संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3559 of 4582

Abhanga 3559

Karūnī vinavaṇī, māthā ṭhevitōm charaṇīm — making vinavaṇī, I place head at charaṇa.

Tukārām's let-the-saumya-form-remain; where-shall-I-go-from-your-anger refuge prayer

The verse

करूनि विनवणी । माथा ठेवितों चरणीं ॥१॥ होतें तें चि असों द्यावें । रूप सौम्य चि बरवें ॥ध्रु.॥ भया भेणें तुमचा ठाव । तुमच्या कोपें कोठें जावें ॥२॥ तुका पायां लागे । दान समुदाय मागे ॥३॥

Literal translation

Karūnī vinavaṇī, māthā ṭhevitōm charaṇīmmaking vinavaṇī, I place head at charaṇa. Hōte te chi asōm dyāve, rūpa saumya chi baravēlet what-is remain, the saumya rūpa itself is good. Bhayā bhēṇe tumchā ṭhāvaby fear-of-fear, (to) your place; tumchyā kōpe kōṭhe jāvewhere shall (I) go from your kōpa. Tukā pāyām lāge, dāna samudāya māgeTukā falls at feet, asks for a gathering-of-gifts.

What it means

A brief 3-verse entreaty: keep-the-saumya-form-as-it-is; I-come-fleeing-fear to-you; but-where-do-I-go-from-your-kōpa-if-you-turn-angry — so-let-the-gentle-rūpa-remain. The paradoxical-double-bind of one whose refuge could also become his terror — resolved by asking that the gentle face stay.

For someone today

Sometimes refuge-prayer is simply: please keep the face I love; if-even-you-turn-against-me I-have-nowhere-left.

Where this applies