Abhanga 3766
Whatever you offer back to God, like water poured back into its own river, was always God's gift to begin with, so ask humbly, without pretense, not to be overlooked.
The verse
हें चि वारंवार । पडताळुनी उत्तर ॥१॥
करितों पायांसी विनंती । नुपेक्षावें कमळापती ॥ध्रु.॥
गंगोदकें गंगे । अर्घ्य द्यावें पांडुरंगे ॥२॥
जोडोनियां हात । करी तुका प्रणिपात ॥३॥
Literal translation
Hem chi vāramvāra — this same again and again; paḍatāḷunī uttara — going over the reply. Karitōm pāyāmsī vinamtī — I make petition at the feet; nupekṣāvem kamaḷāpatī — do not overlook (me), Kamaḷā-pati. Gangōdakem gange — Gangā-water to Gangā; arghya dyāve Pāṇḍurange — let arghya be given to Pāṇḍuranga. Jōḍōniyām hāta — folding hands; karī Tukā praṇipāta — Tukā does praṇipāta.
What it means
A 3-verse compressed petition-closing. Same-request again-and-again, going-over-the-reply; petition-at-feet — don't-overlook-me, Kamaḷā-pati; Gangā-water-to-Gangā (offer-back-to-source) — arghya-to-Pāṇḍuranga; folded-hands, Tukā-praṇipāta. The image Gangā-water-to-Gangā expresses returning the Lord's own gift back as worship.
For someone today
Tukaram repeats the same simple request again and again, turning the words over carefully, asking humbly at God's feet not to be overlooked or neglected. He offers the image of pouring Ganga water back into the Ganga, meaning that whatever he offers to Panduranga in worship was always God's own gift in the first place. He is not bringing anything new, only returning what was already given. With folded hands, he bows completely, in full and simple surrender.
मराठी: तुकाराम तेच साधे मागणे पुन्हा पुन्हा मांडतात, शब्द काळजीपूर्वक तपासून, देवाच्या चरणांशी नम्रपणे विनंती करतात की माझी उपेक्षा करू नका. गंगेचे पाणी गंगेलाच अर्पण करावे, या प्रतिमेतून ते सांगतात की पांडुरंगाला जे अर्पण करत आहेत ते मुळात देवानेच दिलेले आहे. ते काही नवीन आणत नाहीत, फक्त दिलेले तेच परत करत आहेत. हात जोडून ते पूर्णपणे, साध्या भावाने नमस्कार करतात.
Where this applies
- When you keep repeating the same heartfelt request, wanting to make sure it is truly heard
- When you feel afraid of being overlooked or forgotten by someone you depend on
- When you realize that whatever good you offer to others was really given to you in the first place
- When you want to express complete, simple surrender without pretending to bring more than you have