Abhanga 3137
Belonging fully to the divine gives a devotee rightful confidence and security, so there is no need to beg others for help.
The verse
तैसे नहों आम्ही विठ्ठलाचे दास । यावें आणिकांस काकुलती ॥१॥
स्वामिचिया सत्ता ठेंगणें सकळ । आला कळिकाळ हाताखालीं ॥ध्रु.॥
अंकिताचा असे अभिमान देवा । समर्पूनि हेवा असों पायीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आम्हां इच्छेचें खेळणें । कोड नारायणें पुरवावें ॥३॥
Literal translation
Taise nahōm āmhī Viṭhṭhalāñce dāsa — we are not such (as others) — Viṭhṭhala's dāsas; yāve āṇikāmsa kākulatī — should not come kākulati to others. Svāmichiyā sattā ṭhengaṇe sakaḷa — under the svāmi's sattā, all is ṭhengaṇe (under-hand); ālā kaḷikāḷa hātākhālīm — kaḷikāḷa has come under (our) hand. Ankitāñcā ase abhimāna Devā — the ankita has abhimāna, Deva; samarpūnī hevā asōm pāyīm — offering hevā, let us be at (your) feet. Tukā mhaṇe āmhām ichchhecha kheḷaṇe — Tukā says: we have an ichchhā-kheḷaṇa; kōḍa Nārāyaṇe puravāve — the kōḍa, Nārāyaṇa will fulfill.
What it means
A canonical 3-verse ankita-pride text by Tukārām.
The claim: We're-not-like-others; we-are-Viṭhṭhala's-dāsas — won't-come-begging-to-others. Under-the-svāmi's-sattā, all-(things)-are-under-hand; kaḷi-kāḷa has-come-under-our-hand. The ankita (the-bhakta-bound-in-the-master's-account) has-abhimāna-(pride), Deva. Offering-hevā (rivalry), let-us-stay-at-feet. We-have-a-toy-of-desire; the-kōḍa (riddle/desire) Nārāyaṇa-fulfills.
The ankita-pride is a distinctive Vārkarī claim: the bhakta-who-is-ankita-(account-of-the-Master) has-the-right-to-bhakta-pride. Not-arrogance but-rightful-recognition that kaḷi-kāḷa-is-under-our-hand-(because-the-Master-is-our-svāmī).
Compare-Tukārām's-2843 (brahmāṇḍa-nāyaka-I-his-ankita, what-can-Yama-dūta-do), 3044 (Nārāyaṇa-is-sants'-sāhāya).
For someone today
Tukārām's ankita-pride claim. We are not such (as others) — we are Viṭhṭhala's dāsas. We should not come begging to others. Under the svāmi's authority, everything is within reach; kaḷi-kāḷa itself has come under our hand. The ankita has pride, Deva. Offering rivalry, let us stay at (your) feet. We have a toy-of-desire; the riddle, Nārāyaṇa will fulfill. The verse offers this canonical ankita pride: kaḷi-kāḷa itself is under our hand, because our master is Viṭhṭhal.
मराठी: तुकाराम आपल्या अंकित-अभिमानाबद्दल सांगतात. आम्ही इतरांसारखे नाही — आम्ही विठ्ठलाचे दास आहोत; म्हणून इतरांपुढे लाचारी करण्याची आम्हांला गरज नाही. स्वामींच्या सत्तेखाली सर्व काही आमच्या हाताशीच आहे; काळ-कळिकाळही आमच्या हाताखाली आला आहे. देवा, तुझ्या अंकिताला हा अभिमान आहे. हेवा-दावा सोडून आम्ही तुझ्या पायांशीच राहतो. तुकाराम म्हणतात, आम्हांला फक्त इच्छेचे खेळणे हवे, आणि ते कोडे नारायणच पुरवेल. अशा प्रकारे हा अभंग सांगतो की स्वामी विठ्ठलच असल्यामुळे काळही आमच्या हाताखाली आहे, हा अस्सल भक्त-अभिमान आहे.
Where this applies
- When you feel small or powerless and need to remember whose protection you actually stand under
- When you are tempted to beg for approval or help from people who cannot really give you security
- When fear of hardship or death weighs on you and you need a source of steady confidence
- When you want pride that comes from belonging and devotion rather than from ego