संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 4366 of 4582

Abhanga 4366

As the day of play winds down, Tukaram shows the tired cowherd friends realizing the cattle have wandered far off and need to be called back, but everyone is too worn out from playing to shout for them. Yet the cattle themselves respond simply to the name Kanhaiya, coming back and falling at his feet on their own. Tukaram takes this small, tender detail and turns it into the whole point, since even tired animals are drawn home by the Name, the simplest thing any of us can do is keep singing that Name together. It is a gentle reminder that when your own energy runs out, the practice of chanting the Name can still carry you home.

When you are too tired or drained to keep pushing and need something simple to rely on instead

When you notice a small habit of devotion quietly doing its work without effort on your part

When you want an easy, restful way to close out a long day with a sense of togetherness

The verse

चला वळूं गाईं । दूर अंतरल्या भाईं ॥१॥ खेळ खेळतां जाला शीण । कोण करी वणवण ॥ध्रु.॥ गाईं हकारी कान्हया । म्हणोनि लागती ते पायां ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे द्यावें । नाम संकीर्तन बरवें ॥३॥

Literal translation

Chalā-vaḷūm-gāī — far-bhāī. Play-fatigued — who-calls. Gāī-call-Kāñhayā — fall-at-feet. Tukā: give-nāma-samkīrtana-good.

What it means

Closing verse-5 of 5-abhang Krṣṇa-pastoral cluster. Come, brother, let's round up the cattle — they've moved far away. Playing the games, fatigue has come — who'll do the calling-out? Calling Kānhayā, the cattle fall at his feet. Tukā says: let us give the good Name-samkīrtana. The pastoral-day's end: tired-from-play, the cattle have wandered far, gōpāḷas are too-tired-to-call out, but the cattle themselves cry Kānhayā and fall at his feet. The bhakti-resolution: just give the Nāma-samkīrtana. Cluster (4362-4366) complete: 9-lakh-gōpāḷas + Vanamāḷī-walks + Bhīmā-tīra-veṇu-nāda + sidōrī-meal-given-to-Hari + uchchhiṣṭa-snatched-by-Lord + suras-amazed-come-as-animals + abhimāna-cast-out + games + cattle-call-Kānhayā.

For someone today

मराठी: दिवसभराचा खेळ संपत असताना, तुकाराम दाखवतात की थकलेल्या गोपाळ मित्रांच्या लक्षात येतं की गुरं दूर गेली आहेत आणि त्यांना परत बोलवावं लागेल, पण खेळून सगळे इतके थकले आहेत की हाक मारायलाही त्राण नाही. तरीही गुरं स्वतःच कान्हैया या नावाला प्रतिसाद देतात, आपणहून परत येतात आणि त्याच्या पायाशी लीन होतात. तुकाराम या छोट्या, हळुवार तपशिलातून मुख्य मुद्दा मांडतात, थकलेली जनावरंही नामाकडे आपोआप ओढली जातात, तर आपल्यालाही सगळ्यात सोपी गोष्ट म्हणजे एकत्र मिळून नामसंकीर्तन करत राहणं. जेव्हा तुमची स्वतःची शक्ती संपते, तेव्हाही नामस्मरणाची सवय तुम्हाला घरी घेऊन जाऊ शकते, याची ही हळुवार आठवण आहे.

Where this applies

Closing verse-5 of 5-abhang Krṣṇa-pastoral-meal cluster (4362-4366)