संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3674 of 4582

Abhanga 3674

Give your effort freely without expecting reward, and old regret can finally settle into a lasting, steady contentment.

When you work hard at something without any hope of being paid back for it

When you speak honestly to someone about their inaction instead of staying silently upset

When you notice a long-held regret has finally faded and been replaced by real peace of mind

The verse

माझे तों फुकाचे कायेचे चि कष्ट । नव्हे क्रियानष्ट तुम्हांऐसा ॥१॥ कांहीं च न वंचीं आजिचा प्रसंगीं । सकळा ही अंगीं करीन पूजा ॥ध्रु.॥ द्यावें काहीं तुम्हीं हें तों नाहीं आस । असों या उदास देहभावें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे माझी मावळली खंती । समाधान चित्तीं सर्वकाळ ॥३॥

Literal translation

My-kaṣṭa-body's-fukā — not-kriyā-naṣṭa-like-you. Won't-deny-today's-prasanga — pūjā-with-all-angī. No-āsa-for-dāna — stay-udāsa-deha-bhāvē. Tukā: my-khantī-set — samādhāna-chitti-sarva-kāḷa.

What it means

A 3-verse sharp-petition. My effort is just the body's free-labor — I'm not deed-destroyed like you. I won't deny anything today — I'll do pūjā with every limb. I have no hope of any gift — let's stay disinterested in body-feeling. Tukā: my regret has set; samādhāna in chitti always. The barb navhē kriyā-naṣṭa tumhām-aisā (I'm not deed-destroyed like you) accuses the Lord of being kriyā-naṣṭa (not-acting-when-he-should).

For someone today

Tukaram says his labor costs him nothing, it is simply what the body gives freely, unlike God, whom he pointedly accuses of sitting idle instead of acting. He commits to holding nothing back today, worshipping with every limb of his body. He admits he has no hope of receiving any gift in return, and chooses to stay unattached to whatever happens to his body either way. In the end he says his old regret has quietly faded, and a steady contentment now fills his mind at all times.

मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की त्यांचे कष्ट त्यांना काही किंमत मोजायला लावत नाहीत, ते फक्त शरीराने मुक्तपणे दिलेले असतात, याउलट देवावर ते थेट आरोप करतात की तो कृतीविना निष्क्रिय बसून आहे. आजच्या क्षणी काहीही राखून न ठेवता, संपूर्ण शरीराने पूजा करण्याचा निर्धार ते करतात. त्यांना बदल्यात काही मिळेल अशी अपेक्षाही नाही, आणि शरीराचे काय होईल याबद्दल ते निरपेक्ष राहतात. शेवटी ते सांगतात की त्यांची जुनी खंत आता शमली आहे, आणि मनात सतत एक स्थिर समाधान भरून राहिले आहे.

Where this applies

When you give your full effort without expecting anything back in return
When you feel bold enough to call out someone you love for their inaction instead of staying quietly resentful
When you commit to doing something wholeheartedly today instead of holding part of yourself back
When an old regret finally loosens its grip and a steadier peace settles into your mind