Abhanga 3837
Trusting in a proven history of kindness, Tukaram asks not to be abandoned after coming for refuge, since it has never been heard that such trust was betrayed.
The verse
आतां पहाशील काय माझा अंत । आलों शरणागत तुज देवा ॥१॥
करीं अंगीकार राखें पायांपाशीं । झणीं दिसों देसी केविलवाणें ॥ध्रु.॥
नाहीं आइकिली मागें ऐसी मात । जे त्वां शरणागत उपेक्षिले ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आतां धरीं अभिमान । आहेसी तूं दानशूर दाता ॥३॥
Literal translation
Now-test-my-end? — came-śaraṇāgata. Do-angīkāra — don't-let-me-look-pathetic. Never-heard — that-you-upekṣilē-śaraṇāgata. Tukā: take-abhimāna — you-are-dāna-śūra-dātā.
What it means
A 3-verse refugee-prayer. Now, will you test my limit? I have come to refuge in you, Deva. Take me up, keep me close to your feet — don't let me look pitiable. It has never been heard, in the past, that you neglected a śaraṇāgata. Take responsibility now — you are the hero-of-giving. The historical-precedent argument (it has never been heard in the past) appeals to the bhakti-paramparā as a witness (cf. 3744).
For someone today
Tukaram asks God directly whether he is being tested now that he has come seeking refuge. He pleads to be accepted and kept close, not left looking pathetic and abandoned. He points out that it has never once been heard that God neglected someone who came for shelter, and on the strength of that history, he asks God to now take responsibility for him as the great and generous giver he is known to be. It's a prayer built on trust in a track record, not just hope.
मराठी: तुकाराम देवाला थेट विचारतात की मी शरण आलो असताना आता माझी परीक्षा घेणार का. ते विनंती करतात की मला स्वीकारावे आणि जवळ ठेवावे, केविलवाणे आणि सोडून दिलेले वाटू देऊ नये. ते सांगतात की देवाने कधीही शरण आलेल्याची उपेक्षा केली असे ऐकिवात नाही, आणि याच इतिहासाच्या बळावर ते देवाला आता आपली जबाबदारी घ्यावी अशी विनंती करतात, कारण देव दानशूर आणि उदार दाता म्हणून ओळखला जातो. ही प्रार्थना केवळ आशेवर नाही तर एका सिद्ध इतिहासावर आधारलेली आहे.
Where this applies
- When you finally ask for help after resisting it for a long time
- When you feel afraid that reaching out for support will be met with rejection
- When you draw courage from someone's proven track record of kindness
- When you need to trust that showing vulnerability will not be used against you