Abhanga 3145
Standing at the gate like a devoted doorkeeper, the devotee asks that those who have taken refuge be spared needless worry and be recognized as belonging.
The verse
द्वारपाळ विनंती करी । उभे द्वारीं राउळा ॥१॥
आपुलिया शरणागता । वाहों चिंता नेदावी ॥ध्रु.॥
वचना या चत्ति द्यावें । असो ठावें पायांसी ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे कृपासिंधू । दीनबंधू केशवा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Dvārapāḷa vinatī karī — the dvārapāḷa makes vinatī; ubhe dvārīm rāuḷā — standing at the door of rāūḷa. Āpuliyā śaraṇāgatā — your śaraṇāgata; vāhōm chintā nedāvī — don't let (them) bear chintā. Vachanā yā chitta dyāve — let chitta attend to this vachana; asō ṭhāve pāyāmsī — let (me) be known at (your) pāya. Tukā mhaṇe krpā-simdhū — Tukā says: O krpā-sindhu; dīna-bamdhū Keśavā — dīna-bandhu, Keśava.
What it means
A short 3-verse text by Tukārām, with the bhakta-as-dvārapāḷa image. The image: Tukā stands-at-the-rāūḷa-door as-the-Lord's-doorkeeper, making-petition-on-behalf-of-other-śaraṇāgatas. The petition: don't-let-your-refuge-takers carry-worry; attend-to-this-word; let-me-be-known-at-your-pāya.
The address-list at-close: krpā-sindhu, dīna-bandhu, Keśava — three canonical-Vārkarī titles.
For someone today
Tukārām's dvārapāḷa-petition. The doorkeeper makes entreaty — standing at the door of the temple. For your refuge-takers, do not let (them) bear worry. Let your mind attend to (this) word — let (me) be known at (your) feet. O ocean of compassion, friend of the destitute, Keśava. The verse offers the bhakta's self-positioning as the Lord's doorkeeper.
मराठी: तुकाराम द्वारपाळाच्या भूमिकेतून विनंती करतात. द्वारपाळ देवळाच्या दारात उभा राहून विनवणी करतो — तुला शरण आलेल्यांना चिंता वाहू देऊ नकोस. या शब्दांकडे तू लक्ष दे, आणि तुझ्या पायांशी मला ओळखले जाऊ दे. तुकाराम म्हणतात, हे कृपासिंधू, दीनांच्या सोबत्या, केशवा. अशा प्रकारे हा अभंग भक्ताने स्वतःला देवाच्या दारावरचा रखवालदार मानून केलेली विनंती मांडतो.
Where this applies
- When you find yourself praying not just for your own needs but on behalf of others who are struggling
- When you feel called to a humble, supporting role rather than a prominent one, and want to see that role as sacred
- When you worry about people who have placed their trust in something greater and want reassurance for them
- When you want words to address the divine with warmth, as a compassionate friend to those in need