Abhanga 3812
The verse
आतां तरी मज सांगा साच भाव । काय म्यां करावें ऐसें देवा ॥१॥
चुकावया कर्म नव्हतें कारण । केला होय सीण अवघा चि ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे नको पाहूं निरवाण । देई कृपादान याचकासी ॥३॥
Literal translation
At-least-now — tell-me-true-bhāva — what-should-I-do-Deva. Karma-avoidance-was-not-the-cause — only-śīṇa-was-all. Tukā: don't-test-to-niravāṇa — give-krpā-dāna-to-yāchaka.
What it means
A 3-verse petition. At least now tell me the true state — what should I (really) do, Deva? My purpose was not karma-avoidance — and so all that happened was sheer exhaustion. Don't test (me) till extinction — give the grace-gift to this mendicant. The line chukāvayā karma navhatēm kāraṇa (my motive was not to escape karma) is honest — Tukārām is saying I wasn't shirking duty; I was sincerely seeking — and yet I'm exhausted. The bhakta's-exhaustion-prayer.
For someone today
Tukārām: tell-me-at-least-now-what-to-do — I-wasn't-shirking-duty — only-exhausted — give-grace.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's tell-me-truly-now-what-to-do; don't-test-to-end-give-krpā-dāna canonical petition
- karma-avoidance-not-the-cause honest-effort disclaimer