Abhanga 4535
Being told not to fear is not the same as trusting, and until you recognize what is truly present with you, anxious burden and bodily suffering will not lift.
The verse
खेळ नव्हे बरा इंद्र कोपलिया । देव म्हणे तयां भेऊं नका ॥१॥
नका धरू भय धाक कांहीं मनीं । बोले चक्रपाणि गौळियांसि ॥२॥
गौळियांसि धीर नाहीं या वचनें । आशंकितमनें वेडावलीं ॥३॥
वेडावलीं त्यांसि न कळतां भाव । देवआदिदेव नोळखतां ॥४॥
नोळखतां दुःखें वाहाती शरीरीं । तुका म्हणे वरि भारवाही ॥५॥
Literal translation
Not-good-play-Indra-angered — Lord-says-don't-fear. Don't-hold-fear-doubt-mana — Chakra-pāṇi-to-gauḷīs. Gauḷīs-no-dhīra — āśankita-bewildered. Bewildered-not-knowing-bhāva — not-recognizing-Deva-ādi-Deva. Not-recognizing-suffer-bodily — Tukā: bhāra-vāhī.
What it means
A 5-verse yamak-bandha continuing the Indra-yajña-prevention narrative. After-Lord-snatches-Indra's-bhāga, the gauḷīs-fear-Indra-will-be-angered. Lord-tells-them don't-fear, but-they-have-no-firmness in-his-vachana. The diagnosis: bewildered, they-don't-recognize-the-Deva, the-ādi-Deva — not-recognizing, they-suffer-bodily as-bhāra-vāhī (burden-carriers, beasts-of-burden — they carry-the-Lord-on-their-shoulders-yet-don't-recognize-him). This is one of Tukārām's signature-images: the bhakta-as-burden-carrier-who-doesn't-recognize-the-Lord-he's-carrying. Pair with 4534 (preceding), 4536 (continuing chain).
For someone today
After Krishna snatches Indra's offerings, the cowherds panic, sure that Indra's anger will fall on them. Krishna tells them plainly not to be afraid, but his words give them no real steadiness, their minds stay anxious and doubting. Tukaram's diagnosis is pointed: because they do not truly recognize who is speaking to them, they keep carrying fear and suffering in their bodies like burden-bearers, even though the one who could free them is right there beside them. Being told not to worry is not the same as actually trusting, and until you recognize what is really present with you, reassurance alone will not settle an anxious mind.
मराठी: कृष्णाने इंद्राचा नैवेद्य हिरावून घेतल्यावर गवळी घाबरतात, त्यांना खात्री असते की इंद्राचा राग त्यांच्यावर कोसळेल. कृष्ण त्यांना स्पष्टपणे सांगतो की घाबरू नका, पण त्याच्या शब्दांनी त्यांना खरी स्थिरता मिळत नाही, त्यांचे मन शंकित आणि अस्वस्थच राहते. तुकारामांचे निदान स्पष्ट आहे, आपल्याशी बोलणारा कोण आहे हे न ओळखल्यामुळे ते ओझे वाहणाऱ्यांसारखे भीती आणि दुःख शरीरात बाळगत राहतात, तरीही त्यांना मुक्त करू शकणारा शेजारीच उभा असतो. नुसते घाबरू नका सांगितले जाणे आणि खरोखर विश्वास ठेवणे यात फरक आहे, आणि तुमच्यासोबत खरोखर काय आहे हे ओळखल्याशिवाय नुसत्या धीराच्या शब्दांनी अस्वस्थ मन शांत होत नाही.
Where this applies
- When someone reassures you not to worry but your anxious mind refuses to settle
- When you carry stress in your body even after being told everything will be fine
- When you fail to notice the support already standing right beside you
- When fear of consequences overwhelms you even after receiving direct reassurance