, and full of doubt on a path you chose out of love, you can retrace your steps and trust you will be protected as you keep searching.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A gōpī-lost-in-the-vana-seeking-Hari abhang. Six claims:

1. कान्हो एकली रे एकली रे — तुजसवें चुकलें रे — भय वाटे वनीं मज अबळा धाकली रे — Kānhō, alone, alone! — got separated from You — fear in vana, abaḷā, dhākalī. The opening-cry: Kānhō, alone, alone! I got separated from You; fear in thevana, I amabaḷā(weak),dhākalī(small). The lost-and-frightened gōpī's-cry.

2. निघतां घरीं आई बा वारी — तुजसवें कां आलियें हरी — going out, āī-bā stopped — why have I come with You, Hari? The self-question: parents stopped me as I left; why did I come with You, Hari? Self-doubt about the journey.

3. लोक वाटा सांगती खोटा — परी मी चटा लागलियें — people give khōṭā vāṭā — but I am caṭā. The misdirection-claim: people give false-paths; but I amcaṭā(firmly-caught) — to this (path / Hari). Despite misdirection, attached to the search.

4. पिकल्या बोरी जालें सामोरी — काय जाणें कोठें राहिला हरी — ripened bōrī came forward — what do I know where Hari stayed? The forest-distractions: ripenedbōrī(jujube) — comes forward (tempting to pick); what do I know — whereHaristayed? Distractions in the search.

5. आड खुंट जालिया जाळी — काय जाणों कान्हें मांडिली रळी — thorns, jāḷī coming in — what raḷī Kānha set up? The obstruction-claim: thorns and bushes come in (the way); whatraḷī(commotion / disturbance) hasKānhaset up? Even the obstructions are His doing.

6. तुका म्हणे जाऊं आलिया वाटा — पाहों हरी पायीं न मोडे कांटा — Tuka says: let's go back the way we came — let's see Hari — thorns won't pierce. The closing-resolve: let's go back the way we came (= retrace); let's see Hari; thorns will not pierce the feet. Going-back-the-way and the deva-protects-the-feet.

[T]

For someone today

This is the cry of someone who followed love or faith into unfamiliar territory and now feels alone, frightened, and second-guessing the whole decision, remembering that her parents warned her not to go. Along the way, other people offer bad directions, and there are real distractions, like ripe fruit that tempts you to stop, as well as real obstacles, like thorns and thickets blocking the path, and Tukaram treats even these obstacles as part of what's happening rather than as pure misfortune. The way forward that Tukaram offers is simple: retrace your steps, keep looking for what you set out to find, and trust that you will be protected on the way, that the thorns will not pierce your feet.

मराठी: ही आर्त हाक अशा माणसाची आहे जो प्रेमापोटी किंवा श्रद्धेपोटी अनोळखी वाटेवर निघाला आणि आता एकटा, घाबरलेला आणि आपल्याच निर्णयावर शंका घेणारा झाला आहे, घरच्यांनी अडवलं होतं हे आठवत आहे. वाटेत इतर लोक चुकीच्या दिशा सांगतात, तसंच खऱ्याखुऱ्या मोहाच्या गोष्टीही येतात, जसं पिकलेली फळं जी थांबायला भाग पाडतात, आणि खरे अडथळेही येतात, जसे काटे आणि झुडुपं वाट अडवतात; तुकाराम या अडथळ्यांनाही केवळ दुर्दैव न मानता घडणाऱ्या घटनेचाच भाग मानतात. तुकाराम सुचवतात तो मार्ग साधा आहे: आपली पावलं मागे वळवा, ज्याच्या शोधात निघालात त्याचा शोध सोडू नका, आणि विश्वास ठेवा की वाटेत तुमचं रक्षण होईल, काटे तुमच्या पायात रुतणार नाहीत.

Where this applies

• Lost in vana, frightened. Honest-acknowledgment.
• Self-doubt about the journey. Allowed.
• False-paths can't sever catching. Stay attached.
• Obstructions are His raḷī. Don't despair.
• Retrace; thorns won't pierce. Protected-feet.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2374 — Rather than scattering devotion among many lesser deities who demand offerings, Tukaram sa
• Abhanga 2377 — This detailed meditation on Vitthal standing on a brick at Pandharpur, out of love for his
• Abhanga 2387 — Accept whatever life brings with reverence, and place the burden on God rather than carryi
• Abhanga 2402 — For today: happily take rebirths — IF among the Paṇḍharī-Vārkarīs ; Hari-dāsas' company is