Abhanga 3106
When your life feels like it's slipping away and you feel forgotten, Tukaram shows it's right to cry out urgently for rescue, pointing to God's own history of saving those who call the Name.
The verse
मागें बहुतां जनां राखिलें आडणी । धांवसी निर्वाणी नाम घेतां ॥१॥
ऐसें ठावें जालें मज बरव्या परी । म्हणऊनि करीं धांवा तुझा ॥ध्रु.॥
माझेविशीं तुज पडिला विसरु । आतां काय करूं पांडुरंगा ॥२॥
अझुनि कां नये तुम्हासी करुणा । दुरि नारायणा धरिलें मज ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे जीव जाऊं पाहे माझा । आतां केशीराजा घालीं उडी ॥४॥
Literal translation
Māge bahutām janām rākhile aḍaṇī — behind, (you) saved many janas in aḍaṇī; dhāvasī nirvāṇī nāma ghetām — (you) run at nirvāṇa at Name-taking. Aise ṭhāve jāle maja baravyā parī — I have known this well; mhaṇaūnī karīm dhāvā tujhā — therefore I make a dhāva to you. Mājheviśī tuja paḍilā visaru — about me, visara has fallen on you; ātām kāya karūm Pāṇḍurangā — now what shall I do, Pāṇḍurangā. Ajhuni kām naye tumhāsī karuṇā — even now, why does karuṇā not come; duri Nārāyaṇā dharile maja — you have kept me far, Nārāyaṇa. Tukā mhaṇe jīva jāūm pāhe mājhā — Tukā says: my jīva wants to leave; ātām Keśīrājā ghālīm uḍī — now, Keśīrāja, jump-(to-rescue).
What it means
A canonical 4-verse urgent-death-cry petition by Tukārām.
The argument: Historical-evidence — you-saved-many; you-run-at-nirvāṇa-at-Name. I-know-this — so-I-cry-(dhāva). You've-forgotten-me; what-do-I-do? Even-now-no-karuṇā? You-keep-me-far. My-jīva-wants-to-leave — Keśīrāja, jump-(to-rescue).
Ghālīm uḍī (jump) is a striking-Vārkarī petition: Lord, jump (urgently, immediately) to-rescue! The bhakta-uses-the-Lord's-historical-record as-leverage for-his-own-urgent-petition.
For someone today
Tukārām's urgent-death-cry. Behind (in history), (you) saved many in (their) trouble; (you) run at death-time when the Name is taken. I have known this well — and so I make a cry to you. About me, forgetfulness has fallen on you; now what shall I do, Pāṇḍurangā? Even now, does compassion not come to you? You have kept me far, Nārāyaṇa. My life is wanting to leave — now, Keśīrāja, jump-(to-rescue)! The verse permits the urgent-death-cry with historical-evidence as leverage.
Where this applies
- When you're facing a crisis and feel like your prayers are going unanswered
- When you're scared and calling out for help, wondering if you've been forgotten
- When you draw on memories of being helped before to find courage to ask again now
- When someone you love is in danger and you're desperately hoping for a rescue that hasn't come