Abhanga 1988
Wherever you go and whatever you say, you are never truly alone, and that companionship can turn fear into boldness and strangers into family.
The verse
जेथें जातों तेथें तू माझा सांगाती । चालविसी हातीं धरूनियां ॥१॥ चालों वाटे आम्ही तुझा चि आधार । चालविसी भार सवें माझा ॥ध्रु.॥ बोलों जातां बरळ करिसी तें नीट । नेली लाज धीट केलों देवा ॥२॥ अवघें जन मज जाले लोकपाळ । सोइरे सकळ प्राणसखे ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे आतां खेळतों कौतुकें । जालें तुझें सुख अंतर्बाहीं ॥४॥
Literal translation
Wherever I go — you are my companion — you walk me, holding my hand. We walk the path — only your support — you carry the burden with me. When I speak — you correct the babble — took shame, made me bold, Lord. All people became my lōka-pāḷa — all relatives — prāṇa-companions. Tuka says: now I play with delight — your sukha became inner-and-outer.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| जेथें जातों तेथें तू माझा सांगाती | "wherever I go — you are my companion" |
| चालविसी हातीं धरूनियां | "you walk me — holding my hand" |
| चालों वाटे आम्ही तुझा चि आधार | "we walk the path — only your support" |
| चालविसी भार सवें माझा | "you carry the burden with me" |
| बोलों जातां बरळ करिसी तें नीट | "when I speak — you correct the babble" |
| नेली लाज धीट केलों देवा | "took shame — made me bold, Lord" |
| अवघें जन मज जाले लोकपाळ | "all people became my lōka-pāḷa" |
| सोइरे सकळ प्राणसखे | "all relatives — prāṇa-companions" |
| तुका म्हणे आतां खेळतों कौतुकें | "Tuka says — now I play with delight" |
| जालें तुझें सुख अंतर्बाहीं | "your sukha became inner-and-outer" |
What it means
You-are-my-companion-everywhere + your-sukha-inner-outer abhang.
The opening: jēthē jātōm tēthē tūm mājhā sāngātī — chālavisī hātīm dharūniyām — wherever I go — you are my companion — you walk me, holding my hand. The Lord as everywhere-companion who-leads-by-the-hand.
The path-support: chālōm vāṭē āmhī tujhā chi ādhāra — chālavisī bhāra savē mājhā — we walk the path — only your support — you carry the burden with me. The Lord supports-the-walk and-carries-the-burden.
The babble-correction: bōlōm jātām baraḷa karisī tē nīṭa — nēlī lāja dhīṭa kēlōm Dēvā — when I speak, you correct the babble — took shame, made me bold. Even-when-I-babble, you-make-it-coherent; you-took-my-shame and-made-me-bold. The poet's-confession that-the-Lord polishes-his-words.
The world-as-friends: avaghē jana maja jālē lōka-pāḷa — sō'irē sakaḷa prāṇa-sakhē — all people became my lōka-pāḷa — all relatives prāṇa-companions. Lōka-pāḷa = world-protector. All-people are-protectors and-prāṇa-companions to-me.
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē ātām khēḷatōm kautukē — jālē tujhē sukha antar-bāhī — Tuka says: now I play with delight — your sukha became inner-and-outer. Now-Tukārām plays-with-delight; the Lord's sukha-pervades inner-and-outer.
[T]
For someone today
For today: wherever I go — you are my companion — you walk me, holding my hand; we walk the path — only your support — you carry the burden with me; when I speak — you correct the babble — took shame, made me bold; all people became lōka-pāḷa — all relatives prāṇa-companions; Tuka says — now I play with delight — your sukha became inner-and-outer.
Where this applies
- When you're stepping into an unfamiliar situation and feel like you need someone walking beside you
- When you stumble over your words in an important conversation and worry about looking foolish
- When you're carrying a heavy burden and it seems like no one else can share it
- When you notice unexpected kindness from strangers and want to feel more connected to everyone around you