Abhanga 4270
It is honest to admit that the world's judgment wounds you and that some words were only spoken in play, while asking to be made humble and content with whatever life brings, free of craving for others' approval.
The verse
तुज केलिया नव्हे ऐसें काईं । डोंगराची राईं क्षणमात्रें ॥१॥
मज या लोकांचा न साहे आघात । देखणें प्रचित जीव घेती ॥ध्रु.॥
सहज विनोदें बोलियेलों गोष्टी । अरंभी तों पोटीं न धरावी ॥२॥
दीनरूप मज करावें नेणता । याहुनी अनंता आहें तैसा ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे जेणें मज तूं भोगसी । तें करीं जनासीं चाड नाहीं ॥४॥
Literal translation
What-can't-you-do — mountain-into-mustard-instant. Can't-bear-loka's-āghāta — pratyakṣa-takes-jīva. Spoke-vinōda — don't-hold-in-pōṭa. Make-me-dīna-rūpa — already-aside-Ananta. Tukā: whatever-bhōga — do-that — no-chāḍa-for-jana.
What it means
A 4-verse petition with playful-self-protection. Done by you, what isn't possible — mountains into mustard-seed in an instant. I can't bear this world's attacks; they kill me on sight. I spoke these stories in natural-play — don't hold them in your belly from the start. Make me lowly-form, not-knowing — for I'm already this way apart from you, Ananta. Tukā says: whatever you let me enjoy — do that; no craving for people. The petition combines requests: (1) acknowledge your power, (2) protect me from worldly-attacks, (3) don't take my playful-words amiss, (4) make me lowly, (5) you decide my bhōga.
For someone today
Tukaram opens by marveling at what God can do, turning a mountain into a mustard seed in an instant if he wants to. Then he gets honest about something much smaller and harder, he cannot bear the constant attacks and judgments of the people around him, they wound him deeply just by looking at him. He admits some of what he has said was spoken lightly, in a playful mood, and asks God not to take it too seriously or hold it against him. He asks to be made humble and unassuming, since apart from God he already feels that way anyway, and finally says he will accept whatever life God gives him, because he has no real craving for what other people think or offer.
मराठी: तुकाराम सुरुवातीला देवाच्या सामर्थ्याचं कौतुक करतात, तो एका क्षणात डोंगराचंही मोहरीएवढं रूपांतर करू शकतो. मग ते एका लहान पण जास्त कठीण गोष्टीबद्दल प्रामाणिकपणे सांगतात, त्यांना आजूबाजूच्या लोकांचे सततचे टोमणे आणि आरोप सहन होत नाहीत, त्यांच्याकडे बघूनच जीव जळतो. ते कबूल करतात की काही बोलणं गंमतीत, सहज बोलून गेलं होतं, आणि देवाला विनंती करतात की ते फार गांभीर्याने घेऊ नये किंवा मनात धरून ठेवू नये. ते नम्र, साधं राहण्याची इच्छा व्यक्त करतात, कारण देवाशिवाय तसंही ते तसेच आहेत, आणि शेवटी म्हणतात की देव जे काही आयुष्य त्यांना देईल ते ते स्वीकारतील, कारण त्यांना लोकांकडून काहीही मिळवण्याची खरी हाव नाही.
Where this applies
- When harsh words or judgment from others feel like more than you can bear
- When you said something lightly or in jest and worry it was taken the wrong way
- When you want to let go of pride and simply accept a humbler, simpler place in life
- When you are trying to stop chasing approval or gain from other people