Abhanga 1839
The same power that can do the impossible is present within you as well, so instead of blaming it for your burden, you can simply trust its kindness.
The verse
तुजकरितां होतें आनाचें आन । तारिले पाषाण उदकीं देवा ॥१॥ कां नये कैवार करूं अंगीकार । माझा बहु भार चड जाला ॥ध्रु.॥ चुकलासी म्हणों तरी जीवांचा ही जीव । रिता नाहीं ठाव उरों दिला ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे ऐसें काय सत्ताबळ । माझे परी कृपाळ आहां तुम्ही ॥३॥
Literal translation
By you, the impossible becomes the other — you floated stones in water, deva. Why don't you take my side, do angīkāra? — my burden has become too much. To say you erred — but you are the jīva of jīvas — no empty place have you left. Tuka says: what is this sattā-power? — to me you are kṛpāḷa.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तुजकरितां होतें आनाचें आन | "by you — (it) becomes — the impossible (turns into) the other" |
| तारिले पाषाण उदकीं देवा | "(you) floated stones in water — deva" |
| कां नये कैवार करूं अंगीकार | "why don't you take my side — do angīkāra" |
| माझा बहु भार चड जाला | "my burden has become too much" |
| चुकलासी म्हणों तरी जीवांचा ही जीव | "say you erred — but you are the jīva of jīvas" |
| रिता नाहीं ठाव उरों दिला | "no empty place have you left" |
| तुका म्हणे ऐसें काय सत्ताबळ | "Tuka says — what is this sattā-power" |
| माझे परी कृपाळ आहां तुम्ही | "to me you are kṛpāḷa" |
What it means
Stones-floated + take-my-side + jīva-of-jīvas abhang.
The opening: tujakaritām hōtē ānāce āna — tārilē pāṣāṇa udakī devā — by you, the impossible happens — you floated stones in water, deva. The Rāma-setu reference: Rāma's-army floated-stones-in-the-ocean by-writing-Rāma-Nāma on-them. You can-do-the-impossible.
The petition: kām nayē kaivāra karūm angīkāra — mājhā bahu bhāra caḍa jālā — why don't you take my side, do angīkāra? — my burden has become too much. If-you-can-float-stones, surely-you-can-take-my-side.
The jīva-of-jīvas line: cukalāsī mhaṇōm tarī jīvāñcā hī jīva — ritā nāhīm ṭhāva urōm dilā — if I say you erred — but you are the jīva of jīvas — no empty place have you left. The bhakta cannot-blame the Lord because the Lord-is the very-jīva-of-jīvas, leaving no empty-place. (= the Lord pervades-everything, including-the-bhakta's-own-jīva, so blaming-him is incoherent.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē aisē kāya sattā-baḷa — mājhē parī kṛpāḷa āhām tumhī — Tuka says: what is this sattā-power? — to me you are kṛpāḷa. What is this sovereign-power? — to me, you are simply kṛpāḷa.
This abhang argues cosmic-precedent (Rāma-setu) and theological-impossibility-of-blame (jīva-of-jīvas) for the personal-petition.
[T]
For someone today
For today: by you, the impossible happens — you floated stones in water, deva; why don't you take my side, do angīkāra? — my burden has become too much; if I say you erred — but you are the jīva of jīvas — no empty place have you left; Tuka says — what is this sattā-power? — to me you are kṛpāḷa.
Where this applies
- When you're carrying a burden that feels too heavy and you want to ask for help but hesitate
- When you're tempted to accuse God or life of not showing up for you when you needed it
- When you remember past evidence of grace or unexpected help and use it to renew your trust now
- When you realize that the very source you might blame is also the source sustaining your own existence