Abhanga 3809
Even feeling like the lowest of servants, you can ask God not to be indifferent, hand over your burden, and rest without worry at God's feet.
The verse
तुझिया दासांचा हीन जालों दास । न धरीं उदास मायबापा ॥१॥
तुजविण प्राण कैसा राहों पाहे । वियोग न साहे क्षणभरि ॥ध्रु.॥
आणिक माझ्या जीवें मोकलिली आस । पाहे तुझी वास पांडुरंगा ॥२॥
सर्वभावें तुज आणिला उचित । राहिलों निश्चिंत तुझे पायीं ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे तुज असो माझा भार । बोलतों मी फार काय जाणें ॥४॥
Literal translation
I-lower-dāsa-of-your-dāsas — don't-be-udāsa-māyabāpā. Without-you-prāṇa — viyōga-not-bearable-kṣaṇa. Jīva-released-other-āsa — gaze-your-direction-Pāṇḍurangā. By-sarva-bhāva-brought-uchita — rest-niścinta-at-feet. Tukā: bhāra-on-you — I-speak-much-what-do-I-know.
What it means
A 4-verse lowest-dāsa-prayer text. I have become the lowest dāsa of your dāsas — don't be indifferent, mother-father. Without you my breath cannot stay — I cannot bear separation for even a moment. My soul has released all other hopes — it gazes only in your direction, Pāṇḍuranga. By all bhāva I have come (here) fittingly — I rest without anxiety at your feet. Let the burden be on you — I speak much — what do I really know?
For someone today
Tukaram prays like a child speaking to a parent, calling himself the lowliest of God's servants and begging not to be ignored. He says he cannot bear even a moment of separation from God, that his breath itself depends on that closeness, and that he has given up hoping for anything else — his whole gaze rests on Vitthal alone. Having come this far with complete sincerity, he settles at God's feet without worry, admitting honestly that he talks a lot but doesn't really know much; he simply hands over his burden and trusts God to carry it.
मराठी: तुकाराम इथे लहान मुलासारखे आईवडिलांशी बोलावे तसे प्रार्थना करतात, स्वतःला देवाच्या सेवकांमधला सर्वात नीच सेवक म्हणतात आणि दुर्लक्ष न करण्याची विनवणी करतात. ते म्हणतात की देवापासून क्षणभरही वेगळे राहणे त्यांना सहन होत नाही, त्यांचा श्वासही त्या जवळिकीवर अवलंबून आहे, आणि इतर सगळ्या आशा त्यांनी सोडून दिल्या आहेत — त्यांची नजर फक्त विठ्ठलावरच खिळलेली आहे. पूर्ण मनापासून इथवर आल्यावर, ते कोणतीही चिंता न बाळगता देवाच्या पायी विसावतात, आणि प्रामाणिकपणे कबूल करतात की ते खूप बोलतात पण खरे तर त्यांना फारसे काही माहीत नाही; ते फक्त आपला भार देवाकडे सोपवतात आणि देव तो सांभाळेल असा विश्वास ठेवतात.
Where this applies
- When you feel unworthy but still need to ask for God's attention and care
- When separation from what matters most to you feels unbearable, even briefly
- When you've let go of every other hope and are relying on one relationship completely
- When you're carrying a burden that feels too heavy and need to hand it over rather than keep struggling alone