संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3639 of 4582

Abhanga 3639

Tukārām voices a raw complaint: this was not a moment of weakness to be brushed aside, so why does God hold back a helping hand and let him be seen crying? God shows him a glimpse of hope, then seems to slip away just as quickly, leaving him no closer to relief. He cries out, but the deep longing behind that cry still goes unanswered. The verse names this honest bhakti-complaint: it feels like the Lord shows hope and then flees.

When you feel dismissed at the exact moment you needed someone's attention most

When hope was shown to you briefly and then seemed to disappear just as fast

When you keep crying out and the longing behind it still goes unanswered

The verse

हा तों नव्हता दीन । टाळायाच्या ऐसा क्षण ॥१॥ कां जी नेणों राखा हात । कैसें देखावें रडत ॥ध्रु.॥ दावूनियां आस । दूर पळविता कास ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे धांव । घेतां न पुरे चि हांव ॥३॥

Literal translation

Hā tōm navhatā dīna — this was not a dīna; ṭāḷāyāñcyā aisā kṣaṇa — (a) moment to be evaded. Kām jī neṇōm rākhā hāta — why, knowing-not, do you keep-back (your) hand; kaise dekhāve raḍata — how am I to be seen crying. Dāvūnīyām āsa — showing āśā; dūra paḷavitā kāsa — flee-far holding kāsa. Tukā mhaṇe dhāva — Tukā says: dhāva; ghetām na pure chi hāva — taking (it), the hāva is not fulfilled.

What it means

A short 3-verse bhakti-complaint by Tukārām.

The claim: This-moment-is-not-one-to-evade. You-keep-hand-back; how-am-I-to-be-seen-crying? You-show-āśā then-flee-far. My-dhāva (cry) doesn't-fulfill-the-hāva (longing).

For someone today

मराठी: तुकाराम मनापासून तक्रार करतात — ही काही दुर्लक्ष करण्यासारखी दुबळेपणाची वेळ नव्हती, मग देव मदतीचा हात मागे का घेतो आणि मला रडताना पाहत का राहतो? देव क्षणभर आशा दाखवतो आणि लगेच दूर निघून जातो, त्यामुळे दिलासा काही जवळ येत नाही. मी हाक मारतो, पण त्या हाकेमागची खोल आस अजूनही अपूर्णच राहते. ही प्रामाणिक भक्ती-तक्रार आहे — जणू देव आशा दाखवून लगेच पळून जातो असे वाटते.

Where this applies

When you feel dismissed at the exact moment you needed someone's attention most, visibly upset in front of them
When hope was shown to you briefly and then it seemed to disappear just as quickly
When you keep crying out for something and the deep longing behind it still goes unanswered
When you feel confused about why help was withheld right when you needed it most