Abhanga 4393
No matter how many mistakes you have made, trust that genuine compassion is not blocked by them, and ask plainly to be met rather than further tested.
The verse
अपराध जाले जरी असंख्यात । तरी कृपावंत नाम तुझें ॥१॥
तुझें लडिवाळ तुज कृपा यावी । म्यां वाट पाहावी कवणाची ॥ध्रु.॥
मायबाप माझा रुक्मादेवीवर । हा दृढ निर्धार अंतरींचा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे कोणे गोष्टीचें संकष्ट । न घालीं मज भेट नारायणा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Aparādha-asankhyāta — your-Name-krpāvanta. Laḍivāḷa-yours — krpā-should-come. Mother-father-Rukmā-devī-vara — drḍha-niścaya-antar. Tukā: don't-sankaṣṭa — bhēṭa-Nārāyaṇa.
What it means
A 3-verse aparādha-but-Name-krpāvanta-bhrida text. Even if my offences are countless — your Name is gracious. I'm your spoiled-darling — your krpā should come; for whom else should I wait? My mother-father is Rukmiṇī's-husband — this is the firm decision in my heart. Tukā says: don't place any matter's difficulty (before me) — meet me, Nārāyaṇa. The bhrida-binding: even-countless-offences are-no-obstacle because your-Name-itself-is-krpāvanta.
For someone today
Tukaram admits his offenses are countless, more than he could ever count, but he trusts that the very name he calls on is itself compassionate, so his mistakes are not the last word. He describes himself as a spoiled, dearly loved child who fully expects grace to come, because who else could he possibly wait for instead? He states his firm, settled conviction that Rukmini's husband is truly his mother and father, not just a distant deity, and that this decision in his heart is not going to waver. He ends by asking plainly that no obstacle be placed in the way of that meeting, because what he wants most is simply to be met, not tested further.
मराठी: तुकाराम कबूल करतात की त्यांचे अपराध असंख्य आहेत, मोजताही येणार नाहीत इतके, पण ज्या नामाचा ते धावा करतात तेच नाम मुळातच कृपाळू आहे यावर त्यांचा विश्वास आहे, त्यामुळे त्यांच्या चुका शेवटचा शब्द ठरत नाहीत. ते स्वतःला लाडावलेले मूल समजतात, ज्याला कृपा येणारच याची खात्री आहे, कारण दुसऱ्या कोणाची वाट पाहायची? रुक्मिणीचा पती हाच आपला खराखुरा मायबाप आहे, कुणी दूरचा देव नव्हे, हा त्यांच्या मनातील ठाम निर्धार आहे आणि तो कधीही डळमळणार नाही. शेवटी ते साध्या शब्दांत विनवतात की या भेटीत कोणताही अडथळा येऊ नये, कारण त्यांना फक्त भेट हवी आहे, आणखी परीक्षा नको.
Where this applies
- When guilt over past mistakes makes you doubt whether you deserve forgiveness or love
- When you choose to trust someone's fundamental kindness rather than dwelling on your own failures
- When you settle a firm, unwavering conviction in your heart about who truly cares for you
- When you simply want to be met and reassured rather than tested or made to prove yourself further