संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4127 of 4582

Abhanga 4127

The deepest prayer is simply to keep the beloved constantly in your heart, eyes, and speech, and to trust them to act rightly rather than needing to ask for more.

When you find yourself with nothing left to say except a plea to stay close to what you love.

When you choose to keep something constantly in your thoughts, sight, and speech rather than only occasionally.

When you trust someone who truly knows your heart to act rightly without you having to explain further.

The verse

चित्तीं तुझे पाय डोळां रूपाचें ध्यान । अखंड मुखीं नाम वर्णावे गुण ॥१॥ हें चि एक तुम्हां देवा मागणें दातारा । उचित तें करा माझा भाव जाणूनि ॥ध्रु.॥ खुंटली जाणींव माझें बोलणें आतां । करूं यावी तैसी करावी बाळकाची चिंता ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे आतां नको देऊं अंतर । न कळे पुढें काय बोलों विचार ॥३॥

Literal translation

Chitti-pāya-eyes-rūpa-mukha-Name-guṇa. One-māgaṇa — uchita-knowing-bhāva. Knowing-stopped — make-bāḷaka-cintā. Tukā: don't-give-antara — don't-know-what-vichāra.

What it means

A 3-verse comprehensive prayer. Your feet in my heart; meditation of (your) form in my eyes; unbroken Name in the mouth and description of qualities. This one thing is my request to you, generous Deva — do the fitting, knowing my state. Knowing has stopped — my talking now — just make the (baby's) worry. Do not give distance now — I don't know what further matter to speak.

For someone today

Tukaram offers a simple, complete prayer: your feet held in my heart, your form held in my eyes, and your name held constantly on my lips, describing your qualities without pause. He says this is his only real request, that God act in whatever way is fitting, trusting that God already understands his inner state. Having run out of words to say, he asks only not to be kept at a distance, admitting he doesn't know what more there is to ask for.

मराठी: तुकाराम एक साधी, संपूर्ण प्रार्थना करतात, तुझे पाय माझ्या हृदयात, तुझे रूप माझ्या डोळ्यांत आणि तुझे नाम माझ्या मुखात सतत असू दे, तुझे गुण अखंड वर्णन करत राहू दे. हीच माझी एकमेव खरी मागणी आहे असे ते म्हणतात, तू माझी अवस्था जाणून जे योग्य असेल ते कर. बोलण्यासाठी शब्दच उरले नाहीत असे सांगत ते फक्त एवढेच मागतात की मला दूर ठेवू नकोस, आणि पुढे आणखी काय मागावे हेही त्यांना कळत नाही असे ते कबूल करतात.

Where this applies

When you no longer know what to ask for in prayer except closeness itself
When you simply want your devotion to be constant rather than occasional
When you feel words have run out and all you can offer is trust that the other truly knows your heart
When you fear being kept at a distance from someone or something you deeply love