Abhanga 4327
A devotee who gives body, speech, and mind fully to God may look foolish to the world, but that love runs deep enough to uplift generations and calm others' fear just by contact.
The verse
कोटिजन्म पुण्यसाधन साधिलें । तेणें हाता आलें हरिदास्य ॥१॥
रात्रीं दिवस ध्यान हरीचें भजन । कायावाचामन भगवंतीं ॥ध्रु.॥
ऐसिया प्रेमळा म्हणताती वेडा । संसार रोकडा बुडविला ॥२॥
एकवीस कुळें जेणें उद्धरिलीं । हे तों न कळे खोली भाग्यमंदा ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे त्याची पायधुळी मळिे । भवभय पळे वंदितां चि ॥४॥
Literal translation
V1: kōṭi-janma puṇya-sādhana sādhilē, teṇe hātā āle hari-dāsya — crore-janma puṇya-sādhana achieved; from that hari-dāsya came-to-hand. V2: rātrīm divasa dhyāna Harīñce bhajana, kāyā-vāchā-mana Bhagavantīm — day-night Hari-dhyāna-bhajana; body-speech-mind in Bhagavanta. V3: aisiyā premaḷā mhaṇatātī vēḍā — samsāra rōkaḍā buḍavilā — such premaḷa they call vēḍā — drowned samsāra. V4: 21 kuḷas uplifted — bhāgya-manda doesn't know the depth. V5 (close): Tukā: his pāya-dhūḷi meets — bhava-bhaya flees on-vandana.
What it means
A 4-verse hari-dāsa-uddhāra text. Hari-dāsya comes from crore-janma-puṇya; 21-kuḷa uplifted; pāya-dhūḷi clears bhava-bhaya.
For someone today
Tukārām's claim: one true Hari-dāsa uplifts 21 generations. The world's-view (calling-him-mad) misses the depth.
Where this applies
- When people mock you for spending time in prayer or worship instead of chasing wealth
- When you feel isolated because your spiritual devotion doesn't make sense to others
- When you doubt whether a quiet daily practice of devotion is worth anything
- When you meet someone whose humble devotion instantly eases your own worries