Abhanga 4207
Staying silent out of shyness helps no one, so speak to God, and to power, boldly and honestly, the way you would sit down as an equal with a friend.
The verse
काय करूं आतां धरुनियां भीड । निःशंक हें तोंड वाजविलें ॥१॥
नव्हे जगीं कोणी मुकियाचा जाण । सार्थक लाजोनी नव्हे हित ॥ध्रु.॥
आलें तें उत्तर बोलें स्वामीसवें । धीट नीट जीवें होऊनियां ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे मना समर्थासीं गांठी । घालावी हे मांडी थापटूनि ॥३॥
Literal translation
What-do-now — holding-bhīḍa — fearless-mouth-played. World-no-one-listens-to-mute — shame-no-hita. Whatever-uttara-came — spoke-with-svāmī — dhīṭa-nīṭa-jīvē. Tukā: mana — meet-samartha — place-māmḍī-thumping.
What it means
A 3-verse fearless-prayer-stance text. What can I do now, holding shyness? Fearlessly, this mouth has played. Know: in the world, no one listens to the mute; fulfilment doesn't come from yielding to shame — it gives no good. Whatever answer has come, I speak with svāmī — becoming bold-and-straight in spirit. Tukā says: mana — meet the powerful-one; place the māmḍī thumping. The image: māmḍī-thāpaṭūni — sit down with thigh-slap (gesture of friendly-defiance / equal-confrontation). Mana, meet the samartha as a friend confronts a friend; don't yield to shyness. Pair with 4206 (mauna-protest), 4179 (Deva-why-abōlā).
For someone today
Tukaram decides he is done holding back out of shyness or false politeness, and speaks his mind fearlessly to God. He points out a hard truth: the world does not listen to someone who stays silent, and holding back out of shame never actually does you any good. So he speaks whatever comes to him honestly, straight and bold, treating his prayer like a real conversation rather than a timid petition. He tells his own mind to approach even the all powerful Lord the way you would sit down confidently across from a friend, thumping your knee, refusing to shrink.
मराठी: तुकाराम ठरवतात की आता लाजाळूपणा किंवा उगाच सभ्यता बाळगायची गरज नाही, आणि ते देवाशी निर्भयपणे मनातलं बोलतात. ते एक कठोर सत्य सांगतात — जगात मुक्याचं कोणी ऐकत नाही, आणि लाजून गप्प बसण्याने कधीच काही भलं होत नाही. म्हणून जे मनात येईल ते प्रामाणिकपणे, ताठ आणि धीटपणे बोलतात, आपली प्रार्थना ही एखाद्या भित्र्या विनवणीसारखी न मांडता खऱ्याखुऱ्या संवादासारखी मांडतात. ते स्वतःच्या मनाला सांगतात — समर्थाला भेटतानाही मित्राशेजारी बसावं तसं आत्मविश्वासाने मांडी थोपटत बसावं, मागे हटू नये.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's fearless-prayer-stance — māmḍī-thumping with-samartha canonical