Abhanga 4263
You do not need strength or technique to have real longing; it is honest to admit your weakness and simply ask the one you trust most for guidance.
The verse
नाही बळयोग अभ्यास कराया । न कळे ते क्रिया साधनाची ॥१॥
तुझिये भेटीचें प्रेम अंतरंगीं । नाहीं बळ अंगीं भजनाचें ॥ध्रु.॥
काय पांडुरंगा करूं बा विचार । झुरतें अंतर भेटावया ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे सांगा वडिलपणें बुद्धी । तुजविण दयानिधी पुसों कोणां ॥३॥
Literal translation
No-baḷa-yoga-abhyāsa — don't-know-sādhana-kriyā. Love-of-bhēṭi-in-antara — no-baḷa-of-bhajana. What-can-I-do-Pāṇḍurangā — antara-yearns. Tukā: tell-by-eldership-buddhi — without-you-whom-to-ask.
What it means
A 3-verse helplessness-petition. I have no strength for yoga-practice; I don't know the methods of sādhana. The love of your meeting is in my heart; but no strength is in my body for bhajana. What counsel can I take, Pāṇḍurangā — my heart yearns to meet (you). Tukā says: by your seniority, tell me the wisdom — without you, ocean-of-compassion, whom shall I ask? Pair with 4251 (via-negativa-self-description no-yoga-jñāna-only-Nārāyaṇa).
For someone today
Tukaram admits plainly that he does not have the strength for demanding yogic practice, and he does not even know the right techniques of spiritual discipline. What he does have is love, a deep longing in his heart to be with God, even though his body does not have the energy to keep up steady worship. He asks Pandurang directly what he is supposed to do, since his inner self keeps aching for that meeting. Finally he turns to God as an elder to ask for guidance, because, he says, there is no one else, no one wiser or kinder, he could possibly turn to instead.
मराठी: तुकाराम स्पष्टपणे कबूल करतात की त्यांच्याकडे कठोर योगसाधनेसाठी लागणारी ताकद नाही, आणि साधनेच्या नेमक्या पद्धतीही त्यांना माहीत नाहीत. त्यांच्याकडे जे आहे ते म्हणजे प्रेम, देवाला भेटण्याची मनापासूनची ओढ, जरी त्यांच्या शरीरात नियमित भजन-पूजा करण्याची शक्तीही नसली तरी. ते पांडुरंगाला थेट विचारतात, आता मी काय करू, कारण माझं अंतर सतत त्या भेटीसाठी झुरत असतं. शेवटी ते देवाकडे एक ज्येष्ठ, अनुभवी व्यक्ती म्हणून मार्गदर्शन मागतात, कारण ते म्हणतात, तुझ्याशिवाय दुसरं कोणीच, इतकं शहाणं किंवा दयाळू, ज्याला मी विचारू शकेन असं कुणीच नाही.
Where this applies
- When you long for something deeply but feel you lack the discipline or energy to pursue it properly
- When you do not know the right method or technique but still feel real longing in your heart
- When you feel too tired or weak to keep up a regular practice you care about
- When you have no one else wise or trustworthy enough to ask for guidance