Abhanga 4538
Real strength belongs not to the proud or eloquent but to whoever has Krishna as their helper, and sincere simplicity wins the share that pride walks away from.
The verse
भाग त्या सुखाचे वांकड्या बोबड्या । आपलिया गड्या भाविकांसि ॥१॥
भारवाही गेले टाकुनि कावडी । नवनीतगोडी भाविकांसि ॥२॥
काला करूनियां वांटिलां सकळां । आनंदें गोपाळांमाजी खेळे ॥३॥
खेळेंमेळें दहीं दुध तूप खाती । भय नाहीं चित्ती कवणाचें ॥४॥
कवणाचें चाले तुका म्हणे बळ । जयासी गोपाळ साह्य जाला ॥५॥
Literal translation
Bhāga-of-sukha-by-crooked-stuttering — for-bhāvika-gaḍī. Bhāra-vāhī-flee-leaving-kāvaḍī — navanīta-gōḍī-to-bhāvika. Kāḷā-made-distributed-all — Gopāḷas-play-ānanda. Eat-curds-milk-ghee — no-fear-chitta. Whose-Gopāḷa-sāhya — his-strength-prevails — Tukā.
What it means
A 5-verse yamak-bandha continuation — the crooked-stuttering bhāvikā receive-the-share while-the-bhāra-vāhī (the prideful-burden-carriers) flee. The Kāḷā (the mixed-meal) is distributed to all-Gopāḷas. The closing: whose-strength-prevails — he-to-whom-Gopāḷa-is-sāhya. Foundational Vārkarī claim about-strength-as-Lord's-help. Pair with 4506 (Kāḷā-canonical), 4476 (bhakti-market-no-pankti-bhēda), 4537 (preceding chain).
For someone today
The share of Krishna's joy goes not to the proud but to the simple, plain-spoken friends who stayed, even those who stammer or seem unpolished. The angry ones who felt too proud to take part walk off leaving their yokes behind, while the sincere devotees enjoy the sweetness of fresh butter, curds, and milk together without a trace of fear. Tukaram closes with a plain truth: strength does not belong to the eloquent or the proud, it belongs to whoever has Krishna, the Gopala, as their helper. Sincerity and simple presence win out over pride and polish every time.
मराठी: कृष्णाच्या आनंदाचा वाटा गर्विष्ठांना नाही तर तिथे राहिलेल्या साध्या, अडखळत बोलणाऱ्या मित्रांनाच मिळतो. रागावलेले आणि सहभागी व्हायला कमीपणा वाटणारे लोक आपले काठ्या-मुसळे टाकून निघून जातात, तर मनापासून भक्ती करणारे लोणी, दही आणि दूध यांची गोडी एकत्र निर्भयपणे उपभोगतात. तुकाराम शेवटी साधे सत्य सांगतात, बळ चतुर किंवा गर्विष्ठ लोकांचे नसते, ते ज्याला गोपाळाची, कृष्णाची, साथ लाभते त्याचेच असते. मनापासूनची साधी उपस्थिती गर्व आणि चतुराईवर नेहमीच मात करते.
Where this applies
- When someone plain-spoken or unpolished ends up receiving more joy than the proud who walked away
- When pride makes a person leave rather than join in something shared
- When simple sincerity wins out over eloquence or cleverness
- When you notice that real strength comes from having genuine support, not from status