Abhanga 3819
Tukaram makes a bold, tender claim here: he says he is holding onto the corner of God's garment, refusing to let go, and declares that this closeness makes him and God equal, at least in the intimacy of this relationship. He says he has become completely generous with his own life, giving it fully, and now stands directly facing God rather than hiding or hesitating. Then, in a very human touch, he turns to the other saints and asks them to pass his message along to Panduranga, trusting the community of devotees to carry his voice forward.
The verse
आतां धरितों पदरीं । तुज मज करीन सरी ॥१॥
जालों जीवासी उदार । उभा ठाकलों समोर ॥२॥
तुका विनवीतसे संतां । ऐसें सांगा पंढरिनाथा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Now-hold-your-padara — make-you-and-me-sarī. Became-jīva-udāra — stood-in-front. Tukā-prays-to-santas — tell-Pandharināth.
What it means
A 3-verse sants-as-intercessors text. Now I'm holding onto your padara-corner — I'll make you and me equal. I've become liberal toward my own life — I've stood facing you. Tukā prays to the santas — please tell this to Paṇḍharināth. The line tuja maja karīna sarī (you-and-I-make-equal) is striking — the bhakta claiming equality with the Lord by virtue of holding-his-cloth. The closing — Tukā asking santas to carry his message to the Lord — is the canonical sants-as-intercessors trope.
For someone today
Tukaram makes a bold, tender claim here: he says he is holding onto the corner of God's garment, refusing to let go, and declares that this closeness makes him and God equal, at least in the intimacy of this relationship. He says he has become completely generous with his own life, giving it fully, and now stands directly facing God rather than hiding or hesitating. Then, in a very human touch, he turns to the other saints and asks them to pass his message along to Panduranga, trusting the community of devotees to carry his voice forward.
मराठी: तुकाराम इथे एक धाडसी, हळुवार दावा करतात: ते म्हणतात की देवाच्या पदराला घट्ट धरून ठेवले आहे, सोडणार नाही, आणि या जवळिकीमुळे ते आणि देव जणू बरोबरीचे झाले आहेत, निदान या नात्याच्या आपुलकीत तरी. आपले संपूर्ण आयुष्य उदारपणे अर्पण केले आहे असे ते म्हणतात, आणि आता लपून किंवा संकोच न करता थेट देवासमोर उभे आहेत. मग एका अगदी माणुसकीच्या क्षणात, ते इतर संतांकडे वळतात आणि आपला निरोप पंढरीनाथाला पोहोचवण्याची विनंती करतात, भक्तांच्या समुदायावर आपला आवाज पुढे नेण्याचा विश्वास ठेवतात.
Where this applies
- When you feel so close to God that you're bold enough to ask for real intimacy, not just distant reverence
- When you've given your whole self to something and want to stand before it openly, without hiding
- When you rely on a community of fellow devotees to support or carry forward your prayers
- When you want to move from timid faith to a confident, personal relationship with God