Abhanga 3255
There is no purpose in living in humiliation; stand firm with courage, accept what destiny brings, and trust that grace is what ultimately matters.
The verse
ज्यावें हीनपणें । कासयाच्या प्रयोजनें ॥१॥
प्रारब्धीं संसार । बरी हिमतीची थार ॥ध्रु.॥
होणार ते कांहीं । येथें अवकळा नाहीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे देवें । कृपा केलिया बरवें ॥३॥
Literal translation
V1: to-live with-hīna-paṇa — for-what-purpose. V2 (dhr.): samsāra in-prārabdha; better himmat-thāra. V3: what-is-to-happen — no avakaḷā here. V4: Tukā: Deva's krpā — is good.
What it means
A pithy 3-verse dignity-claim. Living-with-humiliation is purposeless; samsāra-comes-by-prārabdha; firm-courage-is-better; what-comes-comes; Deva's-grace-is-good.
For someone today
Tukaram asks bluntly: what is the point of living in humiliation? Life unfolds according to what is destined, so it is better to stand firm with courage than to shrink in shame. Whatever is meant to happen will happen, and there is no real disorder in that if you meet it steadily. In the end, he says, when God shows grace, that is what matters most.
मराठी: तुकाराम स्पष्टपणे विचारतात: अपमानित होऊन जगण्यात काय अर्थ आहे? आयुष्य प्रारब्धानुसार घडते, त्यामुळे लाजेने संकोचण्यापेक्षा हिमतीने ठाम उभे राहणे बरे. जे व्हायचे ते होणारच, आणि ते धैर्याने स्वीकारले तर त्यात खरा गोंधळ काहीच नाही. शेवटी तुकाराम म्हणतात, देवाने कृपा केली की तेच खरे चांगले आहे.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's himmat-thāra; not-hīna-paṇa dignity-claim