Abhanga 4379
The verse
उदार कृपाळ पतितपावन । ब्रिदें नारायणा जाती वांयां ॥१॥
वर्णिलासि श्रुति नेणे तुझा पार । राहे मौनाकार नेति ऐसें ॥ध्रु.॥
तेथें माझा धांवा पावे कोणीकडे । अदृष्ट हें पुढें वोडवलें ॥२॥
कोण ऐसा भक्त लाधला भाग्यासी । आठवण ऐसी द्यावी तुज ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे नको पाहों माझा अंत । जाणोनि हे मात उडी घालीं ॥४॥
Literal translation
Udāra-krpāḷu-patita-pāvana — Nārāyaṇa-bridās-go-in-vain. Śruti-described — doesn't-know-pāra — mauna-of-nēti. My-dhāvā-where-go — adrṣṭa-blocks. Who-such-blessed-bhakta — to-remind-you. Tukā: don't-test-anta — knowing-this-uḍī-ghālīm.
What it means
A 4-verse petition using the bridā-binding-argument. Generous, merciful, purifier-of-the-fallen — Nārāyaṇa, your vow-titles will go in vain (if you don't act). The śruti described you but doesn't know your limit — stays in the silence of 'neti'. There, where would my running-call go — fate blocks my way ahead. Which bhakta is so blessed as to give you such a reminder? Tukā says: don't test my limit — knowing this conversation, plunge in (to save me). The closing uḍī-ghālīm (dive-in, plunge-in) is striking — Tukārām asks the Lord to make an uḍī (a leap-from-the-bank-into-water) to-save-him.
For someone today
Tukārām: your-bridās-go-in-vain-if-you-don't-live-up-to-them; the-śrutis-stay-silent-in-neti-neti; don't-test-my-limit — plunge-in-and-save-me.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's bridā-binding + uḍī-ghālīm rescue-prayer canonical