Abhanga 3744
The long history of sincere devotion answered before you is itself the evidence you can trust that your own honest effort will not go unrewarded.
The verse
कोण साक्षीविण । केलें उद्धारा भजन ॥१॥
ऐसें सांगा जी दातारा । माझी भक्ति परंपरा ॥ध्रु.॥
कोणें नाहीं केली आळी । ब्रम्हज्ञानाहुनि वेगळी ॥२॥
कोणाचें तों कोड । नाहीं पुरविला लाड ॥३॥
कोणाच्या उद्धारा । केला विलंब माघारा ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे भिन्न । कांहो बोले साक्षीविण ॥५॥
Literal translation
Kōṇa sākṣīviṇa — who without a sākṣī; kele uddhārā bhajana — did bhajana for uddhāra. Aise sāngā jī dātārā — tell me, O dātāra; mājhī bhakti paramparā — my bhakti paramparā. Kōṇe nāhī kelī āḷī — who has not made an āḷī; brahma-jñānāhuni vegaḷī — distinct from brahma-jñāna. Kōṇāñce tōm kōḍa — whose kōḍa; nāhī puravilā lāḍa — (the) lāḍa not fulfilled. Kōṇāñcyā uddhārā — in whose uddhāra; kelā vilamba māghārā — (was) made vilamba (delay). Tukā mhaṇe bhinna — Tukā says: distinct; kām hō bōle sākṣīviṇa — how do you speak without a witness.
What it means
A 5-verse historical-precedent appeal by Tukārām.
The argument: Who, without-a-sākṣī-(witness), did-bhajana-for-uddhāra? Tell-me, dātāra — (this is) my-bhakti-paramparā. Who-has-not-made-a-bhakti-cry distinct-from-brahma-jñāna? Whose-kōḍa was-not-fulfilled? Whose-uddhāra was-delayed? Distinct (from-these) — how-can-you-speak-without-witness?
The bhakta-claims-historical-precedent: every-bhakta-in-the-lineage has-had-their-uddhāra; none-was-left-unfulfilled. Therefore-mine-too will-be-fulfilled.
For someone today
Tukārām's bhakti-paramparā appeal. Who, without a witness, did bhajana for uplift? Tell me, O giver — (this is) my bhakti lineage. Who has not made a plea — distinct from brahma-jñāna? Whose desire — has been left unfulfilled? In whose uplift — was there delay? Distinct (from these) — how do you speak without a witness? The verse permits the bhakti-historical-precedent claim.
Where this applies
- When you doubt whether your own sincere efforts or prayers will actually be answered
- When you draw courage from remembering others before you who faced similar struggles and came through
- When you feel discouraged and need proof, not just hope, that persistence eventually pays off
- When you point to a long track record of results to defend your trust in something you can't yet see happen