Abhanga 3886
Tukaram tells God, addressed as a mother, to either live up to his title as savior of the fallen or drop it, insisting their bond runs on real love, not social pressure.
The verse
लागो तुझी सोय ऐसे कोणी करी । माझे विठाबाईं जननिये ॥१॥
पतितपावन म्हणविसी जरी । आवरण करीं तरी माझें ॥ध्रु.॥
नाहीं तरी ब्रीद टाकीं सोडूनियां । न धरिसी माया जरी माझी ॥२॥
बोलिला तो बोल करावा साचार । तरि लोक बरें म्हणतील ॥३॥
करावा संसार लोक लाजे भेणें । वचनासी उणें येऊं नेदीं ॥४॥
तुम्हां आम्हां तैसें नाहीं म्हणे तुका । होशील तूं सखा जीवलग ॥५॥
Literal translation
Let-sōya-attach — Viṭhābāī-jananīyē. If-patita-pāvana-fulfill-(brīda) — else-throw-off. Spoken-bōla-make-true — people-will-praise. Samsāra-by-fear-of-people — vachan-not-deficient. Tukā: not-like-that-between-us — sakhā-jīvalaga.
What it means
A 5-verse maternal-Viṭṭhal text. Make someone let your attention attach to me, my Viṭhābāī mother. If you call yourself purifier-of-the-fallen, then take-charge-of me. Else throw off this vow — if you have no love for me. The word once spoken must be made true; then people will praise you. The samsāra should be done out of fear-of-people — don't let the word fall short. Between you and me, it's not like that — you'll be my friend, my life-companion. The address Viṭhābāī jananiyē (using the feminine Viṭhābāī form for Viṭhṭhal-as-mother) is one of Tukārām's tender maternal-addressings. Pair with 2597 (tūm-mājhī-māulī), 2891 (reciprocal-family).
For someone today
Tukaram addresses God tenderly as mother, Vithabai, and makes an almost playful demand: if you call yourself the savior of the fallen, then actually take charge of me, or else drop that title if you don't really care. He points out that people generally keep their promises mainly because they fear public shame if they don't, a word once spoken should be honored so others will speak well of you. But he insists the bond between himself and God isn't built on that kind of social pressure, it's the real, warm intimacy of two dear friends, so God will act not out of obligation to reputation but simply because he's a true, close companion.
मराठी: तुकाराम देवाला प्रेमाने माता, विठाबाई, म्हणून हाक मारतात आणि जवळजवळ खेळकर मागणी करतात: जर तू स्वतःला पतितपावन म्हणवतोस, तर खरोखर माझी जबाबदारी घे, नाहीतर हे बिरुद सोडून दे जर तुला खरोखर माया नसेल. ते सांगतात की लोक सहसा वचन पाळतात कारण त्यांना लोकलज्जेची भीती असते, एकदा दिलेला शब्द खरा करावा लागतो म्हणजे लोक चांगले म्हणतील. पण त्यांचा आग्रह आहे की त्यांच्या आणि देवाच्या नात्यात असा सामाजिक दबाव नाही, तर दोन जिवलग मित्रांची खरी, उबदार जवळीक आहे, म्हणून देव प्रतिष्ठेच्या बंधनातून नव्हे तर खऱ्या सख्यत्वामुळेच कृती करेल.
Where this applies
- When you're calling someone to actually live up to a title or role they claim, like a caregiver or protector
- When you notice people keep promises mainly out of fear of public shame rather than real care
- When you want a relationship built on real affection rather than social obligation
- When you're pushing back gently, half-teasing, against someone you deeply trust to show up for you