Abhanga 2308
God is the advocate of the helpless who already knows your inner trouble, so hand over what you cannot fix and ask for steadiness of mind.
The verse
श्रीपंढरीशा पतितपावना । एक विज्ञापना पायांपाशीं ॥१॥ अनाथां जीवांचा तूं काजकैवारी । ऐसी चराचरीं ब्रिदावळी ॥ध्रु.॥ न संगतां कळे अंतरीचें गुज । आतां तुझी लाज तुज देवा ॥२॥ आळिकर ज्याचें करिसी समाधान । अभयाचें दान देऊनियां ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे तूं चि खेळें दोहीं ठायीं । नसेल तो देई धीर मना ॥४॥
Literal translation
Śrī-Paṇḍharīśa, patita-pāvana — one petition at your feet. You are the advocate-case-bearer for anātha-jīvas — such is your bridāvaḷī among moving-and-non-moving. Without saying, [you] know the inner guja — now your shame is to you, Dēvā. The dharaṇā-request-bearer — you give satisfaction — by giving the abhaya-grant. Tuka says: you alone play in both places — otherwise give dhīra to the mind.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| श्रीपंढरीशा पतितपावना | "Śrī-Paṇḍharīśa, patita-pāvana" |
| एक विज्ञापना पायांपाशीं | "one petition at your feet" |
| अनाथां जीवांचा तूं काजकैवारी | "you are the advocate-case-bearer for anātha-jīvas" |
| ऐसी चराचरीं ब्रिदावळी | "such is your bridāvaḷī among moving-and-non-moving" |
| न संगतां कळे अंतरीचें गुज | "without saying, [you] know the inner guja" |
| आतां तुझी लाज तुज देवा | "now your shame is to you, Dēvā" |
| आळिकर ज्याचें करिसी समाधान | "the [dharaṇā]request-bearer — you give satisfaction" |
| अभयाचें दान देऊनियां | "by giving the abhaya-grant" |
| तुका म्हणे तूं चि खेळें दोहीं ठायीं | "Tuka says — you alone play in both places" |
| नसेल तो देई धीर मना | "otherwise give dhīra to the mind" |
What it means
OPENING OF THE AḶAṄKĀPURĪ-BRAHMIN-UPADĒŚA-CLUSTER (2308-2314, 11-abhang upadēśa announced by colophon at 2314). Tukārām's-petition to-Paṇḍharīśa about-the-42-day-faster
The opening — petition: Śrī-Paṇḍharīśā patita-pāvanā — ēka vijñāpanā pāyāmpāśīm — Śrī-Paṇḍharīśa, patita-pāvana — one petition at your feet. Śrī-Paṇḍharīśa, patita-pāvana — one-petition (vijñāpanā) at-your-feet.
The advocate-of-anātha-jīvas: anāthām jīvāñchā tūm kāja-kaivārī — aisī charā-charīm bridāvaḷī — you are the advocate-case-bearer for anātha-jīvas — such is your bridāvaḷī among moving-and-non-moving. You are-the-advocate (kāja-kaivārī) for-anātha-jīvas; such-is your bridāvaḷī (line-of-titles) in-the-charā-chara (moving-and-non-moving worlds).
The shame-to-you: na sangatām kaḷē antarīchē guja — ātām tujhī lāja tuja Dēvā — without saying, [you] know the inner guja — now your shame is to you, Dēvā. You-know-the-inner-guja without-being-told; now-(if-this-is-not-honored), your shame is-to-you.
The dharaṇā-reference: āḷikara jyāchē karisī samādhāna — abhayāchē dāna dē'ūniyām — the [dharaṇā]request-bearer — you give satisfaction — by giving the abhaya-grant. Āḷikara = one who makes a request, demand, dharaṇā-faster. The (Aḷankāpurī-)dharaṇā-faster — you give-him-satisfaction by-the-abhaya-grant. Direct-reference to the 42-day-faster who-came to-Tukārām (per 2307's prose-marginalia).
The closing — Lord plays both sides: Tukā mhaṇē tūm chi khēḷē dōhīm ṭhāyīm — nasēla tō dē'ī dhīra manā — Tuka says: you alone play in both places — otherwise give dhīra to the mind. You-alone-play in-both-(the-faster's-side-and-mine); otherwise give dhīra to-my-mind.
[T]
For someone today
For today: Śrī-Paṇḍharīśa, patita-pāvana — one petition at your feet; you are advocate for anātha-jīvas — such is your bridāvaḷī; you know inner guja without saying — your shame is to you, Dēvā; the dharaṇā-faster — give satisfaction by abhaya-dāna; Tuka says — you play in both places — give dhīra to my mind.
Where this applies
- When someone comes to you in desperate need and you cannot fix their problem yourself
- When you feel responsible for another person's suffering and don't know what to do
- When you want to advocate for someone without pretending you have the power to solve everything
- When you need reassurance that God already understands what's troubling you before you say it