Abhanga 531
True devotion needs nothing more than holding on to one name, every power or reward beside that is worthless, and that confidence lets you walk toward peace on your own feet.
The verse
आम्ही मागों ऐसें नाहीं तुजपाशीं । जरीं तूं भीतोसि पांडुरंगा ॥१॥ पाहें विचारूनि आहे तुज ठावें । आम्ही धालों नावें तुझ्या एका ॥ध्रु.॥ ॠद्धिसिद्धि तुझें मुख्य भांडवल । हें तों आम्हां फोल भक्तीपुढें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जाऊं वैकुंठा चालत । बैसोनि निश्चिंत सुख भोगू ॥३॥
Literal translation
We ask nothing such — from You — if You are scared, Pāṇḍuranga. Consider — known to You — we are dhālōm by Your one nāma. Ṛddhi-siddhi — Your main bhāmḍavala — to us phōla before bhakti. Tuka says: we'll walk to Vaikuṇṭha — sit niścinta — enjoy sukha.
मराठी: आम्ही मागों ऐसें नाहीं तुजपाशीं — जरीं तूं भीतोसि पांडुरंगा. पाहें विचारूनि आहे तुज ठावें — आम्ही धालों नावें तुझ्या एका. ॠद्धिसिद्धि तुझें मुख्य भांडवल — हें तों आम्हां फोल भक्तीपुढें. तुकाराम म्हणतां — जाऊं वैकुंठा चालत — बैसोनि निश्चिंत सुख भोगू.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| आम्ही मागों ऐसें नाहीं तुजपाशीं | "we ask such — none — from You" |
| जरीं तूं भीतोसि पांडुरंगा | "if You — fear — Pāṇḍuranga" |
| पाहें विचारूनि आहे तुज ठावें | "consider — known to You" |
| आम्ही धालों नावें तुझ्या एका | "dhālōm — by Your one nāma" |
| ॠद्धिसिद्धि तुझें मुख्य भांडवल | "ṛddhi-siddhi — Your main bhāmḍavala" |
| हें तों आम्हां फोल भक्तीपुढें | "to us — phōla — before bhakti" |
| जाऊं वैकुंठा चालत | "we'll walk — Vaikuṇṭha" |
| बैसोनि निश्चिंत सुख भोगू | "sit — niścinta — enjoy sukha" |
What it means
A won't-ask-much-You-fear-walk-to-Vaikuṇṭha abhang. Reverses the petition-register: the bhakta doesn't-ask-much because-the-deva-is-scared-of-being-asked. Three claims:
-
आम्ही मागों ऐसें नाहीं तुजपाशीं — जरीं तूं भीतोसि पांडुरंगा — we ask nothing such from You — if You are scared, Pāṇḍuranga. The opening-mock-reassurance: we will ask such (= demanding) — nothing — from You; if You arebhītosi(afraid, scared),Pāṇḍuranga. Don't-be-scared-we-won't-demand. Mock-reassurance: the bhakta speaks-as-if the deva is scared of being asked, and reassures Him.
-
पाहें विचारूनि आहे तुज ठावें — आम्ही धालों नावें तुझ्या एका — ॠद्धिसिद्धि तुझें मुख्य भांडवल — हें तों आम्हां फोल भक्तीपुढें — consider — known to You — we are dhālōm by Your one nāma — ṛddhi-siddhi Your main bhāmḍavala — phōla before bhakti. The priority-claim: consider, You know: we aredhālōm(full, satiated) by Your onenāma; ṛddhi-siddhi (powers-perfections, the wonders You can grant) — Your main bhāmḍavala (capital, stock-in-trade);but to us — phōla (chaff, husk, worthless) — before bhakti. Your-stock-in-trade-is-chaff-to-us; we-want-only-the-nāma. Bhakti-priority over ṛddhi-siddhi.
-
तुका म्हणे जाऊं वैकुंठा चालत — बैसोनि निश्चिंत सुख भोगू — Tuka says: we'll walk to Vaikuṇṭha — sit niścinta — enjoy sukha. The closing-confidence: Tuka says: we will walk (cālata) toVaikuṇṭha; sitniścinta(worry-free); enjoysukha(joy). Self-confident-walk-to-Vaikuṇṭha. The implication: we don't even need You to take us; we'll walk-on-our-own; the bhakti-relationship is its-own-Vaikuṇṭha.
[T]
For someone today
Tukaram teases God, telling him not to be afraid: he isn't coming to beg for favors. He is already full, satisfied just by holding on to God's one name. The powers, riches, and miracles God could grant are worthless next to that devotion. He is so sure of this that he says he will walk to heaven on his own two feet, sit down without a worry, and simply enjoy the peace.
मराठी: तुकाराम देवाची गमतीने चेष्टा करत सांगतात की घाबरू नकोस, आम्ही तुझ्याकडे काही मागणार नाही. आम्ही तुझ्या एका नामानेच तृप्त आहोत. तू देऊ शकणाऱ्या ऋद्धी-सिद्धी आमच्यासाठी भक्तीपुढे केराकचऱ्यासारख्या क्षुल्लक आहेत. आमचा आत्मविश्वास इतका आहे की आम्ही स्वतःच्या पायांनी वैकुंठाला चालत जाऊ, निवांत बसू आणि सुख भोगू.
Where this applies
- Don't-be-scared-we-won't-demand. Mock-reassurance.
- One nāma is full. Bhakti-priority.
- Ṛddhi-siddhi — chaff. Don't-distract.
- Walk to Vaikuṇṭha. Self-confident.