Abhanga 4542
Even with fear and doubt still in the heart, if real protection is near, no true harm is allowed to happen, so acting alongside it is enough even without full confidence.
The verse
वेडावलीं काय करावें या काळीं । म्हणे वनमाळी गोपाळांसि ॥१॥
शिरी धरूं गोवर्धन उचलूनि । म्हणे तुम्ही कोणी भिऊं नका ॥२॥
नका सांडूं कोणी आपला आवांका । मारितां या हाका आरोळिया ॥३॥
अशंकित चित्ते न वटे त्यां खरें । धाकें च ते बरें म्हणती चला ॥४॥
चित्ती धाक परि जवळी अनंत । तुका म्हणे घात होऊं नेदी ॥५॥
Literal translation
Bewildered-what-to-do-this-time — Vanamāḷī-to-Gopāḷas-says. Hold-Govardhana-on-head-lifting — none-of-you-fear. Don't-give-up-your-strength — make-shouts-roars. Āśankita-chitta-doesn't-believe — by-fear-yes-let's-go. Chitta-fear-Ananta-near — Tukā: no-harm-allowed.
What it means
A 5-verse yamak-bandha — the Govardhana-uchchālana announcement (the famous Bhāgavata 10.25 episode where Krṣṇa lifts the Govardhana mountain on his finger to shelter the cowherds and cows from Indra's rain). The narrative-moment: Lord-tells-the-Gopāḷas I-will-lift-Govardhana-on-my-head — don't-fear. He even tells them to not-give-up-their-own-strength and make-roar-shouts (involving-them in-the-supposed-effort). The Gopāḷas-can't-really-believe-but-fear-forces-them-to-say-yes. The closing: fear-in-chitta-but-Ananta-near = no-harm-allowed. Pair with 4541 (preceding), 4543 (continuing chain).
For someone today
Facing the bewildered, frightened cowherds, Krishna announces he will lift Govardhana mountain on his own head to shelter them, and tells them not to be afraid, but also not to give up their own strength, to keep shouting and pushing along with him. The Gopalas do not really believe it will work, their minds stay full of doubt, and it is mostly fear that makes them go along anyway. But Tukaram's closing line matters most: even with fear still in their hearts, the infinite one was near, and no real harm was allowed to happen. You do not need full confidence to act rightly in a crisis, showing up and contributing your own effort alongside real protection is enough.
मराठी: गोंधळलेल्या, घाबरलेल्या गोपाळांसमोर कृष्ण जाहीर करतो की तो स्वतः गोवर्धन पर्वत डोक्यावर उचलून त्यांना आसरा देईल, आणि त्यांना घाबरू नका असे सांगतो, पण त्याचबरोबर आपले बळही सोडू नका, त्याच्यासोबत आरोळ्या देत राहा असेही सांगतो. गोपाळांना खरोखर विश्वास बसत नाही, त्यांचे मन शंकेने भरलेले असते, आणि बहुतांशी भीतीमुळेच ते त्याच्यासोबत जायला तयार होतात. पण तुकारामांची शेवटची ओळ महत्त्वाची आहे, मनात भीती असूनही, तो अनंत जवळ होता, आणि कोणतीही खरी हानी होऊ दिली नाही. संकटाच्या क्षणी योग्य कृती करायला पूर्ण विश्वासाची गरज नसते, स्वतःचे बळ लावून सोबत उभे राहणे आणि खऱ्या संरक्षणावर विसंबणे पुरेसे असते.
Where this applies
- When you are asked to help even though you doubt the plan will actually work
- When fear pushes you to act before real confidence arrives
- When you must keep contributing your own effort even while someone else carries the heavier load
- When looking back you realize you were protected through a crisis despite your doubts at the time