Tuka mhane vate | Nako phuto deu phaate
Ramkrishnahari.
It
is common knowledge that while it takes a huge effort to earn a fortune, it
takes an even greater effort to safeguard it.
If it is not guarded well, not only will all our strife go in vain,
there will also be no surety if we will be able to earn that fortune all over
again, all too soon. Until now, we have
had the fortune to enjoy the innumerable rays of ‘Tuka’s’ ‘bhaavaas’ radiating
from his abhangs. These abhangs
demonstrate the plane of ‘tuka’s existence.
He existed in a sphere which was para-normal. His ‘bhava’ always soared higher and higher,
with no let up. Would he therefore not
want to safeguard it? He did desire that
and here is an abhang which he places as a prayer before his beloved ‘vithala’. Let us enjoy this abhang in the form of an
imaginary dialogue between ‘Tuka’ and ‘Vithu’.
Vith
: ‘Tuka’, did you call my name ? That is
why I came running to you.
Tuka
: Yes ‘Vithu’ ! The more I call your name, the more are the ‘bhaavaas’ which flow
within me.
Vithu
: ‘Bhaavaas’ ? What are they ‘Tuka’ ?
Tuka
: What else ? Thoughts which have you as
the pivot.
Vithu
: Me ? What is there in me for so many
‘bhaavaas’ to erupt within you?
Tuka
: Vithu ! Tell me ! Why are you now talking
to me ? What is there in me that you are
talking to me now ?
Vithu
: Smiles…. I am unable to talk to anyone to my heart’ content. Your ‘prema’ makes me talk and satisfies me.
Tuka
: Hmmm…Do you see ? What is that ‘prema’
that you are referring to?
Vithu
: Your ‘bhakti’-laced thoughts ‘tuka’.
Tuka
: There you are ! That is what is called
‘bhaavaa’.
Vithu
: Oh ! so your ‘prema’ is that ‘bhaavaa’. I get it.
Do you know, it pulls, rather drags me to you.
Tuka
: Yes Vithu ! Now you will agree that it is this ‘bhaavaa’ which earns you.
Vithu
: So ?
Tuka
: Will I then not hold ‘bhaavaas’ dear to my heart ? Without it there is no way I can hold you !!
These ‘bhaavaas’ come wave after wave.
But I need to ask something from you.
Vithu
: ‘Tuka’ these bhaavaas are all completely yours because they come from within
you. What is in it that I can do for you
that you want to ask something from me ?
Tuka
: ‘Vithu’, These ‘bhaavaas’ are just carriers or vehicles. They will carry anything that is given to
them. These ‘bhaavaas’ can carry
material subjects, spiritual subjects, philosophical subjects and the list is
endless. But I am also aware that they
can carry you as the subject.
Vithu
: That’s fine. So you carry what you
want !! It’s your wish !! What is in it for me ?
Tuka
: Vithu ! do not speak so! To carry you
or my guru as the subject of my ‘bhaavaas’, it can never be my wish.
Vithu
: Then who can wish you that ‘bhaavaa’.
Tuka
: don’t you know ? But I will answer
only to honour your question. Placing
you or my guru on that bhaavaa is completely in both your control.
Vithu
: Laughing… how do you say that ?
Tuka
: The mind generates thoughts and ‘bhaavaas’ based on what the eyes see, the
ears hear, the nose smells, the tongue tastes and the sense of touch to the
skin. There is no scope to catch you
with any of these. Do you agree ?
Vithu
: Yes. I agree. I am beyond all these.
Tuka
: Then tell me vithu? Wherefrom did my
‘bhaavaas’ catch you?
Vithu
: Silent… Smiles… I will now honor your
question and answer. I gave myself to
you.
Tuka
: That’ why I said that if the guru or you are there in my ‘bhaavaas’, it is
both of you who have benevolently decided to reside in it.
Vithu
: Tuka ! You win ! Ask for a boon from
me.
Tuka
: The saints of yesteryears have taught us that after having got you, there is
no boon that one can ask for ? Because,
after getting you, everything is complete.
There is nothing to be desired.
But I am not like them. I still
want to ask of you 3 things.
Fortunately, you yourself have broached it.
Vithu
: Go ahead ‘Tuka’, whatever your wish is a command for me. I shall fulfil it.
Tuka
: आलें भागा तें करितों ! you are aware that I have embraced whatever destiny
has conferred upon me without even a smirk in my face. I have never detested it. I perform to the best of my abilities. At the same time, I have learnt to do all
these interspersing the chanting of your name तुझें नाम उच्चारितों. That way I do not run away from my responsibilities
but at the same time associate myself completely with you at least on a verbose
level. I may not realise you but I just
chant your name.
Vithu
: O Tuka ! Only because you chant my name, even if without knowing my worth, I
decided to let you know my worth by placing myself on your thoughts. Now you know why & how I entered your
‘bhaavaas’ !!! Whoever calls me, I run
to them !
Tuka
: Is that not a great fortune my lord ? Now please do me a favour. This is the first boon I seek of you. आतां माझ्या भावा । अंतराय नको देवा Let this ‘bhaavaa’ be a continuous unbroken
string. There should be no gap between
two ‘bhaavaas’ which is occupied by any other thought other than you.
Vithu
: Done ‘tuka’. What is the 2nd
boon you seek ?
Tuka
: दृढ माझें मन My mind should be steadfast.
Enough of all the wanderings it has indulged until it met you. Please tie it up with only these ‘bhaavaas’
henceforth येथें राखावें बांधोन. Having
tied down to the stump of ‘bhaavaas’, even if it will tend to wander, it will
go round and round only around you.
Vithu
: Winks and says… ‘Tuka’. As you sow, so
shall you reap !!! You have tied me down (with your ‘bhakti’). I will return that favour by tying down your
mind (to me). What is left to be asked
? What is the third boon you seek ?
Tuka
: Vithu ! Let me always be
straight. Let there be no crookedness in
my. तुका म्हणे वाटे In the path I tread,
नको फुटों देऊं फांटे let there be no by-lanes, lest I go astray.
‘Vithu’
is supremely pleased with ‘Tuka’ and fills up his ‘bhaavaas’ even more than
before.
Just
then, ‘tuka’ opened his eyes. He was
seated beneath a tree. The soft rays of
the sun were illuminating everything around.
A soft breeze was blowing caressing everything that came in it’s
way. There was brook flowing nearby
joyfully. The birds were fluttering
around and chirping in gay abandon. The
bees were humming a tune ardently amidst the dancing flowers. ‘Vithal’ shone everywhere and in
everything. ‘Tuka’ realised that he had
undergone yet another ‘bhaavaapoorna’ journey with his chum ‘vithu’ in the
realms of his heart and that this ‘bhaavaa’ had now handed over the baton to
yet another ‘bhaava’ for ‘tuka’ to experience ‘vithu’ in mohter nature that was
all around him.
Ramkrishnahari.
आतां
माझ्या भावा । अंतराय नको देवा ॥१॥
आलें
भागा तें करितों । तुझें नाम उच्चारितों ॥ध्रु.॥
दृढ
माझें मन । येथें राखावें बांधोन ॥२॥
तुका
म्हणे वाटे । नको फुटों देऊं फांटे ॥३॥
Curator: Sri Pundalik Maharaj Dehukar, a descendant of Sant Tukaram
Bhaavaartham: Mumbai Sri Srinivasa Bhagavatar
Editor: Smt Poornima Srikanth, Tripunithura, Smt. Vishaka Srinivasan, Mumbai
Tamil translation: Smt Vasantha Srinivasan, Bengaluru
Co-ordinator: V R Radhakrishnan, Chennai
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