Abhanga 2968
Being praised or recognized by the world is not the same as inner fulfillment, so it is honest to keep asking for a direct, real word from the divine until you receive it.
The verse
जगीं मान्य केलें हा तुझा देकार । कीं कांहीं विचार आहे पुढें ॥१॥
करितों कवित्व जोडितों अक्षरें । येणें काय पुरें जालें माझें ॥ध्रु.॥
तोंवरि हे माझी न सरे करकर । जो नव्हे विचार तुझ्या मुखें ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे तुज पुंडलिकाची आण । जरी कांहीं वचन करिसी मज ॥३॥
Literal translation
Jagī mānya kele hā tujhā dekāra — (has the) world acknowledged (me)? — is this yourdekāra(sign, mark)?; kīm kāmhī vichāra āhe puḍhe — or is some (other)vichāra(consideration, plan) (still) ahead? Karitōm kavitva jōḍitōm akṣare — I makekavitva(poetry), joiningakṣaras; yeṇe kāya pure jāle mājhe — by this, what (in me) ispure(fulfilled)? Tōmvari he mājhī na sare karakara — until then, mykarakara(persistent-noise) will not subside; jō navhe vichāra tujhyā mukhe — untilvichāracomes from your mouth. Tukā says: tuja Puṇḍalīkāñcī āṇa — (I take) your oath on Puṇḍalīka; jarī kāmhī vachana karisī maja — if (only) you (would) speak somevachana(word) to me.
What it means
A short petition-for-direct-word verse. Jagī mānya kele hā tujhā dekāra — kīm kāmhī vichāra āhe puḍhe — world acknowledged (me) — is this your sign? — or other plan ahead? The opening-question: is the world's acknowledgment-of-me your-sign-of-grace, or is there other-plan?
Karitōm kavitva jōḍitōm akṣare — yeṇe kāya pure jāle mājhe — I make poetry, join letters — by this, what (in me) is fulfilled? The bhakta-poet's-question: poetry-and-word-making — what does it fulfill in me?
Tōmvari he mājhī na sare karakara — jō navhe vichāra tujhyā mukhe — until then, my noise doesn't stop — until the vichāra (the deciding-word) comes from your mouth. The petition: speak-some-word-from-your-mouth.
The close: Tukā mhaṇe tuja Puṇḍalīkāñcī āṇa — jarī kāmhī vachana karisī maja — (I take) the oath on Puṇḍalīka — if (only) you (would) speak a word to me. The earnest-petition for direct-divine-communication.
For someone today
This is an honest prayer for a direct word from God. Tukārām asks: has the world's recognition of me been your sign of favor, or is there something more ahead? I compose poetry and string together words, but what does that actually fulfill in me? Until you speak, my restless clamoring will not quiet down — I need to hear something directly from your mouth. Tukā swears by Puṇḍalīka that he will not stop pleading until the Lord answers him with even a single word.
मराठी: ही एक प्रामाणिक प्रार्थना आहे — देवाकडून थेट शब्द मिळावा म्हणून केलेली विनवणी. तुकाराम विचारतात, जगाने माझी वाहवा केली हे तुझ्या कृपेचे लक्षण आहे का, की अजून काही पुढे ठरलेले आहे? मी कविता करतो, शब्द जोडतो, पण त्याने माझ्या मनात खरोखर काय पूर्ण होते? जोवर तू स्वतः बोलत नाहीस, तोवर माझी ही तळमळ शांत होणार नाही — मला तुझ्या मुखातून थेट शब्द हवा आहे. तुका म्हणतात, पुंडलिकाची शपथ घेऊन सांगतो — जोवर तू मला एक शब्दही बोलत नाहीस तोवर मी विनवणी थांबवणार नाही.
Where this applies
- When someone achieves public recognition but still feels an unfilled emptiness inside
- When a writer, artist, or worker wonders whether their finished work truly satisfies their deeper need
- When you keep praying or asking for a sign because outward success has not brought real peace
- When you find yourself restless and unwilling to quiet down until you get real clarity or connection