Abhanga 4046
In the marketplace of devotion the goods never run out, so take what is offered now, even on credit, and gather more as you go rather than waiting to feel ready.
The verse
आइत्या भाग्या धणी व्हावे । केनें घ्यावें न सरे तें ॥१॥
केणें आहे पंढरपुरीं । उधाराचें लाभीक ॥ध्रु.॥
बाखराची करुनी रीती । भरा पोतीं लवलाहीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे संतांपाडें । करूं पुढें वाखती ॥३॥
Literal translation
Āityā bhāgyā dhaṇī hvāve — be the dhaṇī of ready-bhāgya; kene ghyāve na sare te — take the keṇa (merchandise) — it doesn't finish. Kene āhe Paṇḍharpurīm — the keṇa is in Paṇḍharpur; udhārāñce lābhīka — the on-credit (one) is profitable. Bākharāñcī karunī rītī — making the manner of bākhara (ferment-starter); bharā pōtīm lavalāhīm — fill bags quickly. Tukā mhaṇe samtāmpāḍe — Tukā says: with sants; karūm puḍhe vākhatī — we will do vākhatī ahead.
What it means
A short 3-verse commercial-image text by Tukārām.
The image: Paṇḍharpur-is-a-bhakti-bazaar; the-merchandise-(bhakti-bhāgya)-doesn't-finish; the-udhārāñce (on-credit-buy-now-pay-later) is-most-profitable; prepare-like-fermenting-bākhara; fill-bags-quickly. With-sants we'll-do-more-bidding/auctioning ahead.
The udhārāñce lābhīka (on-credit-merchandise is-most-profitable) is the striking-bhakti-claim: the bhakta-pays-with-Name and-receives-bhakti-on-credit, the-most-profitable-arrangement.
Compare-Tukārām's 2745 (Paṇḍharī-as-bhakti-market — bāzāra-near, take-freely-no-one-prevents).
For someone today
Tukārām pictures Paṇḍharpur as a marketplace of devotion. Become the owner of the good fortune that is freely available there — take the goods, for the supply never runs out. The goods are found in Paṇḍharpur, and the best deal of all is the one you can get on credit. Prepare yourself the way you would prepare a ferment starter, and fill your bags quickly. Tukārām says: alongside the sants, we will keep bidding and trading for more, going forward.
मराठी: तुकाराम पंढरपूरला भक्तीच्या बाजारपेठेसारखे चित्रित करतात. तिथे मुक्तपणे उपलब्ध असलेल्या भाग्याचे धनी व्हा — माल घ्या, तो कधीच संपत नाही. हा माल पंढरपुरात आहे, आणि त्यातला सर्वात फायदेशीर सौदा म्हणजे उधारीवर घेतलेला माल. आंबवण तयार करावी तशी स्वतःला सज्ज करा आणि पोती लवकर भरा. तुकाराम म्हणतात: संतांसोबत आपण पुढेही अधिकाधिक व्यवहार आणि बोली करत राहू.
Where this applies
- When someone feels they must be spiritually ready before they start practicing devotion
- When a person hesitates to commit because they feel unworthy or unprepared
- When you are tempted to postpone joining a good community or practice for a better moment
- When you assume that giving now without seeing an immediate return is a bad deal