Abhanga 4248
You do not need eloquent words or proof of worth to ask God for care; a simple, honest, childlike plea is enough.
The verse
आमुचें दंडवत पायांवरि डोईं । व्हावें उतराईं ठेवूनियां ॥१॥
कराल तें काय नव्हे जी विठ्ठला । चत्ति द्यावें बोला बोबडिया ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आम्ही लडिवाळें अनाथें । म्हणोनि दिनानाथें सांभाळावें ॥३॥
Literal translation
Our-daṇḍavat — head-at-feet-utarāī. What-can't-you-do-Viṭhṭhal — pay-chitta-to-bobaḍī-bola. Tukā: laḍivāḷē-anāthē — Dīnanātha-sambhāḷāvē.
What it means
A 3-verse brief-petition. Our full-prostration — head at your feet — relieve us of debt by setting it aside. What can you not do, Viṭhṭhala? Pay attention to our lisping baby-talk. Tukā says: we are spoiled-darlings and orphans — therefore, Dīnanātha, take care. The image laḍivāḷē-anāthē (spoiled-darlings-and-orphans) is unusually layered: bhakta is both indulged-child and abandoned-orphan simultaneously.
For someone today
Tukaram bows all the way down, head to Vitthal's feet, and asks to be released from whatever debt he owes, simply because Vitthal chooses to set it aside. He says there is nothing Vitthal cannot do, so he does not need polished words, only his stumbling, childlike prayer to be heard. He describes himself as both a spoiled, doted-on child and an orphan with no one else to turn to, and asks God, the protector of the lowly, to take care of him anyway. It is a short, honest plea that you do not have to earn love before asking for it.
मराठी: तुकाराम पूर्ण दंडवत घालतात, विठ्ठलाच्या पायांवर डोकं ठेवतात आणि विनंती करतात की आपलं जे काही ऋण असेल ते विठ्ठलाने आपणहून बाजूला ठेवून माफ करावं. ते म्हणतात, विठ्ठलाला काहीच अशक्य नाही, त्यामुळे नटवे शब्द नकोत, फक्त त्यांची बोबडी, अडखळणारी प्रार्थना ऐकली तरी पुरे. ते स्वतःला एकाच वेळी लाडावलेलं मूल आणि कुणी आधार नसलेला अनाथ असं सांगतात आणि दीनांच्या नाथाला, म्हणजे विठ्ठलाला, आपली काळजी घेण्याची विनंती करतात. ही एक छोटीशी, प्रामाणिक विनवणी आहे की प्रेम मागण्याआधी ते कमवावं लागत नाही.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's laḍivāḷē-anāthē Dīnanātha-petition canonical