Abhanga 1058

The truest devotee is like an alert thief who leaves no trail, and even those the world rejects entirely can become elite through that same sharp, protective vigilance.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A the-warrior-who-knows-the-warrior's-mind-the-tracks-footprints-places-and-thieves'-routes-saving-himself-deceives-others-takes-everything-by-snatching-doesn't-let-track-come-doesn't-let-footprint-be-followed-the-master-of-the-world-counts-him-as-his-warrior-such-people-have-been-made-warriors-those-to-whom-no-one-would-even-give-alms-such-are-his-warriors-the-strong-one-is-the-leader-of-the-three-worlds abhang. Biḷayā-nāyaka-trai-lōka register. Five claims:

1. पाईक-पाईकी-भाव — लाग-पगें-ठाव-चोर-वाट. Knows-paths-claim. Thepāīkawho knowspāikī'sbhāva;the lāga (track), pagēn (footprint-impression), ṭhāva (place), cōra-vāṭa (thieves'-route).

2. आपण-राखोनि-ठक — हरूनियां. Saves-self-deceives-others-claim. Savingāpaṇām, ṭhakāvē (deceives) others;takes sakaḷīka by harūniyā (snatching). (The military-cunning of the warrior-servant: a robber's-wisdom in the service of the master.)

3. लाग-न — माग-न — स्वामी-मानी. Doesn't-let-track-come-claim. Doesn't letlāgacome, doesn't letmāgabe tracked; thesvāmīofjagacounts him as thepāīka. (The master of the world reckons such-a-one his warrior.)

4. जन-पाईक — भीक-न-घलिती. No-one-gave-alms-now-warriors-claim. Suchjanahave been madepāīka;to whom no one would even give bhīka (alms). (Even those people are made his warriors —the rejected becomes elite.)

5. Tuka: बिळया — त्रै-लोक-नाइक. Biḷayā-trai-lōka-nāyaka-claim. Tuka says: such are hispāīkas;biḷayā (the strong one) — thenāyakaoftrai-lōka (three worlds). (Hari, with such warriors, is the strong-leader of the three worlds.)

[T]

For someone today

Tukaram paints an unusual picture: the ideal servant of God is like a skilled thief who knows every track, footprint, hideout, and secret route, someone alert enough to protect himself while slipping past every trap. He leaves no trail for the world to follow back to him, and it is exactly that sharpness that makes the true Master recognize him as a real warrior. What is striking is who gets included: even people the world has rejected, people nobody would give so much as alms to, are made into these elite warriors. Status or reputation in the eyes of the world means nothing here; what matters is the alert, protective cunning you bring to guarding your inner life from being captured by distraction.

मराठी: तुकाराम एक वेगळेच चित्र रंगवतात: देवाचा खरा सेवक हा एखाद्या कुशल चोरासारखा असतो, ज्याला प्रत्येक वाट, पाऊलखूण, लपण्याची जागा आणि गुप्त मार्ग माहीत असतो, जो स्वतःला सांभाळत प्रत्येक सापळ्यातून निसटतो. तो जगासाठी असा कोणताही माग मागे ठेवत नाही ज्यावरून त्याच्यापर्यंत पोहोचता येईल, आणि नेमकी हीच सावधानता खरा स्वामी त्याला खरा योद्धा म्हणून ओळखण्याचे कारण बनते. इथली खास गोष्ट म्हणजे यात कोण सामील होतात: ज्यांना जगाने नाकारले आहे, ज्यांना कोणी भीकही घालत नाही, अशा लोकांनाही असे उत्तम योद्धे बनवले जाते. जगाच्या नजरेतील प्रतिष्ठा इथे काहीच मोजत नाही; महत्त्वाचे आहे ते तुमचे मन विचलित होण्यापासून वाचवण्याची सावध, संरक्षक चतुराई.

Where this applies

• Knows-paths. Cōra-vāṭa.
• Robber's-wisdom. Harūniyā.
• Reckoned-as-warrior. Lāga.
• Rejected-elite. Bhīka.
• Trai-lōka-nāyaka. Biḷayā.

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