Abhanga 3038
Bahu-janmīm kelā lāga — over many janmas, (I) made the lāga (pursuit); tō hā bhāga lādhalōm — (I) have obtained this bhāga (share).
The verse
बहुजन्में केला लाग । तो हा भाग लाधलों ॥१॥
जीव देइन हा बळी । करीन होळी संसारा ॥ध्रु.॥
गेलें मग नये हाता । पुढती चिंता वाटतसे ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे तांतड करूं । पाय धरूं बळकट ॥३॥
Literal translation
Bahu-janmīm kelā lāga — over many janmas, (I) made the lāga (pursuit); tō hā bhāga lādhalōm — (I) have obtained this bhāga (share). Jīva deina hā baḷi — I will give (my) jīva as a baḷi; karīna hōḷī samsārā — I will make a hōḷī of samsāra. Gele maga naye hātā — (if it) is gone, doesn't come back to hand; puḍhatī chintā vāṭatasē — chintā comes ahead. Tukā mhaṇe tāmtaḍa karūm — Tukā says: let me hasten; pāya dharūm baḷakaṭa — let me grasp the feet tightly.
What it means
A 3-verse refuge-and-resolve text by Tukārām.
The argument: Over-many-births I-made-the-pursuit; now-I've-obtained-this-portion; I'll-give-jīva-as-baḷi and-make-a-hōḷī-of-samsāra. The motivation: if-this-opportunity-leaves-my-hand-once-gone, future-worry will-come. The resolve: Hasten — grasp-the-feet-tight.
The bahu-janma-effort framing makes-this-life's-bhakti-opportunity into-the-fruit-of-many-births' work. The baḷi-and-hōḷī imagery is sacrificial — give-up-self, burn-samsāra. The tāmtaḍa (haste) is the Vārkarī-discipline.
For someone today
Tukārām's grasp-the-feet-tight claim. Over many janmas, (I) made the pursuit; (I) have obtained this share. I will give (my) jīva as a baḷi; I will make a hōḷī of samsāra. (If it) is gone, doesn't come back to hand; chintā comes ahead. Let me hasten — let me grasp the feet tightly. The verse permits the bhakta's-recognition that-this-opportunity is-the-fruit-of-many-births' effort and-must-be-grasped-tight-and-fast.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's grasp-the-feet-tight after-many-births' effort refuge-claim
- Bahu-janma-effort framing of this-life's-bhakti
- Baḷi-and-hōḷī-of-samsāra sacrificial-resolve
- Companion to 2811, 3032