Abhanga 4392
Real inner freedom from anger, greed, desire, pride, and envy comes not from sheer self effort but from being genuinely helped, so ask honestly to be claimed and supported.
The verse
माझें कोण आहे तुजविण देवा । मुकुंदा केशवा नारायणा ॥१॥
वाट पाहतसें कृपेच्या सागरा । गोपीमनोहरा पांडुरंगा ॥ध्रु.॥
साच करीं हरी आपुली ब्रिदावळी । कृपेनें सांभाळीं महाराजा ॥२॥
क्षमा करीं सर्व अपराध माझा । लडिवाळ मी तुझा पांडुरंगा ॥३॥
साह्य होसी तरी जाती साही वैरी । मग सुखें अंतरीं ध्यान तुझें ॥४॥
कृपा करोनि देई दया क्षमा शांती । तेणें तुझी भक्ति लाभईंल ॥५॥
माझें हें सामर्थ्य नव्हे नारायणा । जरी कांहीं करुणा येइल तुज ॥६॥
तुका म्हणे मज कैसें आपंगा जी । आपुलेंसें करा जी पांडुरंगा ॥७॥
Literal translation
Who-do-I-have-besides-you — Mukunda-Keśava-Nārāyaṇa. Wait-for-krpā-sāgara — Gōpī-manōhara-Pāṇḍurangā. Make-real-bridāvalī — sambhāḷa-by-krpā. Kṣamā-all-aparādha — laḍivāḷa-yours. If-saha — 6-vairī-leave — antar-dhyāna-with-joy. Give-dayā-kṣamā-śānti — bhakti-attained. My-sāmarthya-not-mine — if-karuṇā-comes. Tukā: how-protect-me — make-me-your-own.
What it means
A 7-verse full-yearning-petition. Who do I have besides you, Deva — Mukunda, Keśava, Nārāyaṇa? I watch the path for the compassion-ocean — Gopī-charmer, Pāṇḍurangā. Make real your titles, Hari; take care by krpā, Great King. Forgive all my offences — I'm your spoiled-darling, Pāṇḍurangā. If you become my helper, the six (inner) foes leave; then in my heart, in joy, your meditation. By doing krpā, give compassion-forgiveness-peace — by that your bhakti is attained. This power isn't mine, Nārāyaṇa — if any compassion comes to you. Tukā says: how can you protect me — make me your own, Pāṇḍurangā. The 6-vairī doctrine: the 6 inner-foes are kāma-krōdha-lōbha-mōha-mada-matsara (desire-anger-greed-delusion-pride-envy) — these leave when Lord becomes the bhakta's helper.The closing: bhakti-itself is given-by-Lord's-krpā, not-attained-by-self-effort.
For someone today
Tukaram pours out a long, honest plea here, asking who he really has besides God, and waiting like someone watching the road for an ocean of compassion to finally arrive. He asks God to actually live up to his own reputation as merciful and forgive every offense, saying he considers himself a spoiled, dearly loved child rather than someone who has earned anything by his own merit. He makes a striking claim, that if God becomes his helper, the six inner enemies inside him, desire, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and envy, will simply leave on their own, and only then can he sit in joyful, settled meditation. He is clear that this whole transformation is not something he can achieve through his own strength, it depends entirely on compassion being extended to him, and he closes by asking simply to be claimed and made God's own.
मराठी: तुकाराम इथे मनापासून एक दीर्घ, प्रामाणिक विनवणी करतात — देवाशिवाय आपले खरे कोण आहे असे विचारतात, आणि करुणेच्या सागराची वाट पाहत रस्त्याकडे डोळे लावून बसतात. देवाने आपल्याच कृपाळू या नावलौकिकाला खरे ठरवावे आणि सगळे अपराध क्षमा करावेत अशी ते मागणी करतात, कारण स्वतःला ते कर्तृत्वाने काही मिळवलेला नव्हे तर लाडावलेला मुलगाच समजतात. ते एक ठळक दावा करतात — देव जर आपला सहाय्यक झाला, तर आतील सहा शत्रू, म्हणजे काम, क्रोध, लोभ, मोह, मद आणि मत्सर, आपोआप निघून जातील, आणि तेव्हाच मनात सुखाने, स्थिरतेने ध्यान करता येईल. ही सगळी बदलाची प्रक्रिया स्वतःच्या ताकदीने साध्य होणारी नाही, ती फक्त कृपेवरच अवलंबून आहे हे ते स्पष्टपणे मान्य करतात, आणि शेवटी फक्त एवढीच विनंती करतात की मला आपले करून घ्या.
Where this applies
- When you realize you have no one else to truly lean on and admit that openly
- When you struggle with anger, greed, desire, pride, or envy and long to be free of their grip
- When you see yourself as needing grace rather than someone who has earned everything through effort
- When you ask directly to be accepted and claimed rather than trying to prove your own worth