Abhanga 3937
Real intimacy, like that between mother and child, allows you to ask freely for small joys, not only serious needs, Tukaram shows.
The verse
माते लेकरांत भिन्न । नाहीं उत्तरांचा सीन ॥१॥
धाडींधाडीं वो भातुकें । रंजविल्याचें कौतुकें ॥ध्रु.॥
करुनि नवल । याचे बोलिलों ते बोल ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे माते । पांडुरंगे कृपावंते ॥३॥
Literal translation
Mother-child-no-bhinna — no-sīna-of-uttara. Send-bhātukēm — for-kautuka-of-entertainment. Making-novelties — spoke-these-bōla. Tukā: mother-Pāṇḍurangē-krpāvantē.
What it means
A 3-verse intimate-request text. Between mother and child there's no separateness — no embarrassment in the talk (between them). Send me a little toy — for the delight of being entertained. Making novelties, I've spoken these words. O compassionate-mother Pāṇḍuranga. The child-asking-mother-for-a-toy image is intimate — the bhakta as a child casually-asking the mother-Lord for bhātukēm (a small playful gift), trusting the relationship admits any uttara.
For someone today
Tukaram says that between a mother and her child there is no real separation, so there's no need for careful, formal speech between them. On that basis, he asks God, his mother, for something as small and playful as a little toy, simply for the delight of being entertained. He admits he's made up this playful request out of pure closeness. This is a lesson in the freedom that real intimacy brings: with someone who truly loves you, you don't have to be formal or serious all the time, you can ask for small joys too.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की आई आणि मूल यांच्यात खरे अंतर नसते, त्यामुळे त्यांच्यातील बोलण्यात औपचारिकतेची किंवा संकोचाची गरज नसते. याच आधारावर ते देवाला, आपली माता मानून, एखाद्या लहान खेळण्यासारखी छोटीशी गोष्ट मागतात, केवळ रमण्याच्या आनंदासाठी. ही खेळकर मागणी त्यांनी निव्वळ जवळिकीतून केली आहे हे ते मान्य करतात. यातून खऱ्या जवळिकीमुळे मिळणाऱ्या मोकळेपणाचा धडा मिळतो: जो खरोखर तुमच्यावर प्रेम करतो त्याच्याशी सतत गंभीर किंवा औपचारिक राहावे लागत नाही, छोट्या आनंदांचीही मागणी करता येते.
Where this applies
- When you feel safe enough with someone to ask for small joys, not just serious needs
- When you're relaxing formality with someone who genuinely loves and accepts you
- When you want permission to be playful in your relationship with the divine
- When you notice closeness allows honesty without fear of embarrassment