Abhanga 3851
The treasure of devotion is inexhaustible and was carefully passed down through generations, and even someone who feels weak or ordinary can still receive a real share of it.
The verse
न सरे लुटितां मागें बहुतां जनीं । जुनाट हे खाणी उघडिली ॥१॥
सद्धि महामुनि साधक संपन्न । तिहीं हें जतन केलें होतें ॥ध्रु.॥
पायाळाच्या गुणें पडिलें ठाउकें । जगा पुंडलिकें दाखविलें ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे येथें होतों मी दुबळें । आलें या कपाळें थोडें बहु ॥३॥
Literal translation
Na sare luṭitām māge bahutām janīm — doesn't run out, no matter how much many loot; jūnāṭa he khāṇī ughaḍilī — this jūnāṭa khāṇī (has been) opened. Siddha mahāmuni sādhaka sampanna — siddhas, mahāmunis, sādhakas, sampanna-ones; tihīm he jatana kele hōte — they kept it jatana (in-care). Pāyāḷāñcyā guṇe paḍile ṭhāuke — by the guṇa of pāyāḷa, became known; jagā Pundalike dākhavile — Pundalika showed (it) to the jaga. Tukā mhaṇe yethe hōtōm mī dubaḷe — Tukā says: here, I was dubaḷe; āle yā kapāḷe thōḍe bahu — to (my) kapāḷa came thōḍe-bahu.
What it means
A canonical 3-verse text. The-bhakti-mine is-ancient, inexhaustible; sages-and-saints-kept-it-protected; Pundalika-showed-it-to-the-world by-the-pāyāḷa-quality (the ability-to-detect-hidden-treasure). Tukārām: weak-as-I-am, fate-gave-some-share.
For someone today
Tukaram describes bhakti as an ancient treasure mine that never runs dry, no matter how many generations of people have already drawn from it. It was carefully guarded and passed down by great saints and seekers before him. It was Pundalika, gifted with a rare ability to sense hidden treasure, who first uncovered it and showed the world where to dig. Tukaram then adds something humble and hopeful about himself: even though he felt weak and unremarkable, fate still gave him a share of that same treasure.
मराठी: तुकाराम भक्तीचे वर्णन एका प्राचीन खाणीसारखे करतात, जी कितीही पिढ्यांनी उपसली तरी कधीच रिकामी होत नाही. ती पूर्वीच्या साधू-संतांनी आणि साधकांनी जपून जतन करून ठेवली होती. जमिनीखालचे गुप्त धन ओळखण्याची दुर्मीळ शक्ती असलेल्या पुंडलिकाने ती प्रथम शोधून जगाला दाखवली. मग तुकाराम स्वतःबद्दल नम्रपणे आणि आशेने सांगतात की ते स्वतः दुर्बळ असूनही त्यांच्या नशिबातही त्याच खजिन्यातला थोडा वाटा आला.
Where this applies
- When you worry that spiritual wisdom might run out or belong only to a select few
- When you feel unworthy or too ordinary to receive something precious
- When you appreciate that someone before you had to discover and protect what you now enjoy freely
- When you receive an unexpected blessing despite feeling weak or lacking