Abhanga 4265
God takes on form or name only out of love for devotees, and any human rule that ranks people as lower or higher is a human idea, not a divine truth.
The verse
पहावया तुझा जरि बोलें अंत । तरि माझे जात डोळे देवा ॥१॥
स्तंबीं तुज नाहीं घातलें प्रल्हादें । आपुल्या आनंदें अवतार ॥ध्रु.॥
भक्ताचिया काजा जालासी सगुण । तुज नाहीं गुण रूप नाम ॥२॥
ऐसा कोण देवा अधम यातीचा । निर्धार हा साचा नाहीं तुझा ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे बोले कवतुकें गोष्टी । नेदीं येऊं पोटीं राग देवा ॥४॥
Literal translation
If-test-your-anta — my-eyes-go. Prahlāda-didn't-put-you-in-stambha — by-his-ānanda-the-avatāra. For-bhakta-kāja-saguṇa — no-guṇa-rūpa-nāma. No-adhama-yāti-niścaya — not-yours-in-truth. Tukā: speak-koutukēm — don't-bring-anger-in-pōṭa.
What it means
A 4-verse theological-speculation text. If I speak to test your limit, my eyes go. Prahlāda didn't put you in the pillar — the avatāra came by his own bliss. For the bhakta's work, you became with-form; (otherwise) you have no form, no name, no quality. What low-grade — this rule isn't yours in truth. Tukā says: (I) speak these stories with playful-affection — don't bring anger into your belly, Deva. The theology: (a) bhakta's-ānanda calls-forth the avatāra; (b) Lord is saguṇa only for bhakta-kāja; (c) no-adhama-yāti-rule is from your side — it's a human-projection. Pair with 2925 (formless-Viṭṭhal), 4205 (births-of-any-caste-acceptable).
For someone today
Tukaram admits that if he tried to really test or measure God's limits with words, he would be completely overwhelmed, so instead he offers a gentler reflection. He points out that Prahlada did not force God into the pillar by any power of his own, God came out of it freely, moved by his own love and joy. Tukaram says God only takes on a particular form or name for the sake of helping devotees, and beyond that, God has no fixed shape, quality, or label at all. So any notion of some people being of a lower class or kind is not really God's own rule, it is a human idea, not a divine truth. Tukaram closes by saying he speaks this way out of playful affection, and asks God not to take offense.
मराठी: तुकाराम कबूल करतात की जर त्यांनी खरोखर शब्दांनी देवाच्या मर्यादेची परीक्षा घ्यायचा प्रयत्न केला, तर ते पूर्णपणे गोंधळून जातील, म्हणून ते त्याऐवजी एक सौम्य विचार मांडतात. ते म्हणतात, प्रल्हादाने आपल्या शक्तीने देवाला खांबात आणलं नाही, देव स्वतःच्या आनंदाने, प्रेमाने त्यातून प्रकट झाला. तुकाराम म्हणतात, देव फक्त भक्तांच्या भल्यासाठी एखादं रूप किंवा नाव घेतो, त्याशिवाय त्याला कुठलंही ठराविक रूप, गुण किंवा लेबल नसतं. त्यामुळे कुणी खालच्या दर्जाचा किंवा जातीचा आहे ही कल्पना खरं तर देवाचा नियम नाही, तो माणसांनी बनवलेला विचार आहे, दैवी सत्य नाही. तुकाराम शेवटी म्हणतात, हे सगळं ते खेळकर प्रेमापोटी बोलतात, आणि देवाला विनंती करतात की याचा राग मानू नये.
Where this applies
- When you assume that outward form, status, or category defines someone's real worth
- When you feel overwhelmed trying to fully grasp something greater than yourself
- When you want to question or challenge tradition honestly, out of love rather than disrespect
- When you judge people by rigid social categories instead of recognizing a deeper, shared truth beneath them