Abhanga 3765
Having sincerely committed to a path, it is honest and fair to ask that the promised reward finally be felt, rather than staying tasteless while claims of greatness go unanswered.
The verse
नामाचा महिमा बोलिलों उत्कर्ष । अंगा कांहीं रस न ये चि तो ॥१॥
कैसें समाधान राहे पांडुरंगा । न लगे चि अंगा आणी कांहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
लाभाचिये अंगीं सोस कवतुकें । फिक्याचें तें फिकें वेवसाव ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे करा आपुला महिमा । नका जाऊं धर्मावरि माझ्या ॥३॥
Literal translation
Nāmāchā mahimā bōlilōm utkarṣa — I spoke the eminence of Name's glory; angā kāmhīm rasa na ye chi tō — but no rasa comes to my body. Kaise samādhāna rāhe Pāṇḍurangā — how can equanimity stay, Pāṇḍuranga?; na lage chi angā āṇī kāmhīm — (the body) does not accept anything else. Lābhāchiye angīm sōsa kavatuke — on the side of gain (there is) eager-delight; phikyāche te phike vevasāva — the tasteless is tasteless business. Tukā mhaṇe karā āpulā mahimā — Tukā says: do your own mahimā; nakā jāūm dharmāvari mājhyā — do not go against my dharma.
What it means
A 3-verse petition with sharp leverage. I praised-Name's-eminence-but-no-rasa-arrives-in-me; how-can-I-stay-calm, Pāṇḍuranga?; anga-demands-only-this-not-anything-else; profit-side-has-its-own-delights, the-tasteless-business-stays-tasteless; do-your-mahimā-yourself — don't-violate-my-dharma (my-promise/path). Tukārām holds the Lord to account for not delivering rasa despite the bhakta's praise.
For someone today
Tukaram admits that he has spoken loudly about the greatness of God's Name, but no real sweetness or feeling has come into his own body from it. He asks honestly how he can possibly stay calm and content, Panduranga, when nothing else satisfies him anymore. He notices that people chasing ordinary profit feel real eagerness and delight in their pursuit, while his own devoted effort, without that felt sweetness, still feels flat and tasteless. So he pushes back directly: God should live up to his own reputation for greatness, and not let Tukaram's faith, the very path he has staked his life on, go unanswered.
मराठी: तुकाराम कबूल करतात की आपण नामाचा मोठेपणा मोठ्याने सांगितला, पण त्यातून आपल्या अंगात खरा रसच उतरला नाही. पांडुरंगा, मग शांती कशी राहील असे ते स्पष्टपणे विचारतात, कारण दुसरे काहीच त्यांना समाधान देत नाही. नफ्याच्या मागे धावणाऱ्या लोकांना खरा उत्साह आणि आनंद वाटतो, पण आपले भक्तीचे प्रयत्न, त्या गोडीशिवाय, अजूनही निरस वाटतात असे ते नोंदवतात. म्हणून ते थेट म्हणतात: देवाने आपल्या मोठेपणाला साजेसे वागावे, आणि ज्या मार्गावर आपण आयुष्य पणाला लावले आहे तो माझा धर्म असाच उत्तराशिवाय राहू देऊ नये.
Where this applies
- When you have talked about the value of a practice or belief but have not yet felt its promised reward
- When you notice that worldly pursuits give people visible excitement while your own devoted effort feels flat
- When you feel entitled to ask honestly why your sincere commitment has not yet been met with any real response
- When you hold someone accountable to live up to the trust you placed in them