Abhanga 4165
Tukaram makes a tender appeal to Panduranga, husband of Rakhumai, asking to be heard as a mistaken child rather than punished. He reminds God that a real parent does not kill a child for making mistakes, but works for that child's good instead, because that is what parents do. Since everyone already calls him God's own, he says, any failure on his part now reflects back on God too, so it is in both their interests for God to step in and help him.
The verse
परि आतां माझी परिसावी विनंती । रखुमाईच्या पती पांडुरंगा ॥१॥
चुकलिया बाळा न मारावें जीवें । हित तें करावें मायबापीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे तुझा म्हणताती मज । आतां आहे लाज हे चि तुम्हां ॥३॥
Literal translation
Pari ātām mājhī parisāvī vinantī — Rakhumāīcyā patī Pāṇḍurangā — but now hear my vinantī — Rakhumāī's husband, Pāṇḍurangā. Chukaliyā bāḷā na mārāvem jīve — hita te karāvem māyabāpīm — the mistaken-child must not be killed — the māyabāpa must do its good. Tukā mhaṇe tujhā mhaṇatātī maja — ātām āhe lāja he chi tumhām — Tukā says: they call me yours — now the lāja (shame) is yours.
What it means
A 3-verse petition continuation. Hear-my-prayer-Rakhumāī's-husband; the-erring-child-mustn't-be-killed — māyabāpa-must-do-the-child's-good; people-call-me-yours — your-shame-now. The parent-doesn't-kill-the-erring-child principle is a classical bhakti-anchor.
For someone today
Tukaram makes a tender appeal to Panduranga, husband of Rakhumai, asking to be heard as a mistaken child rather than punished. He reminds God that a real parent does not kill a child for making mistakes, but works for that child's good instead, because that is what parents do. Since everyone already calls him God's own, he says, any failure on his part now reflects back on God too, so it is in both their interests for God to step in and help him.
मराठी: तुकाराम रखुमाईच्या पतीला, पांडुरंगाला, कोमल विनंती करतात, त्यांना चुकलेले मूल समजून शिक्षा न करता सांभाळावे अशी विनंती करतात. खरे आईवडील चुकलेल्या मुलाला मारत नाहीत, तर त्याचे हित पाहतात, याची आठवण ते करून देतात. सगळेजण मला तुझा म्हणतात, तेव्हा माझी चूक आता तुझीच लाज ठरते असे ते सांगतात, म्हणजे मला सांभाळणे हे दोघांच्याही हिताचे आहे.
Where this applies
- When you've made a mistake and need someone who cares for you to guide rather than punish you
- When you appeal to a relationship of belonging, asking someone to own responsibility for your wellbeing
- When you're reminded that real caretakers help a person improve instead of giving up on them
- When you realize your struggles reflect on the people or community who claim you as their own