संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 284 of 4582

Abhanga 284

This abhang names three Hanumat-virtues for any bhakta:

When you are seeking the bhakti-path — and the abhang shows the saraṇa-to-Hanumat form
When śūra-and-dhīra are the bhakta-virtues — and you accept this register
When attentive-in-the-master's-cause is the bhakti-quality — and you honor this Hanumat-marker

The verse

शरण शरण जी हनुमंता । तुज आलों रामदूता ॥१॥ काय भक्तीच्या त्या वाटा । मज दावाव्या सुभटा ॥ध्रु.॥ शूर आणि धीर । स्वामिकाजीं तूं सादर ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे रुद्रा । अंजनीचिया कुमरा ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Saraṇa, saraṇa, jī Hanumantā — I have come (to you), Rāma-dūta. What bhakti-paths — show me, subhaṭa? Śūra and dhīra — in the svāmi-kāja, you are sādara. Tuka says: Rudra — Anjanī's kumāra.

मराठी: शरण शरण जी हनुमंता — तुज आलों रामदूता. काय भक्तीच्या त्या वाटा — मज दावाव्या सुभटा. शूर आणि धीर — स्वामिकाजीं तूं सादर. तुकाराम म्हणतात — रुद्रा — अंजनीचिया कुमरा.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
शरण शरण जी हनुमंता "saraṇa, saraṇa, jī Hanumantā"
तुज आलों रामदूता "I have come (to you) — Rāma-dūta"
काय भक्तीच्या त्या वाटा "what (paths) of bhakti"
मज दावाव्या सुभटा "show me, subhaṭa (good-warrior)"
शूर आणि धीर "śūra (brave) and dhīra (patient)"
स्वामिकाजीं तूं सादर "in the svāmi-kāja — you are sādara (attentive / caring)"
तुका म्हणे रुद्रा "Tuka says: Rudra"
अंजनीचिया कुमरा "Anjanī's kumāra (son)"

What it means

A Hanumat-saraṇa abhang. Three claims:

  1. शरण शरण जी हनुमंता — तुज आलों रामदूताsaraṇa, saraṇa, jī Hanumantā — I have come, Rāma-dūta. The saraṇa-form. Saraṇa (twice — for emphasis). — respectful-address. Rāma-dūtaRāma's messenger / envoy — Hanuman's classical-epithet (he carried Rāma's message to Sītā in Lankā).

  2. काय भक्तीच्या त्या वाटा — मज दावाव्या सुभटाwhat bhakti-paths — show me, subhaṭa. The bhakti-instruction-petition. Subhaṭagood-warrior. The bhakta asks Hanuman (= the great bhakta-warrior) to show the bhakti-paths. Why Hanuman? Because Hanuman is the paradigmatic bhakta in classical-tradition — fully-devoted to Rāma.

  3. शूर आणि धीर — स्वामिकाजीं तूं सादरśūra and dhīra — in master's-cause, you are sādara. Two virtues: śūra (brave) and dhīra (patient). Both are Hanuman's marks. Sādara in the svāmi-kājaattentive / caring in the master's-cause. (Note the combination: brave-and-patient-and-attentive-to-master's-cause — these three together characterize the real bhakta-warrior.)

  4. तुका म्हणे रुद्रा — अंजनीचिया कुमराTuka says: Rudra — Anjanī's kumāra. The closing-naming. Rudra — Hanuman as a Rudrāvatāra (incarnation of Shiva); Anjanī's kumārason of Anjanā (Hanuman's mother).

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For someone today

This abhang names three Hanumat-virtues for any bhakta:

  1. Saraṇa-to-Hanuman is a path-asking gesture. When you are seeking the bhakti-paths, going-saraṇa to Hanuman as the paradigmatic-bhakta is one form. Hanuman has walked the path; he can show. (Compare 245's upadeśa-from-any-hand; here, the upadeśa-from-the-paradigmatic-bhakta.)

  2. Brave-and-patient (śūra-and-dhīra) are the two virtues. The real bhakta-warrior is both śūra and dhīra. Bravery alone without patience produces impulsive recklessness (compare 283's no-dhīra-in-mouth = bhāṇḍa). Patience alone without bravery produces stagnant-non-action. Both together = the Hanumat-mark.

  3. Sādara-in-master's-cause is the third. Sādaraattentive / caring. The real bhakta-warrior is attentive to the master's cause (= Rāma's purpose, the deity's purpose). This is not blind-obedience; it is attentive-care for the cause-as-the-master-defines-it. (Compare 219's I'll do the told-service; same register.)

For today: when seeking the bhakti-path, go saraṇa to Hanuman as the paradigmatic-bhakta-warrior; cultivate both bravery and patience; be sādara in the master's cause. These are the three virtues Hanuman embodies.

This abhang is the first Hanumat-bhakti abhang in the corpus so far. Hanuman is the paradigmatic dāsa-bhaktafully-devoted to Rāma, accomplishing impossible-tasks for Rāma's cause. The Hanumat-template is the dāsa-bhakti template.

मराठी: ही ओवी कोणत्याही bhakta साठी तीन Hanumat-virtues नाव सांगते:

  1. Hanuman-saraṇa path-asking gesture. Bhakti-paths शोधतानाHanuman ला paradigmatic-bhakta म्हणून saraṇa एक form. Hanuman ने path चालला आहे; तो दाखवू शकतो.

  2. शूर-आणि-धीर दोन virtues. Real bhakta-warrior दोन्ही — śūra आणि dhīra. Bravery alone धीर शिवाय impulsive recklessness produce करतं. Patience alone bravery शिवाय stagnant-non-action produce करतं. दोन्ही एकत्र = Hanumat-mark.

  3. Sādara-in-master's-cause तिसरं. Sādaraattentive / caring. Real bhakta-warrior master च्या cause वर attentive (= Rāma चा purpose, देवाचा purpose). Blind-obedience नाही; master-defines-cause-as-it वर attentive-care.

आज: bhakti-path शोधताना, Hanuman ला paradigmatic-bhakta-warrior म्हणून saraṇa जा; bravery आणि patience दोन्ही cultivate करा; master च्या cause मध्ये sādara राहा. हे Hanuman embody करणाऱ्या तीन virtues.

ही corpus मध्ये first Hanumat-bhakti abhang आत्तापर्यंत. Hanuman paradigmatic dāsa-bhaktaRāma ला fully-devoted, Rāma च्या cause साठी impossible-tasks accomplishing. Hanumat-template dāsa-bhakti template.

Where this applies

Related verses