Abhanga 3727
Stay steady under hardship, let a trustworthy caretaker carry the real burden, and when you can bear no more on your own, arrive humbly and let yourself be carried the rest of the way.
The verse
मागें पुढें जालों लाटा । अवघा मोटा सरळ ॥१॥
नाहीं कोठें रितें अंग । नित्य रंग नवा चि ॥ध्रु.॥
पोसिंद्याचे पडिलों हातीं । वोझें माती चुकली ॥२॥
जोगावलों पोटीं खर । पाठी भार वरि नाहीं ॥३॥
अवघिया मोकळ्या दिशा । नाहीं वोळसा कामाचा ॥४॥
संताचिये लोळें द्वारीं । पळती दुरी गोमाशा ॥५॥
कांहीं न साहेसा जाला । तुका नेला समर्थ ॥६॥
पातोगें महाद्वारीं । वरि झुली वाकळा ॥७॥
Literal translation
Lashes-fore-and-aft-whole-load-straight. No-empty-anga-daily-new-color. Pōsindya-hands-load-of-mud-evaded. Donkey-belly-nourished-no-bhāra-on-back. All-diśās-free-no-vōḷasā-of-kāma. At-santa's-dvāra-rolling-flies-flee-far. Couldn't-bear-samartha-took-Tukā. Reached-mahā-dvāra-with-worn-jhulī-blanket.
What it means
A 7-verse continuation of the donkey-as-bhakta image (paired with 3726). Lashes from both sides but the load is straight; every day a new color; fell into the caretaker's hands, the load of mud evaded; donkey-belly nourished, no bhāra on back; all directions free, no kāma-tangle; at the santa's door rolling-in-dust, flies flee far; when I couldn't bear (anything), the samartha took me; reached the great-door wearing a worn-out blanket. The closing image of donkey-with-worn-blanket-at-the-mahā-dvāra is striking pilgrim-image.
For someone today
Continuing the image of the donkey, Tukaram says that even when struck front and back, the load stays steady and straight, and every day brings something new instead of emptiness. Having fallen into the hands of a true caretaker, he is spared the heavier burden of ordinary dust and mud, and his belly is nourished even though nothing weighs on his back anymore. Every direction feels open and free, with no tangle of desire holding him back. Rolling in the dust at the door of the sants, even pestering flies flee far away, and when he could bear no more on his own, the capable one simply carried him. He arrives at last at the great door, worn out, wearing nothing but an old, tattered blanket.
मराठी: गाढवाच्या रूपकाचा पुढचा भाग सांगताना तुकाराम म्हणतात की पुढून-मागून मार बसला तरी ओझे सरळच राहते, आणि रोज काहीतरी नवे घडते, रितेपण उरत नाही. खऱ्या पालनकर्त्याच्या हातात पडल्यामुळे सामान्य धुळी-मातीचे जड ओझे टळते, आणि पाठीवर काही नसतानाही पोट भरलेले राहते. सगळ्या दिशा मोकळ्या वाटतात, इच्छांचा गुंता उरत नाही. संतांच्या दारात धुळीत लोळताना त्रास देणाऱ्या माशासुद्धा दूर पळून जातात, आणि स्वतःहून सहन होईनासे झाल्यावर समर्थाने त्याला उचलून नेले. शेवटी तो महाद्वारापाशी पोहोचतो, अंगावर फक्त एक जुनी, फाटकी झूल असते.
Where this applies
- When you keep going steadily even while facing criticism or hardship from both sides
- When you finally let a trustworthy person or higher power take over a burden you can't carry alone anymore
- When you feel freed from the grip of craving and every direction suddenly feels open
- When you show up somewhere humble and worn out, but you've finally arrived where you needed to be