Abhanga 4194
A real relationship with the divine is not formal duty but tender, joyful fondness, like a mother delighting in her child's imperfect, playful attempts.
The verse
स्वामिसेवा गोड । माते बाळकाचें कोड ॥१॥
जेंजें मागावें भातुकें । तेंतें पुरवी कौतुकें ॥ध्रु.॥
खेळविलें कोडें । हरुषें बोले कीं बोबडें ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे लाड । तेथें पुरे माझें कोड ॥३॥
Literal translation
Svāmi-sevā-gōḍa — mother-with-child-koḍa. Whatever-bhātukē-asked — fulfilled-kautuka. Played-in-koḍa — baby-prattle-spoken-in-joy. Tukā: lāḍa — there-my-koḍa-fulfilled.
What it means
A 3-verse childlike-bhakti text. The svāmi-sevā is sweet — like a mother's (fondness for) the child's charm. Whatever snack-of-play (the child) asks for, she fulfils with delight. She plays with him in charm; he speaks even in baby-babble out of joy. Tukā says: where there's caressing-fondness, there my charm-(wish) is fulfilled. The reversal: normally we serve the svāmi as servants; here, svāmi-sevā is the mother-doting-on-child relation — Lord plays with bhakta as mother with playful baby. Pair with 2891 (reciprocal family-relation), 2597 (tūm-mājhī-māulī).
For someone today
Tukārām describes serving God not as dutiful labor but as something sweet, the way a mother delights in her child's charming play. Whatever little thing the child asks for, she happily gives, and when he speaks in joyful baby babble, she plays along and delights in it rather than correcting him. Tukārām says that wherever such tender fondness exists, that is where his own longing is fulfilled. The lesson is that a real relationship with the divine, or with anyone you love deeply, does not require polished perfection, it can be as simple and joyful as a mother cherishing her child's imperfect, playful attempts, and being received exactly as you are.
मराठी: तुकाराम देवाची सेवा कर्तव्य म्हणून नव्हे तर गोड, आईला आपल्या मुलाच्या खेळकर लाडीक बोलण्यात वाटणाऱ्या आनंदासारखी वर्णन करतात. मूल जे काही मागेल ते ती आनंदाने पुरवते, आणि तो लाडात बोबडे बोलला तरी ती त्याच्यासोबत खेळते आणि त्यातच आनंद मानते, चूक न काढता. तुकाराम म्हणतात जिथे असे लाडिक प्रेम असते, तिथेच माझी ओढ पूर्ण होते. यातून हा धडा मिळतो की देवाशी किंवा मनापासून प्रेम असलेल्या कोणाशीही खरे नाते परिपूर्णतेची अट घालत नाही, ते आईच्या मुलावरील प्रेमासारखे साधे आणि आनंदी असू शकते, जिथे आपण जसे आहोत तसेच स्वीकारले जातो.
Where this applies
- When you feel your prayers or efforts are too imperfect or clumsy to be worthy of love
- When you want to understand devotion as joyful intimacy rather than formal duty or performance
- When you watch a parent delight in a child's small, imperfect gestures and want that same tenderness in your own faith
- When you need reassurance that you are cherished exactly as you are, not for how polished you appear