Abhanga 3930
Tukaram voices raw distress here, asking who will actually stand by him in his suffering when Rukmini's husband hasn't yet come. He even wonders aloud what kind of fate has been written for him that no release from this pain seems possible. Rather than staying silent, he calls out directly, asking God not to forget his worry and to come quickly. This is a lesson in permission: it's honest and human to question and even complain in the middle of pain, as long as you keep calling toward help rather than going silent.
The verse
आतां माझ्या दुःखा कोण हो सांगाती । रखुमाईचा पति पावे चि ना ॥१॥
कायविधा त्यानें घातलीसे रेखा । सुटका या दुःखा न होय चि ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे माझी विसरूं नको चिंता । अगा पंढरिनाथा पाव वेगी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Who-companion-of-duḥkha — Rukmā'ī's-pati-doesn't-come. Some-rēkhā-drawn — no-suṭakā-from-duḥkha. Tukā: don't-forget-chinta — Pandhari-nātha-come-quickly.
What it means
A 3-verse bhakta-distress text. Now who is the companion of my distress? — Rukmā'ī's-husband doesn't come. What kind of fate-line has he drawn — that there's no release from this suffering? Don't forget my worry — Pandhari-nātha, come quickly. The rēkhā (destiny-line) image — the bhakta wonders if Lord has literally drawn a no-release line in his fate.
For someone today
Tukaram voices raw distress here, asking who will actually stand by him in his suffering when Rukmini's husband hasn't yet come. He even wonders aloud what kind of fate has been written for him that no release from this pain seems possible. Rather than staying silent, he calls out directly, asking God not to forget his worry and to come quickly. This is a lesson in permission: it's honest and human to question and even complain in the middle of pain, as long as you keep calling toward help rather than going silent.
मराठी: तुकाराम इथे खरा त्रास व्यक्त करतात, रुक्मिणीचा पती अजून का येत नाही असे विचारत, आपल्या दुःखात कोण खरोखर साथ देईल असा प्रश्न विचारतात. त्यांना असेही वाटते की असे कोणते नशीब लिहिले गेले आहे की या दुःखातून सुटका होतच नाही. गप्प न बसता ते थेट हाक मारतात, देवाला आपली काळजी विसरू नकोस आणि लवकर ये असे सांगतात. यातून हा धडा मिळतो की दुःखाच्या मध्यभागी प्रश्न विचारणे, तक्रार करणेही प्रामाणिक आणि मानवी आहे, फक्त मदतीसाठी हाक मारत राहणे थांबवू नये.
Where this applies
- When you feel completely alone in the middle of a hard stretch of life
- When you're questioning why relief hasn't come despite your prayers or efforts
- When you need permission to voice frustration honestly instead of suppressing it
- When you keep calling out for help even though the answer feels delayed