Abhanga 3041
Deva bhaktā-lāgīm karūm nedī samsāra — the Lord does not let the bhakta have samsāra; ange vāra-vāra karōnī ṭhevī — with (his) anga, (he) makes vāra-vāra and keeps.
The verse
देव भक्तालागीं करूं नेदी संसार । अंगें वारावार करोनि ठेवी ॥१॥
भाग्य द्यावें तरी अंगीं भरे ताठा । म्हणोनि करंटा करोनि ठेवी ॥ध्रु.॥
स्त्री द्यावी गुणवंती नसती गुंते आशा । यालागीं कर्कशा पाठी लावी ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे मज प्रचित आली देखा । आणीक या लोकां काय सांगों ॥३॥
Literal translation
Deva bhaktā-lāgīm karūm nedī samsāra — the Lord does not let the bhakta have samsāra; ange vāra-vāra karōnī ṭhevī — with (his) anga, (he) makes vāra-vāra and keeps. Bhāgya dyāve tarī angīm bhare ṭāṭhā — if (he) gave bhāgya, ṭāṭhā would fill (the) body; mhaṇōnī karaṇṭā karōnī ṭhevī — therefore (he) makes (the bhakta) karaṇṭā. Strī dyāvī guṇavantī nasatī gumte āśā — if (he) gave a guṇavantī wife, āśā would otherwise entangle; yālāgīm karkaśā pāṭhī lāvī — therefore (he) attaches a karkaśā (harsh-one) on (the) back. Tukā mhaṇe maja prachīta ālī dekhā — Tukā says: I have come to prachīta of this; āṇīka yā lōkām kāya sāngōm — what else can I tell to the people.
What it means
A ★ rare-explicit theological-explanation by Tukārām, of-why-bhaktas-suffer.
The candid-claim: the Lord deliberately-prevents-the-bhakta-from-samsāra-comforts. The mechanism: 1. If bhāgya (fortune) were given — pride would-fill-the-body 2. Therefore, the Lord makes the bhakta karaṇṭā (deprived, hapless) 3. If a guṇavantī (virtuous) wife were given — attachment would-entangle 4. Therefore, the Lord attaches a karkaśā (harsh-one)
The Lord's-actions are-not-punishment but-grace-disguised: the suffering-protects-the-bhakta-from-pride-and-attachment that-would-prevent-bhakti.
★ The closing-line — I-have-come-to-prachīta (direct-experience) — is striking. Tukārām cites-his-own-life (poverty, the difficult-marriage to-Jijāī) as-evidence-for-this-theology. What-more-can-I-tell-the-people — the rest-is-direct-experience.
This text explains-the-mechanism of-the-anti-bad-wife-cluster (2966-2967) and-of-Tukārām's-own-poverty (cf 2944-2945-simple-life-biographical-cluster). The candor is rare — most-bhakti-texts don't-explicitly-claim that-the-Lord-engineers-the-bhakta's-difficulties.
For someone today
Tukārām's candid theological-claim. The Lord does not let the bhakta have samsāra; (he) makes vāra-vāra with (his) own anga and keeps (the bhakta from it). If he were to give fortune, pride would fill (the bhakta's) body — therefore (he) makes (the bhakta) deprived. If he gave a virtuous wife, attachment would otherwise entangle (the bhakta) — therefore (he) attaches a harsh-one (instead). I have come to direct-experience of this — what else can I tell to the people? The verse permits the bhakta-recognition that-suffering may-be-grace-disguised, protecting-from-pride-and-attachment.
Where this applies
- ★ Candid theological-explanation of-why-bhaktas-suffer
- Rare-explicit text — Tukārām's-own prachīta cited
- Explains-the-mechanism of-2966-2967 (anti-bad-wife cluster)
- Tukārām's-own biographical-context (poverty, difficult-marriage)