Saturday, June 6, 2015

संवसार तापे तापलो मी देवा - संत तुकाराम

संवसार तापे तापलो मी देवा | करिता या सेवा कुटुंबाची ||
म्हणऊनी तुझे आठविले पाय | ये वो माझे माय पांडुरंगे ||
बहुता जन्मींचा जालो भारवाही | सुटिजे हे नाही वर्म ठावे ||
वेढियेलो चोरी अंतर्बाह्यात्कारी | कणव न करी कोणी माझी ||
बहु पांगविलो बहु नागविलो | बहु दिवस जालो कासाविस ||
तुका म्हणे आता धाव घाल वेगी | ब्रीद तुझे जगी दीनानाथा ||

Ramkrishna Paramhansa and many other saints have said that you can see God when you are really desperate for Him. When you have totally surrendered unto Him. When you do not have any other hope of help from the world. In such a mood when you call unto God, you'll see Him. As Jesus Christ has said, “Ask, and it shall be given unto you”. 

संवसार तापे तापलो मी देवा | करिता या सेवा कुटुंबाची ||
म्हणऊनी तुझे आठविले पाय | ये वो माझे माय पांडुरंगे ||

This abhang is one such prayer, where Sant Tukaram is calling out to God Pandurang in desperation for help. He is saying, I have been tortured in this material world while serving my family. I have been burnt in the flames of the Samsara. So I remember your lotus feet now, looking for peace. Please come to me, O my mother Pandurange, please come and rescue me. Here Tukaram is calling God Pandurang as mother, as a mother cares most for her child. When she knows her child is in pain, she'll do everything to help the child.

बहुता जन्मींचा जालो भारवाही | सुटिजे हे नाही वर्म ठावे ||
वेढियेलो चोरी अंतर्बाह्यात्कारी | कणव न करी कोणी माझी ||
बहु पांगविलो बहु नागविलो | बहु दिवस जालो कासाविस ||
तुका म्हणे आता धाव घाल वेगी | ब्रीद तुझे जगी दीनानाथा ||


I have been labouring in this way for many many births but I am not able to get out of this cycle as I do not know the way out. I have been surrounded from all sides, from outside as well from inside by the thieves (? thieves of unhappiness, bad habits?) and nobody even cares about it. I have been labouring for long, all my self respect is lost due to my failures. I am desperate in pain for many days now. Tuka says please hurry up, O Lord, please prove your name Deenanath (saviour of the poor) by coming and rescuing me.