संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4357 of 4582

Abhanga 4357

Tukaram urges you not to waste this human life, and points to serving at the feet of a true teacher as the way to make it count. He says to set aside your ego and instead hold onto devotion, worshiping God with sincerity. Walking the path that great devotees have walked, he says, is what dries up the sorrow of worldly life. He recalls how the Lord saved the child-devotee Prahlada from his own tyrant father, and tells you to hold that same protector close, right at your throat, as your constant companion.

When you sense you are drifting through life without using it for anything meaningful

When your pride keeps you from accepting guidance or surrendering your ego

When you feel overwhelmed by worldly troubles and need a steady practice to hold onto

The verse

नरदेह वांयां जाय । सेवीं सद्ग‍ूचे पाय ॥१॥ सांडोनियां अहंभाव । धरीं भक्ती पूजीं देव ॥ध्रु.॥ थोराचिये वाटे । जातां भवशोक आटे ॥२॥ प्रल्हादातें तारी । तुका म्हणे तो कंठीं धरीं ॥३॥

Literal translation

Don't-waste-nara-dēha — serve-sadguru-pāya. Abandon-aham — hold-bhakti-worship-Deva. Walk-thōra's-path — bhava-śōka-dries. Prahlāda-saved — Tukā: hold-him-in-kaṇṭha.

What it means

A 3-verse nara-dēha-discipline text. Don't waste the human-body — serve the sadguru's feet. Abandon ego-mode — hold devotion, worship Deva. On the great-one's path going — worldly-sorrow dries up. He who saved Prahlāda — Tukā says: hold him in your throat. Pair with 4280 (coming-to-nara-dēha-discriminate-sāra), 4357.

For someone today

मराठी: तुकाराम सांगतात, हा मनुष्यजन्म वाया घालवू नका, आणि सद्गुरूंच्या चरणांची सेवा करणं हाच तो सार्थक करण्याचा मार्ग आहे. ते म्हणतात, अहंकार सोडून द्या आणि त्याऐवजी मनापासून भक्ती धरा, देवाची पूजा करा. मोठ्या भक्तांनी चाललेल्या वाटेने चालणं, असं ते सांगतात, यामुळेच संसाराचं दुःख आटून जातं. ते आठवण करून देतात की परमेश्वराने प्रल्हादाला त्याच्याच अत्याचारी वडिलांपासून वाचवलं, आणि सांगतात की तोच रक्षणकर्ता कायम आपल्या गळ्याशी, नित्य सोबती म्हणून धरून ठेवा.

Where this applies

When you feel your days slipping by without purpose and want to reorient your life
When your ego keeps you from surrendering to guidance or genuine devotion
When you feel weighed down by worldly sorrow and want relief through a devoted path
When you feel powerless against someone who is mistreating you and need to trust in protection