Abhanga 4064
Tukaram openly admits he doesn't know how to reach God, and simply asks to be told the way, the means by which he could actually hold onto those divine feet. He acknowledges that even great beings like Brahma haven't fully figured this out, so he doesn't pretend his own limited thinking will crack the mystery. What he does have is patience, but he's honest that patience has limits too, and he asks his mother-father how much longer he must wait. It's a lesson in admitting you don't have all the answers and asking honestly for guidance instead of pretending certainty.
The verse
सांग पांडुरंगा मज हा उपाव । जेणें तुझे पाव आतुडति ॥१॥
न कळे हा निर्धार ब्रम्हादिकां पार । कायसा विचार माझा तेथें ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आतां धरुनियां धीर । राहूं कोठवर मायबापा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Tell-me-upāya — feet-attained. Brahmādikas-can't-figure — my-vichāra-where? Tukā: holding-dhīra — how-long-stay-māyabāpā.
What it means
A 3-verse upāya-petition. Tell me, Pāṇḍuranga, the means by which your feet are clasped. The decision is beyond brahmādikas — what's my reasoning worth there? Holding patience — how long shall I stay, mother-father? The honest petition: I can't figure this out — tell me the upāya.
For someone today
Tukaram openly admits he doesn't know how to reach God, and simply asks to be told the way, the means by which he could actually hold onto those divine feet. He acknowledges that even great beings like Brahma haven't fully figured this out, so he doesn't pretend his own limited thinking will crack the mystery. What he does have is patience, but he's honest that patience has limits too, and he asks his mother-father how much longer he must wait. It's a lesson in admitting you don't have all the answers and asking honestly for guidance instead of pretending certainty.
मराठी: तुकाराम स्पष्टपणे कबूल करतात की देवाला कसे गाठायचे हे त्यांना माहीत नाही, आणि ते फक्त तो मार्ग सांगावा अशी विनंती करतात, ज्याने खरोखर त्या दिव्य पायांना धरता येईल. ब्रह्मादिकांसारख्या मोठ्या शक्तींनाही हे पूर्णपणे उमगलेले नाही हे ते मान्य करतात, त्यामुळे आपला स्वतःचा मर्यादित विचार हे रहस्य उलगडेल असा आव ते आणत नाहीत. त्यांच्याकडे धीर आहे, पण त्या धीरालाही मर्यादा आहेत हे ते प्रामाणिकपणे सांगतात, आणि आपल्या मायबापांना विचारतात की आणखी किती काळ वाट पाहायची. आपल्याला सगळी उत्तरे माहीत नाहीत हे मान्य करून खोट्या आत्मविश्वासाऐवजी प्रामाणिकपणे मार्गदर्शन मागणे, हीच यातली शिकवण आहे.
Where this applies
- When you feel lost about how to reach a spiritual or personal goal and don't know the right method
- When you're tempted to pretend you have it all figured out instead of admitting confusion
- When you've been waiting a long time for guidance or an answer and your patience is wearing thin
- When you realize that even wise or experienced people haven't fully solved the problem you're facing