संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 3996 of 4582

Abhanga 3996

Real devotion is a grip you refuse to loosen, held constantly in the heart, paired with an honest request to be guided rightly.

When you want to describe unwavering commitment rather than a fleeting emotional high.

When you are trying to keep your attention on what matters through an ordinary day and night.

When you realize that holding on firmly still needs guidance to be pointed in the right direction.

The verse

भाव धरिला चरणीं म्हणवितों दास । अहिर्निशीं ध्यास करीतसें ॥१॥ करीतसें ध्यास हृदयीं सकळ । भाव तो सबळ धरियेला ॥२॥ धरिले निश्चळि न सोडीं ते पाय । तुका म्हणे सोय करीं माझी ॥३॥

Literal translation

Held-bhāva-at-feet — dāsa. Ahnir-niśīm-dhyāsa — strong-bhāva-in-hrdaya. Held-niścaḷi — won't-let-go. Tukā: make-my-sōya.

What it means

A 3-verse holding-bhāva-at-feet text. Holding bhāva at your feet, I call myself servant; day-and-night I keep constant-attention. Keeping this attention in my heart fully, the bhāva I hold is unwavering. I've held you motionless — I won't let go of those feet. Make my orientation right. The niścaḷi-dhariyēlā (held-you-motionless) is the bhakta's tight-hold image.

For someone today

Tukaram describes devotion as a grip you never loosen. He calls himself a servant who has taken hold of the divine feet and keeps his mind fixed there day and night, not as a passing feeling but as a strong, unwavering attachment held fully in the heart. He says plainly: I have caught hold and I will not let go. And then he asks for something practical too, that this steady grip be given the right direction, since holding on tightly means little if you are not being guided well.

मराठी: तुकाराम भक्तीचे वर्णन असे करतात की ती एकदा धरलेली पकड कधीही सोडायची नसते. तो स्वतःला दास म्हणवतो, ज्याने चरणांना धरले आहे आणि रात्रंदिवस मन तिथेच स्थिर ठेवले आहे, ही क्षणिक भावना नसून हृदयात पूर्णपणे धरलेली दृढ ओढ आहे. तो स्पष्ट सांगतो, मी धरले आहे आणि सोडणार नाही. आणि मग तो एक व्यावहारिक गोष्टही मागतो, की या घट्ट पकडीला योग्य दिशा मिळावी, कारण नुसते घट्ट धरून ठेवणे उपयोगाचे नाही जर योग्य मार्गदर्शन नसेल.

Where this applies

When you have committed to a practice or a relationship and want the resolve to stay firm even on days it feels dry
When someone asks whether devotion is a feeling or a decision, and you need language for the decision kind
When you have thrown yourself fully into something but realize commitment alone will not tell you which way to go
When you are looking for a daily anchor, something to keep your attention returning to morning and night