Abhanga 4244
True devotion asks for nothing in return, not liberation, not a place in heaven, only the willingness to surrender your whole soul completely.
The verse
काय मागें आम्ही गुंतलों काशानीं । पुढें वाहों मनीं धाक देवा ॥१॥
कीर्ति चराचरीं आहे तैसी आहे । भेटोनियां काय घ्यावें आम्हां ॥ध्रु.॥
घेउनी धरणें बैसती उपवासी । हट आम्हांपासीं नाहीं तैसा ॥२॥
तातडी तयांनीं केली विटंबणा । आम्हां नारायणा काय उणें ॥३॥
नाहीं मुक्तिचाड वास वैकुंठींचा । जीव भाव आमुचा देऊं तुज ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे काय मानेल तें आतां । तूं घेई अनंता सर्व माझें ॥५॥
Literal translation
What-stuck-before — fear-mind-Deva? Kīrti-everywhere-same — what-gain-by-meeting. Others-dharaṇē-upavāsa — we-no-such-haṭha. They-disgrace-by-hurry — we-Nārāyaṇa-lack-nothing. No-mukti-craving-no-Vaikuṇṭha-residence — give-jīva-bhāva. Tukā: what-pleases — Ananta-take-all.
What it means
A 5-verse radical-defiance + offer-all-jīva text. What stuck with us before — do we need to fear in mind now, Deva? Your fame is everywhere as it is — what would we gain by meeting you? Some sit fast and take dharaṇē — we don't have such insistence. They disgrace themselves by hurrying — what do we lack, Nārāyaṇa? I have no mukti-craving, no Vaikuṇṭha-residence in view — I just give my soul and bhāva to you. Tukā says: whatever pleases you now — take, Ananta — all of mine. The bhakta's defiant-equanimity: (a) no-fear-now; (b) your-fame-already-everywhere-so-meeting-no-different; (c) no-haṭha-fasting; (d) no-mukti-no-Vaikuṇṭha-just-offer-jīva-bhāva. Striking absence-of-bargaining stance. Pair with 4179 (Deva-why-abōlā mukti-refusal-only-chitta), 3396 (anti-mukti pro-rebirth-for-prēma).
For someone today
Tukaram takes a strikingly fearless and unbargaining stance toward God here. He asks why he should be gripped by fear now, when God's greatness is already known everywhere, so meeting God face to face would not really add anything he lacks. He notices that some people sit on hunger strikes or force God's hand with stubborn insistence, but he says that is not his way, and that such desperate hurrying only shames the person doing it. He declares he has no craving for liberation and no interest in securing a place in heaven, he simply wants to hand over his whole soul and devotion. His final word is total surrender, telling God to take absolutely everything of his, whatever pleases God to take. The lesson is about loving and trusting without demanding anything in return, offering yourself completely instead of negotiating for a reward.
मराठी: तुकाराम इथे देवाकडे विलक्षण निर्भय आणि सौदाबाजी न करणारी भूमिका घेतात. ते विचारतात की आता भीती का बाळगावी, जेव्हा देवाची महती आधीच सर्वत्र प्रसिद्ध आहे, त्यामुळे प्रत्यक्ष भेट झाली तरी काही कमी उरलेले भरून येणार नाही. काही लोक उपोषण करून हट्टाने देवाला भाग पाडतात, पण तुकाराम म्हणतात हा त्यांचा मार्ग नाही, आणि अशी घाईघाई फक्त करणाऱ्याचीच फजिती करते. ते जाहीर करतात की त्यांना मुक्तीची हाव नाही आणि वैकुंठात जागा मिळवण्यातही रस नाही, ते फक्त आपला संपूर्ण जीव आणि भाव अर्पण करू इच्छितात. शेवटी संपूर्ण समर्पण - देवाला सांगतात, जे आवडेल ते घ्या, माझे सर्वस्व घ्या. काहीही मोबदल्याची मागणी न करता प्रेम आणि विश्वास ठेवणे, सौदा न करता स्वतःला पूर्णपणे अर्पण करणे हाच यातील बोध आहे.
Where this applies
- When you catch yourself bargaining with God or life for a specific reward instead of simply trusting
- When you feel pressured to demand results through stubborn insistence rather than patient faith
- When you realize your devotion has become about what you will get rather than genuine love
- When you want to offer yourself fully to something without needing a guaranteed outcome in return