संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3876 of 4582

Abhanga 3876

Because God has never once turned away a devotee who came to him in surrender throughout history, that same protection and care is available to you too.

When you're afraid to fully surrender because you doubt you'll actually be taken care of.

When you look at others who trusted and were protected, and wonder if that could be true for you.

When you need reassurance that reaching out for help won't be met with rejection.

The verse

पूवाअहूनि बहु भक्त सांभाळिले । नाहीं अव्हेरिले दास कोणी ॥१॥ जेजे शरण आले तेते आपंगिले । पवाडे विठ्ठले ऐसे तुझे ॥ध्रु.॥ मिरवे चरणीं ऐसीये गोष्टीचें । भक्तसांभाळाचें ब्रीद ऐसें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आम्हांसाटी येणें रूपा । माझ्या मायबापा पांडुरंगा ॥३॥

Literal translation

From-pūrva-many-bhaktas-protected — none-rejected. Whoever-śaraṇa-āpangita — Viṭṭhal's-pavāḍē. Shines-at-feet — brīda-of-bhakta-sāmbhāḷa. Tukā: for-us-this-rūpa — māyabāpa-Pāṇḍurangā.

What it means

A 3-verse bhakta-paramparā-warrant. From the past, you have protected many bhaktas; you have rejected no dāsa. Whoever came to refuge was taken in — such are your heroic-stories, Viṭṭhal. (This story) shines at your feet — such is your vow of protecting bhaktas. For our sake, you have come in this form — my mother-father Pāṇḍuranga. The argument is bhakta-tradition-as-precedent (cf. 3744 bhakti-paramparā-is-the-witness).

For someone today

Tukaram draws confidence from history: throughout the past, God has protected every devotee who ever came to him, and never once turned one away. Whoever surrendered and sought refuge was received and cared for, this is the well-known, celebrated pattern of Vitthal's grace. That track record, Tukaram says, is itself proof of God's vow to look after his devotees, and it is why Tukaram trusts that Panduranga, his own mother and father in divine form, has taken this form specifically for people like him.

मराठी: तुकाराम इतिहासातून धीर घेतात: पूर्वापार अनेक भक्तांना देवाने सांभाळले आहे, कोणत्याही दासाला त्याने कधीच नाकारलेले नाही. जो जो शरण आला, त्याला त्याने आपलेसे केले, हे विठ्ठलाचे प्रसिद्ध, गौरवशाली पवाडे आहेत. हा जुना अनुभव, तुकाराम म्हणतात, भक्तांचे रक्षण करण्याच्या देवाच्या व्रताचाच पुरावा आहे, आणि म्हणूनच तुकारामांना विश्वास आहे की पांडुरंग, त्यांचे स्वतःचे माय-बाप, आपल्यासारख्यांसाठीच या रूपात आले आहेत.

Where this applies

When you doubt whether God, or life, will actually take care of you if you truly surrender
When you need reassurance and look to the experience of others who came before you for proof
When you feel unworthy of grace or fear you might be the one exception who gets turned away
When you want to trust a relationship or commitment based on someone's consistent track record