Abhanga 3812
When sincere effort has left you exhausted, it's honest to ask God plainly for clarity and grace instead of enduring endless testing.
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
Tukaram is honestly worn out here, and he asks God plainly: at least now, tell me what's really true, tell me what I should actually do. He clarifies he was never trying to dodge his responsibilities or duties — his sincere effort simply led to sheer exhaustion, not avoidance. So he asks God not to keep testing him to the breaking point, and instead to simply give this humble beggar a gift of grace. It's the honest prayer of someone who has tried hard and genuinely needs relief, not someone who gave up trying.
मराठी: तुकाराम इथे खरोखरच थकलेले आहेत, आणि ते देवाला स्पष्टपणे विचारतात: निदान आता तरी मला खरे काय ते सांग, मी नेमके काय करावे ते सांग. ते स्पष्ट करतात की त्यांनी कधीही आपली जबाबदारी टाळण्याचा प्रयत्न केला नाही — त्यांच्या प्रामाणिक प्रयत्नांतून फक्त थकवाच आला, टाळाटाळ नव्हे. म्हणून ते देवाला विनवतात की त्यांची परीक्षा शेवटच्या टोकापर्यंत घेऊ नकोस, आणि त्याऐवजी या नम्र याचकाला कृपेचे दान दे. जो खरोखर मेहनत करून थकला आहे आणि ज्याला खरी विश्रांती हवी आहे, अशा माणसाची ही प्रामाणिक प्रार्थना आहे, प्रयत्न सोडून दिलेल्या माणसाची नव्हे.
Where this applies
- When you've tried sincerely and honestly but feel completely worn out
- When you need clarity about what to do next instead of more confusion
- When you fear you're being tested beyond what you can bear
- When you need to ask plainly for help or relief instead of struggling silently