The Deshpande of Beed was now an old man. He suddenly began harbouring scholarly ambitions. Since true scholarship was ruled out because of his advanced age, he came to Jnanadev at Alandi and became insistent about his demand.  Jnanadev told him, ‘Look, you should go to Dehu, for the court is now held there.’ Deshpande, therefore, came to Dehu. At that time Tukaram composed thirty-one abhangs. Eleven of these contained precious counsel for the devotee. All these thirty-one compositions eloquently show Tukaram’s perceptions, his thought processes, his method of counselling and his philosophy. He first made an entreaty to Lord God, saying that since He could divine everything in one’s mind, He should now do something to appease the old man from Beed. 

ADVICE TO THE DEVOTEE 

      Do not now have recourse to books and tomes. Do only one thing: worship God for the sake of God. Do not waste any more time since you are already an old man. Live and eat in happiness and contemplate the Creator. Harikatha is the mother of all and the very fount of all happiness. It offers shed and rest to the travel-weary.

      Tukaram offered such important advice to the persistent devotee, but the fool that he was; he left those eleven abhangs at Dehu only and went back.