Abhanga 1039
This verse is Tukaram admitting, without shame, that he doesn't really know how to worship properly, and finding that this honesty is itself a kind of prayer. He stops trying to perform devotion and instead just stands quietly, hands folded, looking toward God the way you might look at someone's feet when you don't know what else to do. He isn't demanding anything specific; he simply says that whatever is given to him, he'll receive it, the way you'd catch something someone tosses you in the fold of your clothing. You don't need the right technique or the right words to approach the divine. Showing up honestly, admitting your confusion, and staying open to receive whatever comes is enough.
The verse
वांयां जातों देवा । नेणें भक्ती करूं सेवा ॥१॥ आतां जोडोनियां हात । उभा राहिलों निवांत ॥ध्रु.॥ करावें तें काय । न कळें अवलोकितों पाय ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे दान । दिलें पदरीं घेईंन ॥३॥
Literal translation
Vāyām — Dēva — bhaktī-sēvā — don't know. Hands-folded — nivāmta. What to do — avalōkitōm pāya. Tuka says: dāna — padara.
मराठी: वांयां जातों, Dēvā — भक्ती-सेवा करूं नेणें. आतां हात जोडोनियां — निवांत उभा राहिलों. करावें तें काय — न कळें — पाय अवलोकितों. Tuka म्हणे: दान — दिलें — पदरीं घेईंन.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| वांयां जातों देवा | "vāyām — Dēva" |
| नेणें भक्ती करूं सेवा | "bhaktī-sēvā — don't know" |
| आतां जोडोनियां हात | "hands-folded" |
| उभा राहिलों निवांत | "nivāmta" |
| करावें तें काय | "what to do" |
| न कळें अवलोकितों पाय | "avalōkitōm pāya" |
| तुका म्हणे दान | "dāna" |
| दिलें पदरीं घेईंन | "padara" |
What it means
A I-am-going-in-vain-Dēva-I-don't-know-how-to-do-devotional-service-now-with-folded-hands-I-stand-silently-motionless-what-is-to-be-done-I-don't-know-gazing-at-your-feet-whatever-gift-is-given-I'll-take-it-in-the-fold-of-my-garment abhang. Take-gift-in-padara register. Four claims:
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वांयां — सेवा-नेणें. Going-in-vain-claim. I am goingvāyām, Dēvā;I don't know (how) to do bhaktī-sēvā.
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हात-जोडोनी — निवांत. Hands-folded-stand-silently-claim. Now hands-folded; (I) standnivāmta (silent, motionless, in-quiet).
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करावें-काय — पाय-अवलोकित. Don't-know-what-gazing-at-feet-claim. What is to be done — I don't know; gazing at (your)pāya.
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Tuka: दान-पदरीं-घेईंन. Take-gift-in-padara-claim. Tuka says: dāna; what is given, I'll take in (my)padara (the fold of one's garment). (Whatever you give, I'll receive in my open-fold.)
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For someone today
This verse is Tukaram admitting, without shame, that he doesn't really know how to worship properly, and finding that this honesty is itself a kind of prayer. He stops trying to perform devotion and instead just stands quietly, hands folded, looking toward God the way you might look at someone's feet when you don't know what else to do. He isn't demanding anything specific; he simply says that whatever is given to him, he'll receive it, the way you'd catch something someone tosses you in the fold of your clothing. You don't need the right technique or the right words to approach the divine. Showing up honestly, admitting your confusion, and staying open to receive whatever comes is enough.
मराठी: ही ओवी तुकारामांची एक प्रामाणिक कबुली आहे. त्यांना खरी भक्ती कशी करावी हे धड कळत नाही, आणि हीच प्रामाणिकता प्रार्थना बनते. ते भक्तीचं प्रदर्शन करायचं थांबवतात आणि नुसते हात जोडून, शांतपणे देवाच्या पायांकडे पाहत उभे राहतात. त्यांना काही विशिष्ट मागायचं नाही; ते फक्त म्हणतात की जे काही दिलं जाईल, ते आपण आपल्या ओंजळीत घेऊ. या ओवीचा धडा असा आहे की देवाजवळ जाण्यासाठी योग्य पद्धत किंवा योग्य शब्द लागत नाहीत. प्रामाणिकपणे उभं राहणं, आपली अपुरी समज मान्य करणं आणि जे मिळेल ते स्वीकारायला तयार असणं एवढंच पुरेसं आहे.
Where this applies
- Don't-know-how. Vāyām.
- Hands-folded. Nivāmta.
- Gazing-at-feet. Avalōkitōm.
- Take-in-padara. Dāna.