Abhanga 4297
Tukaram lists seven devotees God concretely rescued and asks why that same mercy should not now be shown to him.
The verse
फिरविलें देऊळ जगामाजी ख्याति । नामदेवा हातीं दुध प्याला ॥१॥
भरियेली हुंडी नरसी महत्याची । धनाजीजाटाचींसेतें पेरी ॥ध्रु.॥
मिराबाईंसाटीं घेतों विष प्याला । दामाजीचा जाला पाढेवार ॥२॥
कबीराचे मागीं विणूं लागे सेले । उठविलें मूल कुंभाराचें ॥३॥
आतां तुम्ही दया करा पंढरिराया । तुका विनवी पायां नमीतसे ॥४॥
Literal translation
Turned-temple — Nāmadeva-milk. Narasī-Mahatā-huṇḍī-filled. Dhanāji-Jāṭa-field-sowed. Mīrābāī-poison-cup-took. Dāmājī-Pāḍhē-vāra-became. Kabīra-cloths-wove-behind. Kumbhāra-child-raised. Now-dayā-Paṇḍharī-rāya — Tukā-bows-at-pāya.
What it means
THE canonical 4-verse 7-figure rescue-precedent-list. You turned the temple — your fame is in the world — you drank milk from Nāmadeva's hand. You filled Narasī Mahatā's huṇḍī (bill); sowed Dhanāji-Jāṭa's field. For Mīrābāī, you took the poison-cup; for Dāmājī, you became the bond-keeper. Behind Kabīra, you wove cloths; you raised up the Kumbhāra's child. Now do dayā, Paṇḍharī-rāya — Tukā prays, bowing at your feet. The 7 named rescues: 1. Nāmadeva — drank milk from his hand (turned-temple too) 2. Narasī Mahatā — filled his huṇḍī (financial-bond) 3. Dhanāji Jāṭa — sowed his field 4. Mīrābāī — took the poison-cup for her 5. Dāmājī — became his pāḍhē-vāra (signed-bond-holder) 6. Kabīra — wove cloths behind him (kept his weaving going) 7. Kumbhāra — raised up his dead child
The argument: if-you-rescued-all-these-named-bhaktas, why-not-me? Each act is specific-and-tangible: milk-drinking, bond-filling, field-sowing, poison-taking, bond-becoming, cloth-weaving, child-raising. Pair with 2843 (5-figure redemption list), 2787 (bhakti-redeems-fallen), 4275 (caste-democratization-saints-list).
For someone today
Tukaram recalls seven famous rescues: drinking milk from Namdev's hand, filling Narasi Mahita's account, sowing Dhanaji Jat's field, taking poison meant for Mirabai, becoming Damaji's debt-bond, weaving cloth for Kabir, and reviving the potter's dead child. Each rescue is concrete and physical, not a vague blessing. So Tukaram asks: since so many ordinary devotees received such tangible help before, why not show that same mercy to him now. When you feel forgotten in your own struggle, remember that help has come to real people in real, practical ways, and it can come again.
मराठी: तुकाराम महाराज नामदेवांच्या हातून दूध पिणे, नरसी महेत्याची हुंडी भरणे, धनाजी जाटाचे शेत पेरणे, मीराबाईसाठी विष पिणे, दामाजीचा जामीन होणे, कबीरासाठी कापड विणणे आणि कुंभाराच्या मुलाला पुन्हा जिवंत करणे — अशा सात भक्तांना देवाने प्रत्यक्ष व ठोस मदत केल्याच्या कथा आठवतात. प्रत्येक मदत खरीखुरी आणि व्यवहारी होती, केवळ शब्दांची नव्हती. म्हणून तुकाराम विचारतात की इतक्या जणांना मदत केलीत, मग आता माझ्यावरही दया का करू नये. आपण संकटात असताना विसरल्यासारखे वाटले तरी आधी सामान्य माणसांना अशी प्रत्यक्ष मदत मिळाली आहे, हे लक्षात ठेवा — ती पुन्हा मिळू शकते.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's THE 7-figure rescue-precedent-list canonical foundational