Abhanga 4543
The truly compassionate one clears trouble before it reaches you and does the real work quietly, without needing to be asked or thanked.
The verse
नेदी दुःख देखों दासा नारायण । ठेवी निवारून आल्या आधीं ॥१॥
आधीं पुढें शुद्ध करावा मारग । दासांमागें मग सुखरूप ॥२॥
पर्वतासि हात लाविला अनंतें । तो जाय वरतें आपेंआप ॥३॥
आपल्याआपण उचलिला गिरी । गोपाळ हे करी निमित्यासि ॥४॥
निमित्य करूनि करावें कारण । करितां आपण कळों नेदी ॥५॥
दिनाचा कृपाळु पतितपावन । हें करी वचन सांच खरें ॥६॥
सांगणें न लगे सुखदुःख दासा । तुका म्हणे ऐसा कृपावंत ॥७॥
Literal translation
Nārāyaṇa-doesn't-let-dāsa-see-duḥkha — puts-aside-before-arrival. Clears-mārga-ahead — dāsas-behind-sukha-rūpa. Ananta-touches-mountain — goes-up-by-itself. Gopāḷas-just-nimitya — Lord-real-kāraṇa. Acts-without-them-knowing — dīna-krpāḷu-patita-pāvana-vachana-saca. Sukha-duḥkha-not-needed-to-tell — Tukā: such-krpāvanta.
What it means
A 7-verse yamak-bandha — the Govardhana-lifting itself. The radical-theological claim: the-Lord-touches-the-mountain-and-it-goes-up-by-itself; the-Gopāḷas-are-just-nimitya (occasion, instrumental-cause), Lord-himself-is-the-real-kāraṇa — and he-acts-without-letting-them-know. The Lord doesn't-need-his-dāsas-to-tell-him-about-sukha-duḥkha — he clears-the-path-ahead. Foundational doctrine of effortless-grace: bhakta-just-believes, Lord-does-it-all. Pair with 4542 (preceding announcement), 4544 (universal-shelter).
For someone today
Krishna does not wait for his devotees to face suffering, he clears trouble from the road before they even get there. When he touches the mountain, it rises on its own, and the cowherds who think they are helping hold it up are really just given the occasion to feel useful, while he alone is the real cause behind the miracle. He acts quietly, without making a show of it or needing anyone to notice. Tukaram's last line is the tender part: such a compassionate one does not need his devotees to explain their joy or sorrow to him, because he already knows and is already working on their behalf.
मराठी: कृष्ण आपल्या भक्तांना दुःख भोगू देत नाही, ते वाटेवर येण्याआधीच तो अडचण दूर करून टाकतो. तो पर्वताला हात लावतो आणि तो आपोआप वर उचलला जातो, आणि आपण मदत करत आहोत असे वाटणारे गोपाळ खरे तर फक्त निमित्तमात्र असतात, खरे कारण तोच असतो. तो हे शांतपणे करतो, कोणाला दाखवण्यासाठी किंवा कोणाच्या लक्षात यावे म्हणून नव्हे. तुकारामांची शेवटची ओळ हळुवार आहे, अशा कृपाळू देवाला भक्तांनी आपले सुख-दुःख सांगण्याची गरज नसते, कारण त्याला ते आधीच माहीत असते आणि तो आधीच त्यांच्यासाठी काम करत असतो.
Where this applies
- When someone quietly removes an obstacle from your path before you even notice it was there
- When you feel you are contributing to something while someone else is really carrying the real weight
- When you wonder whether you need to explain your pain to someone who already understands it
- When true care shows up without needing recognition or announcement