Abhanga 3567
Samarthāche bāḷa pāmgharē vākaḷa — the samartha's child wraps in rag-blanket; hasatī sakaḷa lōka kōṇā — at whom do all-people laugh.
The verse
समर्थाचें बाळ पांघरे वाकळ । हसती सकळ लोक कोणा ॥१॥
समर्थासी लाज आपुल्या नांवाची । शरण आल्याची लागे चिंता ॥२॥
जरी तुज कांहीं होईंल उचित । तरी हा पतित तारीं तुका ॥३॥
Literal translation
Samarthāche bāḷa pāmgharē vākaḷa — the samartha's child wraps in rag-blanket; hasatī sakaḷa lōka kōṇā — at whom do all-people laugh. Samarthāsī lāja āpulyā nāmvāchī — the samartha has the shame of his own nāma; śaraṇa ālyāchī lāge chintā — concern-of-the-refugee attaches. Jarī tuja kāmhīm hōīmla uchita — if anything (be) fitting in your-power; tarī hā patita tārīm Tukā — then save this patita Tukā.
What it means
A 3-verse legal-honour claim. If the samartha's child walks-around in rags, who-is-being-laughed-at? — the-samartha-himself. His-own-name is on the line. The refugee's distress is the samartha's concern. So-if-anything-is-fitting-for-you to do — save-this-patita-Tukā. The argument: your-honour-depends-on-rescuing-me.
For someone today
When you take refuge with someone of standing, your-disgrace-becomes-their-disgrace. The claim is bold but ancient: protect-me-because-your-own-name-is-at-stake.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's samartha's-child-in-rags-shames-the-samartha canonical refuge-claim
- Companion to 2787 (bhakti-redeems-fallen) and 2843 (5-figure redemption list)