Abhanga 3746
Even when you lose your way, grace sets the path straight again, so once clarity comes there is no real cause left for anguish.
The verse
चुकली ते वाट । पुढें सांपडवी नीट ॥१॥
म्हणउनी गर्भवास । नेणती ते हरिचे दास ॥ध्रु.॥
संचिताचा संग । काय जाणों पावें भंग ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे दृष्टी । उघडितों नव्हे कष्टी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Chuklī te vāṭa — the path has been missed; puḍhe sāmpaḍavī nīṭa — ahead, (the Lord) sets (us) straight. Mhaṇaunī garbha-vāsa — therefore garbha-vāsa; neṇatī te Harīñce dāsa — Hari's dāsas know it not. Samchitāñcā sanga — the sanga of samchita; kāya jāṇō pāve bhanga — what do we know — (perhaps) it faces bhanga. Tukā mhaṇe drṣṭī — Tukā says: drṣṭi; ughaḍitōm navhe kaṣṭī — opened, (I) am not kaṣṭī.
What it means
A short 3-verse Lord-sets-path-straight claim by Tukārām.
The argument: Path-missed, but-Lord-sets-(it)-straight-ahead. Therefore-Hari-dāsas-no-garbha-vāsa. Samchita-sanga may-break. Drṣṭi-opened, no-kaṣṭa.
The image puḍhe sāmpaḍavī nīṭa (ahead-sets-straight) is canonical: even-if-the-bhakta-misses-the-path, the-Lord-steers-from-ahead.
For someone today
Tukārām's claim of a path corrected. The path has been missed — but ahead, (the Lord) sets (us) straight. Therefore — Hari's servants know no rebirth. What do we know about the bondage of accumulated karma? — (perhaps) it will face breaking. With sight opened — I am not troubled. The verse permits this bhakti confidence: the Lord corrects the paths we miss.
मराठी: वाट चुकली तरी देव पुढे ती नीट करून देतो, हा तुकारामांचा विश्वास. वाट चुकली आहे — पण पुढे देव ती नीट करून दाखवतो. म्हणून हरीचे दास पुन्हा गर्भवासात पडत नाहीत. संचिताच्या बंधनाबद्दल आपल्याला काय माहीत — कदाचित तेही तुटेल. दृष्टी उघडल्यावर मी दुःखी नाही. या ओवीत भक्तीचा हा विश्वास मांडला आहे — वाट चुकली तरी देव ती दुरुस्त करतो.
Where this applies
- When you realize you have strayed from your intended path or made a mistake in your practice
- When old habits or past karma feel like a burden you cannot see your way out of
- When fear of failure or repeated setbacks makes you anxious about the future
- When a moment of clarity arrives and you are tempted to keep worrying anyway