संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3882 of 4582

Abhanga 3882

Tukaram honestly admits that worldly duty has overtaken his devotion, yet still asks to be counted among the fallen who deserve to be saved.

When you feel that work and daily life have taken over the spiritual practice you wanted to keep.

When you want to be honest in prayer about what you lack rather than pretend you're further along than you are.

When you feel unworthy but ask for grace or help anyway, plainly and without pretense.

The verse

आइक नारायणा वचन माझें खरें । सांगतों निर्धारें तुजपासीं ॥१॥ नाहीं भाव मज पडिली लोककाज । राहिलेंसे काज तुझे पायीं ॥२॥ जरि तुज कांहीं करणें उचित । तारीं तूं पतित तुका म्हणे ॥३॥

Literal translation

Listen-Nārāyaṇā — my-vachan-true — nirdhāra. No-bhāva — lōka-kāja-fell — kāja-at-your-feet. If-uchita-anything — save-the-patita — Tukā.

What it means

A 3-verse petition. Listen, Nārāyaṇa — my word is true; I tell you with firm-resolve. I have no (inner) state; worldly work has fallen on me; my (real) intent remains at your feet. If anything is fitting for you to do — save the fallen, says Tukā. The honest I-have-no-real-bhāva-only-lōka-kāja-has-fallen-on-me is the kuṇabī's-confession.

For someone today

Tukaram makes an honest confession here rather than a proud claim. He admits that he doesn't actually have the deep inner devotion he wishes he had, worldly duties and responsibilities have taken over his days, yet he insists that whatever real intention he does have still belongs to God. He isn't pretending to be a great devotee; he's simply asking, plainly, to be counted among the fallen who still deserve to be saved. It's a model of honest prayer: admit what's lacking, and ask anyway.

मराठी: इथे तुकाराम अभिमानाने काही सांगत नाहीत, तर प्रामाणिक कबुली देतात. ते मान्य करतात की त्यांच्याकडे जितकी खोल भक्ती हवी तितकी नाही, संसारिक कामांनी त्यांचे दिवस व्यापले आहेत, तरीही त्यांचा खरा हेतू अजूनही देवाच्या चरणी आहे असे ते ठासून सांगतात. ते मोठे भक्त असल्याचे भासवत नाहीत; ते फक्त साध्या शब्दांत विनंती करतात की त्यांची गणना अशा पतितांमध्ये व्हावी जे तरी वाचवण्यास पात्र आहेत. हे प्रामाणिक प्रार्थनेचे उदाहरण आहे: जे कमी आहे ते मान्य करा आणि तरीही मागा.

Where this applies

When you feel guilty that daily responsibilities have crowded out your spiritual practice
When you want to pray honestly but feel you don't have the deep faith you think you should have
When you're torn between worldly duties and your real intentions and don't know how to reconcile them
When you feel unworthy of grace but decide to ask for it honestly anyway

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