संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4036 of 4582

Abhanga 4036

Tukaram describes God as a devoted mother who works to bring good things into your path and actively steers you away from ruin. He says this is exactly what devotion feels like: living under a shelter of grace, protected the way a mother pours her whole heart and life into caring for her baby. Nothing holds back or entangles someone who has truly surrendered; that protection is complete and unguarded.

When you feel unprotected and need reassurance that care is still surrounding you

When you compare surrender to God with a mother's total devotion to her child

When you notice how something steered you away from harm without your realizing it at the time

The verse

लाभ पुढें करी । घात नारायण वारी ॥१॥ ऐसी भक्ताची माउली । करी कृपेची साउली ॥ध्रु.॥ माय बाळकासी । जीव भाव वेची तैसी ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे नाड । नाहीं शरणागता आड ॥३॥

Literal translation

Brings-lābha-ahead — Nārāyaṇa-wards-off-ghāta. Bhakta-mā'ulī — krpā-sāulī. Mother-bāḷaka — spends-jīva-bhāva. Tukā: no-nāḍa — śaraṇāgata.

What it means

A 3-verse mother-Nārāyaṇa text. He brings gain ahead; Nārāyaṇa wards off the downfall. Such is the bhakta's mother — he makes a shade-shelter of grace. As the mother spends her life-state for the baby — just so. There is no obstacle for the refugee. Pair with 2597 (canonical Viṭṭhal-as-māulī).

For someone today

मराठी: तुकाराम देवाचे वर्णन एका मायेसारखे करतात, जी पुढे चांगले घडवून आणते आणि तुम्हाला नाशापासून सक्रियपणे वाचवते. ते म्हणतात, भक्ती म्हणजे नेमके हेच वाटते, कृपेच्या सावलीखाली राहणे, जसे आई आपल्या बाळासाठी आपला संपूर्ण जीव आणि भाव खर्च करते तसे संरक्षित असणे. जो खरोखर शरण गेला आहे, त्याला कोणतीही अडचण किंवा गुंता अडवत नाही, ते संरक्षण पूर्ण आणि निर्धास्त असते.

Where this applies

When you feel alone and need to trust that you are being cared for even when it is invisible
When you are facing hardship and wonder whether anyone is looking out for you
When you want a way to picture surrender to God as safety rather than loss
When you need reassurance after truly letting go and trusting a situation to a higher power