Abhanga 4492
Tukaram teaches that when devotees become so joyfully absorbed in simple, playful togetherness with God that they forget themselves, that forgetting itself becomes the fullest possible worship.
The verse
दावी वर्म सोपें भाविकां गोपाळां । वाहे त्यांच्या गळां पाले माळा ॥१॥
मान देती आधीं मागतील डाव । देवा तें गौरव माने सुख ॥२॥
मानती ते मंत्र हमामा हुंबरी । सिंतोडिती वरि स्नान तेणें ॥३॥
वस्त्रें घोंगडिया घालुनियां तळीं । वरी वनमाळी बैसविती ॥४॥
तिंहीं लोकांसी जो दुर्लभ चिंतना । तो धांवे गोधना वळतियां ॥५॥
यांच्या वचनाचीं पुष्पें वाहे शिरीं । नैवेद्य त्यांकरीं कवळ मागे ॥६॥
त्यांचिये मुखींचें हिरोनियां घ्यावें । उच्छष्टि तें खावें धणीवरी ॥७॥
वरी माथां गुंफे मोरपिसांवेटी । नाचे टाळी पिटी त्यांच्या छंदें ॥८॥
छंदें नाचतील जयासवें हरी । देहभाव वरी विसरलीं ॥९॥
विसरली वरी देहाची भावना । ते चि नारायणा सर्वपूजा ॥१०॥
पूजा भाविकांची न कळतां घ्यावी । न मागतां दावी निज ठाव ॥११॥
ठाव पावावया हिंडे मागें मागें । तुका म्हणे संगें भक्तांचिया ॥१२॥
Literal translation
A 12-verse yamak-bandha — Krṣṇa shows-easy-varma-to-bhāvika-Gopāḷas; wears-leaf-mālā; hamāmā-humbarī (children's-shouts) = mantra + sprinkles = snāna; their-blanket-below + Vanamāḷī-sat-on; rare-for-three-lōka-chintana but-runs-to-cattle-tenders; words-as-flowers-on-head; eats-uchchhiṣṭa-snatched-from-mouth; morapiśa-on-head + dances-tāḷī-piṭī-children's-chhandē; forgot-deha-bhāvanā = full-pūja-of-Nārāyaṇa; takes-bhāvika's-pūja-without-knowing — shows-nija-ṭhāva-without-asking; wanders-back-back — Tukā: with-bhakta-sang.
What it means
A 12-verse yamak-bandha continuation. Major folk-sacralization moves: (a) hamāmā-humbarī (children's-loud-shouts) = mantra; sprinkles-from-their-hands = snāna — radical-folk-sacralization-of-rural-play, (b) Lord wears their leaf-garland on neck — accepts-folk-offerings, (c) rare-for-three-lōkas' chintana but runs-to-cattle-tenders — accessibility-paradox, (d) eats-uchchhiṣṭa-snatched-from-their-mouth to-his-full — eats-leftovers, (e) forgot-deha-bhāvanā = full-pūja — losing-body-consciousness-itself-is-the-complete-pūja, (f) takes-pūja-of-bhāvika-without-them-knowing — shows-nija-ṭhāva-without-being-asked. Closing: wanders-back-back with bhakta-sang. Pair with 4491 (preceding chain), 4493 (continuing chain).
For someone today
Tukaram shows Krishna joyfully joining the world of simple cowherd children on their own terms, wearing their humble leaf garland, treating their shouts and games as sacred chants, letting their splashing water count as a holy bath, and even eating the food snatched right from their mouths as leftovers. This is the God who is said to be beyond the reach of deep meditation for the three worlds, yet he runs eagerly to be with ordinary cattle herders. The most striking line says that when they dance and play so completely that they forget their own self-consciousness, that forgetting itself becomes the fullest form of worship. The lesson is that unselfconscious, joyful presence with God matters more than any formal ritual.
मराठी: तुकाराम कृष्णाला साध्या गोपाळ मुलांच्या जगात, त्यांच्याच अटींवर, आनंदाने सामील होताना दाखवतात, त्यांची साधी पानांची माळ गळ्यात घालतो, त्यांचे ओरडणे आणि खेळ पवित्र मंत्रासारखे मानतो, त्यांचे पाणी उडवणे पवित्र स्नानासारखे स्वीकारतो, आणि त्यांच्याच तोंडातून हिसकावलेले उष्टे अन्नसुद्धा खातो. हाच तो देव आहे जो त्रैलोक्याच्या गहन ध्यानालाही अगम्य म्हटला जातो, तरीही तो साध्या गुराख्यांसोबत राहण्यासाठी धावत येतो. सर्वात लक्षवेधी ओळ अशी आहे की जेव्हा ते इतके पूर्णपणे नाचतात आणि खेळतात की स्वतःचे भानच विसरतात, तेव्हा तेच विसरणे संपूर्ण पूजा बनते. यातून हेच शिकायला मिळते की देवासोबतची निखळ, आनंदी, स्वतःचे भान विसरलेली उपस्थिती कोणत्याही औपचारिक विधीपेक्षा जास्त महत्त्वाची आहे.
Where this applies
- When you think worship must be formal and dignified rather than playful and unguarded
- When you get lost so completely in joyful shared activity, like play, music, or laughter, that you forget yourself
- When you feel your simple, humble offerings are not good enough compared to elaborate rituals
- When you are with children or simple people and sense something sacred in their unpretentious joy