Abhanga 710
When God shows the way and leads, crossing life's hardest waters becomes safe and easy, so follow quickly instead of hesitating.
The verse
भवसिंधूचें काय कोडें । दावी वाट चाले पुढें ॥१॥ तारूं भला पांडुरंग । पाय भिजों नेदी अंग ॥ध्रु.॥ मागें उतरिलें बहुत । पैल तिरीं साधुसंत ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे लाग वेगें । जाऊं तयाचिया मागें ॥३॥
Literal translation
Bhava-sindhu — what kōḍa? — shows vāṭa — walks ahead. Tārū good — Pāṇḍuranga — doesn't let pāya and anga get-wet. Many crossed-down before — paila-tirīm — sādhu-santa. Tuka says: catch — vēgēm — let's go behind him.
मराठी: भव-सिंधूचं काय कोडं? — पांडुरंग वाट दाखवून पुढें चालतो. पांडुरंग भला तारू — पाय-अंग भिजायला देत नाही. मागें बहुत उतरले — पैल-तिरीं साधु-संत. Tuka म्हणे: वेगें लाग — त्यांच्या-मागें जाऊं.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| भवसिंधूचें काय कोडें | "bhava-sindhu — what kōḍa" |
| दावी वाट चाले पुढें | "shows vāṭa — walks ahead" |
| तारूं भला पांडुरंग | "tārū — good — Pāṇḍuranga" |
| पाय भिजों नेदी अंग | "pāya — bhijōm nēdī — anga" |
| मागें उतरिलें बहुत | "many — crossed-down" |
| पैल तिरीं साधुसंत | "paila-tirīm — sādhu-santa" |
| लाग वेगें जाऊं तयाचिया मागें | "catch — vēga — go behind him" |
What it means
A bhava-sindhu-Pāṇḍuranga-ferry-doesn't-wet-foot-many-crossed-catch-up abhang. Bhava-sindhu-ferry-call register. Three claims:
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भव-सिंधु — कोडं काय? — पांडुरंग-वाट-दाखवून-पुढे — तारू-भला — पाय-अंग न-भिजवणारा. Pāṇḍuranga-shows-walks-ahead-tārū-claim. What is thebhava-sindhu'skōḍa(riddle / problem)?; Pāṇḍuranga shows the vāṭa and walks ahead;He is a good tārū (ferry, raft, boat);He doesn't let the pāya (foot) or anga (body) get bhijōm (wet).Pāṇḍuranga-shows-walks-ahead-and-the-ferry-keeps-you-dry.
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मागें बहुत उतरले — पैल-तिरीं साधु-संत. Many-crossed-already-claim. Many have-already-utarilē(crossed-down, dis-embarked); at thepaila-tirīm(far-shore) —sādhu-santa. Sādhu-santas-already-on-the-far-shore-as-warrants.
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Tuka: वेगें लाग — मागे जाऊं. Catch-up-go-behind-claim. Tuka says: catch upvēgēm(quickly); let's go behind him (Pāṇḍuranga). Hurry-and-follow.
[T]
For someone today
Life's struggles can feel like an unsolvable puzzle, but Tukaram says there is no real mystery once you have a guide who walks ahead and shows the way. God is like a sturdy boat that carries you across without even wetting your feet, so you don't have to struggle through the crossing alone. Many devoted people before you have already reached the far shore, and their example proves the way is real. So don't hesitate, hurry and follow.
मराठी: जीवनातील अडचणी कधीकधी न सुटणाऱ्या कोड्यासारख्या वाटतात, पण तुकाराम म्हणतात की वाट दाखवत पुढे चालणारा कुणी असेल तर त्यात खरं कोडं उरतच नाही. देव जणू एक भक्कम तारू आहे, जो तुम्हाला असा पैलतीरावर नेतो की तुमचे पायसुद्धा भिजत नाहीत, त्यामुळे ही वाट एकट्याने झगडत पार करायची गरज नाही. तुमच्या आधी अनेक साधुसंत आधीच पैलतीरावर पोचले आहेत, आणि त्यांचंच उदाहरण ही वाट खरी असल्याचं सिद्ध करतं. म्हणून वाट पाहू नका, लवकर निघा आणि मागोमाग चला.
Where this applies
- When you feel overwhelmed by a problem and don't know where even to start
- When you doubt whether a spiritual path actually leads anywhere real
- When you need proof that others have gotten through hard times before you, and their example gives you courage
- When you catch yourself overthinking instead of simply following someone who already knows the way