Abhanga 3938
Even facing real hardship, Tukaram resolves not to burden God, because holding onto the Name already feels like enough.
The verse
जरि न भरे पोट । तरि सेवूं दरकूट ॥१॥
परि न घलूं तुज भार । हा चि आमुचा निर्धार ॥ध्रु.॥
तुझें नाम अमोलिक । नेणती हे ब्रम्हादिक ॥२॥
ऐसें नाम तुझें खरें । तुका म्हणे भासे पुरें ॥३॥
Literal translation
Jari na bhare pōṭa — if belly not filled; tari sevūm darakūṭa — we'll eat darakūṭa (rough-broken-grain). Parī na ghalūm tuja bhāra — but we won't put bhāra on you; hā chi āmuchā nirdhāra — this is our nirdhāra (firm-resolve). Tujhe nāma amōlika — your Name is amōlika (priceless); neṇatī he brahmādika — even Brahmādikā don't know (it). Aise nāma tujhe khare — such a Name of yours is khare; Tukā mhaṇe bhāse pure — Tukā says: it appears pūre (sufficient).
What it means
A short 3-verse self-reliant-bhakti text by Tukārām.
The claim: Even-if-we-starve, we-won't-put-bhāra-on-you. Your-Name-is-priceless, beyond-even-Brahmā's-knowing. Such-a-Name appears-sufficient-already.
The bhakta refuses to burden the Lord with material-petitions — the Name itself is sufficient (pūre).
For someone today
Tukārām's resolve of self-reliant bhakti. If the belly is not filled — we will eat rough grain. But we will not put a burden on you — this is our firm resolve. Your Name is priceless; even the brahmādikas do not fully know it. Such a Name of yours is real; it appears sufficient. The verse permits this bhakti resolve: rather than burdening the Lord with requests for material things, he trusts that holding the Name is enough.
मराठी: तुकारामांचा हा स्वावलंबी भक्तीचा निर्धार. पोट भरले नाही तर आम्ही जाडेभरडे धान्य खाऊ. पण तुझ्यावर भार टाकणार नाही — हाच आमचा निर्धार आहे. तुझे नाव अमोल आहे; ब्रह्मादिकांनाही ते पूर्णपणे माहीत नाही. असे तुझे खरे नाव आहे — तुकाराम म्हणतात, तेच पुरेसे वाटते. या ओवीत हा भक्तीचा निर्धार मांडला आहे — देवाकडे भौतिक मागण्या न करता, केवळ नामच पुरेसे मानणे.
Where this applies
- When material hardship tempts you to demand more from life or from God
- When you're choosing to bear scarcity with dignity rather than complaint
- When you're realizing that something intangible feels more secure than money
- When you want a firm inner resolve not to be dependent on constant material comfort