संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3402 of 4582

Abhanga 3402

God sets aside his own greatness and runs to answer the devotee's longing, showing that it is the greater one's role to serve the smaller one's need.

When you're waiting on someone with power or standing to notice your need.

When you have influence and must choose whether to use it in service of someone humbler.

When you're moved by someone important who sets their status aside to meet you where you are.

The verse

पुंडलिकाचे निकटसेवे । कैसा धांवे बराडी ॥१॥ आपुलें थोरपण । नारायण विसरला ॥ध्रु.॥ उभा कटीं ठेवुनि कर। न म्हणे पर बैससें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे जगदीशा । करणें आशा भक्तांची ॥३॥

Literal translation

How-barāḍī-runs-to-Puṇḍalika's-nikaṭa-sēvē. Nārāyaṇa-forgot-his-thōrpaṇa. Hands-on-kaṭi — doesn't-say-sit-aside. Tukā: jagadīśa — has-to-fulfill-bhakta's-āśā.

What it means

A compact 3-verse Pāṇḍharī-origin narrative. The barāḍī (vagabond-friend / one-who-takes-all) image is repeated from 2893 — the Lord is the barāḍī who takes all bhakta-offerings. Nārāyaṇa forgot his own greatness — runs to Puṇḍalika; stands on the brick, hands on waist.

For someone today

Tukaram retells the heart of the Pandharpur story, how God ran to be close to Pundalik, a simple devotee, completely setting aside his own greatness to do it. He stands there patiently, hands on his hips, waiting rather than telling anyone to step aside or wait their turn. Tukaram's point is that it is God's role to answer the longing of the devotee, not the other way around. It is a striking reversal, the greater one bends toward the smaller one's need instead of demanding attention for himself.

मराठी: तुकाराम पंढरपूरच्या कथेचे सार पुन्हा सांगतात, देव पुंडलिकासारख्या साध्या भक्ताजवळ धावत गेला, स्वतःचे मोठेपण पूर्णपणे विसरून. तो तिथे धीराने उभा राहतो, कमरेवर हात ठेवून, कोणाला बाजूला हो किंवा वाट पहा असे न सांगता वाट पाहत राहतो. तुकारामांचा मुद्दा असा आहे की भक्ताची आर्तता पूर्ण करणे हे देवाचे काम आहे, उलट नव्हे. हा एक विलक्षण उलटफेर आहे, मोठा स्वतःकडे लक्ष वेधण्याऐवजी लहानाच्या गरजेकडे झुकतो.

Where this applies

When you're waiting on someone powerful to notice you and wonder if your longing matters to them
When you have influence or standing and must decide whether to use it to serve someone humbler
When you feel you have to prove your greatness instead of simply showing up for someone who needs you
When you're moved by a leader or mentor who sets aside their status to meet you where you are

Autobiographical Bhakti