संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4073 of 4582

Abhanga 4073

Hold your own resolve quietly, follow the path others have already proven works, and trust it enough to let go of fear.

When someone challenges your beliefs and you feel pressured to argue back instead of staying steady

When you consider giving up on a practice others have already walked successfully before you

When worry about what might go wrong keeps you from trusting the path you have chosen

The verse

माझिया जीवाचा मज निरधार । न करीं उत्तर जनासवें ॥१॥ आपुलें कारण साधों जी विचार । करावा हा धीर धरूनियां ॥ध्रु.॥ काय कराविया आणिका या युक्ति । काय नव्हे भक्ती विठोबाची ॥२॥ एक पुढें गेले वाट दावूनियां । मारग तो वांयां कोण सांडी ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे माझी विठोबासी चिंता । भेईना सर्वथा न घडे तें ॥४॥

Literal translation

My-nirdhāra — don't-back-talk-jana. Sādhō-own-kāraṇa-vichāra-dhīra. What-yukti-with-others — Viṭhōbā-bhakti-capable. One-went-ahead-showed — don't-leave. Tukā: my-chinta-with-Viṭhōbā — won't-fear.

What it means

A 4-verse self-niścaya text. My soul's firm-resolve is with me; I won't back-talk with people. Let us achieve our own purpose; make this reflection, holding patience. What's the use of others' wit? — what is Viṭhōbā's bhakti not capable of? One has gone ahead, showing the way — who would leave that route in vain? My care is with Viṭhōbā; I won't be afraid — what doesn't happen (won't happen). The one-went-ahead-and-showed-the-way is the precedent-of-sants who have walked this path.

For someone today

Tukaram says his resolve belongs to him alone, so he won't argue back with every critic or waste energy defending himself to the crowd. He would rather quietly get on with his own inner work, holding steady patience, than seek clever arguments to win people over. Others before him have already walked this path of devotion and shown it works, so there is no reason to abandon it halfway. Once your trust is placed firmly, you can let go of fear, because what is not meant to happen simply will not happen.

मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की माझा निर्धार माझ्यापुरता ठाम आहे, त्यामुळे प्रत्येक टीकाकाराला उत्तर देत बसण्याची गरज नाही. लोकांना पटवण्यासाठी चतुर युक्तिवाद शोधण्यापेक्षा शांतपणे धीर धरून स्वतःचे काम पुढे नेणे बरे. आधी अनेकांनी हीच भक्तीची वाट दाखवून चालून दाखवली आहे, त्यामुळे अर्ध्यावर ती सोडून देण्यात अर्थ नाही. एकदा विश्वास घट्ट बसला की भीती सोडून द्यावी, कारण जे व्हायचे नाही ते कधीच घडत नाही.

Where this applies

When people criticize your choices and you feel the urge to argue and defend yourself endlessly
When you doubt your own path because others seem to have easier answers or louder opinions
When you are tempted to quit something meaningful halfway because it feels slow or uncertain
When anxiety about the future creeps in and you need a reason to trust that things will be fine