Abhanga 3117
Ghālitī pavhayā — (some) put out pavhayās; vāṭe anāthāñcyā dayā — for the dayā of anātha.
The verse
घालिती पव्हया । वाटे अनाथाच्या दया ॥१॥
तैसें कां हें नये करूं । पांडुरंगा आम्हां तारूं ॥ध्रु.॥
रोगियासी काढा । देउनि वारितील पीडा ॥२॥
बुडत्यासाटीं उडी । घालितील कां हे जोडी ॥३॥
सारितील कांटे । पुढें मागिलांचे वाटे ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे भार । घेती भागल्यांचा फार ॥५॥
Literal translation
Ghālitī pavhayā — (some) put out pavhayās; vāṭe anāthāñcyā dayā — for the dayā of anātha. Taise kām he naye karūm — why doesn't this come to (be) done likewise; Pāṇḍurangā āmhām tārum — Pāṇḍurangā, (be) our tāru. Rōgiyāsī kāḍhā — to the rōgī, kāḍha; deunī vāritīla pīḍā — giving, they clear pīḍā. Buḍatyāsāṭīm uḍī — for the drowning, uḍī; ghālitīla kām he jōḍī — they put out — for the assembling. Sāritīla kāmṭe — they clear the thorns; puḍhe māgilāñce vāṭe — ahead on the māgila (later)'s path. Tukā mhaṇe bhāra — Tukā says: bhāra; ghetī bhāgalyāñcā phāra — (they) take much of the tired.
What it means
★ A canonical 5-image philanthropy-pleading text by Tukārām.
The 5 sevā-images as-bhakti-model (asking-the-Lord-to-do-the-same-for-us): 1. Throw-pavhayās (rafts, ferry-floats) — for anātha-dayā 2. Give kāḍhā (decoction) to-rōgī — clears-pīḍa 3. Put-out-uḍī (jump) for-drowning 4. Clear-thorns ahead on-margila (followers')-path 5. Take-bhāra (load) of-the-tired
The framing: humans-do-these-philanthropy-acts; why-doesn't-the-Lord, who-is-our-tāru-(boat), do-likewise?
★ This is a striking-and-rare philanthropy-as-bhakti-model text. The bhakta-shows-the-Lord 5 specific-human-virtues and-asks do-the-same-for-us. The verse-frames-philanthropy as-sacred-imitation-of-Lord's-deeds.
For someone today
Tukārām's 5-philanthropy-images pleading. (Some) put out rafts — for the compassion of (the) orphans. Why doesn't this come to (be) done likewise — Pāṇḍurangā, (be) our boat? To the sick, they give decoction; (it) clears the affliction. For the drowning, they put out (a) jump — to assemble (rescue). They clear the thorns ahead — on the path the followers (will travel). They take the load of the tired. The verse permits the canonical-bhakti-as-philanthropy model with 5 sevā-acts.
Where this applies
- ★ Canonical 5-image philanthropy-pleading text
- Philanthropy-as-bhakti-model
- Pavhayā/kāḍha/uḍī/thorn-clear/bhāra-of-tired 5-sevā-types