Abhanga 4472
Human effort only truly succeeds when backed by a higher power, and real trust in that power is what removes fear from the mind.
The verse
स्वामीच्या सामर्थ्या । चाले बोलिला पुरुषार्थ ॥१॥
पाठी देवाचें हें बळ । मग लाभे हातीं काळ ॥ध्रु.॥
देव ज्यासी साह्य । तेणें केलें सर्व होय ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे स्वामीसत्ता । मग नाहीं भय चित्ता ॥३॥
Literal translation
By-Swāmī-sāmarthya — puruṣārtha-walks. Behind-Deva's-baḷa — Kāla-in-hand. Deva-sāhya — all-happens. Tukā: Swāmī-sattā — no-fear-chitta.
What it means
A 3-verse Other-power-mahima text. By the power of the Master — the effort walks (succeeds) as told. With the strength of Deva behind — then Time is obtained in the hand. He whom Deva (gives) help — by him, everything happens. Tukā says: with the authority of the Master — then there is no fear in the mind. The doctrine: human-effort (puruṣārtha) succeeds only-when-backed-by-Deva-sāmarthya — and-when-Deva's-strength-is-behind, even-Kāla-is-in-your-hand. Pair with 4468 (4-fold-accessibility-Lord-helps).
For someone today
Tukārām says human effort only really succeeds when it is backed by a higher power, your own will alone isn't enough to get you where you're going. When God's strength stands behind you, even something as unstoppable as time starts to feel like it's within your reach rather than against you. Whoever has that kind of help behind them finds that things simply come together. Tukārām's conclusion is that once you truly trust in that higher authority, the fear that normally sits in your mind just isn't there anymore.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की माणसाचे प्रयत्न खरोखर तेव्हाच यशस्वी होतात जेव्हा त्यामागे परमेश्वराची शक्ती असते, नुसती स्वतःची इच्छाशक्ती पुरेशी नसते. जेव्हा देवाची ताकद पाठीशी असते, तेव्हा काळासारखी अजिंक्य गोष्टही तुझ्या विरोधात न राहता तुझ्या हाती आल्यासारखी वाटते. ज्याच्या पाठीशी अशी मदत असते त्याच्यासाठी गोष्टी आपोआप जुळून येतात. तुकारामांचा निष्कर्ष असा की जेव्हा तू खरोखर त्या उच्च सत्तेवर विश्वास ठेवतोस, तेव्हा मनात नेहमी असणारी भीती उरतच नाही.
Where this applies
- When you're relying purely on your own willpower and feeling like it isn't enough
- When you're afraid of running out of time or losing control over circumstances
- When you notice things falling into place once you stop trying to force them alone
- When fear keeps gripping your mind despite your best efforts to plan and prepare