Abhanga 3506
A small, sincere effort offered with your own hands, without demanding a particular result, is enough to draw close to God in genuine service.
The verse
आपुलिये टाकीं । करीन कांहीं तरी एकी ॥१॥
करीन पायांशीं वोळखी । करिसी तें करीं सुखीं ॥ध्रु.॥
कायाक्लेशगंगाजळ । समर्पीन तुळसीदळ ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे देवा । कर जोडीन ते सेवा ॥३॥
Literal translation
By-my-own-ṭākī — do-at-least-one. Make-vōḷakhī-with-feet — do-as-you-will-sukhē. Kāyā-kleśa-gangā-jaḷa — samarpa-tuḷasī-daḷa. Tukā: Deva — fold-hands-in-sēvā.
What it means
A short 3-verse offering text. I'll do one thing with my own chisel; let me know your feet; with body-effort and gangā-water I'll offer tulsī; I'll fold my hands in service.
For someone today
Tukaram promises to do at least one thing with his own hands: to come to know God's feet and draw close, and then to be at peace with whatever follows. He offers his own bodily effort alongside something as simple as Ganga water and a tulsi leaf, a small but sincere gift rather than a grand one. He ends by saying he will fold his hands and offer this as service.
मराठी: तुकाराम वचन देतात की ते स्वतःच्या हातांनी निदान एक तरी गोष्ट करतील, म्हणजे देवाच्या पायांशी ओळख करून घेतील आणि जवळ जातील, आणि मग पुढे जे काही घडेल त्यात समाधानी राहतील. ते आपल्या शरीराच्या श्रमासोबत गंगाजळासारखे साधे आणि तुळशीच्या पानासारखे लहान पण मनापासूनचे अर्पण देतात, कोणतीही भव्य भेट नाही. शेवटी ते म्हणतात की हात जोडून हीच सेवा ते अर्पण करतील.
Where this applies
- When you feel your offering is small but you want to give it sincerely anyway
- When you commit to doing at least one meaningful thing yourself, instead of waiting for perfect conditions
- When you are willing to accept whatever comes from trying to draw closer to something greater
- When you choose humble, quiet service over grand gestures