Abhanga 368

This abhang is biographical-historical — it documents Tukaram's dream-initiation. Five takeaways:

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

This is the famous biographical-abhang of Tukaram's dream-initiation by Bābājī Caitanya (also known as Bābājī Caitanya, of the Rāghava-Keśava-Caitanya lineage). Six biographical-claims:

1. सद्ग‍ुरायें कृपा मज केली — परी नाहीं घडली सेवा कांहीं — the sad-guru showed me kṛpā — but no sevā had been done. The unmerited-grace claim: the sad-guru's kṛpā came without prior service. Grace, not earning.

2. सांपडविलें वाटे जातां गंगास्नाना — मस्तकीं तो जाणा ठेविला कर — caught me on the way to Gangā-snāna — placed his hand on the head. The catch-on-the-way image: Tukaram was on his way to a Gangā-bath; the sad-guru caught him there and placed his hand on the head. (Hand-on-head is the initiation-mudrā / blessing-sign.)

3. भोजना मागती तूप पावशेर — पडिला विसर स्वप्नामाजी — asked for pāva-śēra of ghee for bhojana — fell into forgetting in the dream. The dream-context explicit: the sad-guru asked Tukaram for a paushera (~250g) of ghee for the bhojana; fell into forgetting (perhaps Tukaram forgot to bring it / forgot the meal). The dream-initiation involved a small-but-significant ritual-element.

4. कांहीं कळहे उपजला अंतराय — म्हणोनियां काय त्वरा जाली — some clash of antarāya arose — therefore tvarā came. Some obstacle arose; therefore haste came (in the initiation). The initiation was hastened by some antarāya (obstruction).

5. राघवचैतन्य कैशवचैतन्य — सांगितली खुण मळिकेची — Rāghava-Caitanya, Keśava-Caitanya — the lineage-sign told. The guru-paramparā transmission: Bābājī Caitanya names his predecessors — Rāghava-Caitanya, Keśava-Caitanya. The lineage-sign (maḷikē kī khūṇa) is what authenticates the initiation. (This is the established Caitanya-paramparā in Maharashtra.)

6. बाबाजी आपलें सांगितलें नाम — मंत्र दिला राम कृष्ण हरि — माघाशुद्ध दशमी पाहुनि गुरुवार — केला अंगीकार — Bābājī said his own name — gave the mantra Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari — Māgha-śuddha daśamī, gurū-vāra — accepted (me). The date-sealed initiation: Bābājī gave his own name; gave the mantra Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari; on Māgha-śuddha daśamī, gurū-vāra (Thursday); accepted Tukaram. (Māgha-śuddha-daśamī gurū-vāra — the bright-tenth of Māgha, on a Thursday — the calendrical-date of Tukaram's initiation. The mantra Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari is the Vaiṣṇava mahā-mantra in this paramparā.)

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For someone today

This abhang is biographical-historical — it documents Tukaram's dream-initiation. Five takeaways:

1. Grace can come without prior sevā*. Sad-gurāyē kṛpā mī kelī — parī nāhīm ghaḍalī sēvā kāmhī. The unmerited-grace claim: don't think you must earn the guru's kṛpā by sevā. Grace can be antecedent*.

2. The sad-guru catches one on the way. Sāmpaḍavilē vāṭē jātām Gangā-snānā. The disciple is found, not the finder. On your way somewhere, you may be caught by the sad-guru.

3. The initiation may be by dream, not waking. Paḍilā visara svapnā-mājī. Dream-initiation is real-initiation. Don't dismiss the dream as unreal.

4. The paramparā-sign authenticates. Rāghava-Caitanya, Keśava-Caitanya — sāngitalī khūṇa maḷikēcī. The guru's stating-of-the-paramparā is what authenticates the initiation. Without paramparā-sign, the initiation is doubtful.

5. The mantra given is Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari*. Mantra dilā Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari. The Vārkarī-Vaiṣṇava mahā-mantra. Take this mantra in this paramparā*.

For today: recognize that grace can be antecedent to sevā; recognize that you may be caught on the way; don't dismiss dream-initiations; honor the paramparā-sign; use the mantra Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari**.

This abhang is the central biographical-abhang of Tukaram's spiritual life. The Māgha-śuddha-daśamī gurū-vāra date is traditionally celebrated as Tukaram's dīkṣā-divasa.

मराठी: ही ओवी biographical-historical — Tukaram च्या dream-initiation च dokumentation. पाच takeaways:

1. Prior sevā* शिवाय grace येऊ शकते. सद्गुरायें कृपा मज केली — परी नाहीं घडली सेवा. Unmerited-grace claim: Guru ची kṛpā sevā ने earn करायला हवी असं समजू नका. Grace antecedent असू शकते*.

2. Sad-guru वाटेत पकडतो. सांपडविलें वाटे जातां गंगास्नाना. Disciple finder नाही, found आहे. कुठेतरी जात असताना sad-guru तुम्हाला पकडू शकतो.

3. Initiation स्वप्नात होऊ शकते, जागृत नाही. पडिला विसर स्वप्नामाजी. Dream-initiation real-initiation. Dream unreal म्हणून dismiss करू नका.

4. Paramparā-sign authenticate करतं. राघवचैतन्य — कैशवचैतन्य — सांगितली खुण मळिकेची. Guru च्या paramparā-stating — initiation authenticate करतं. Paramparā-sign शिवाय initiation doubtful.

5. दिलेला mantra — Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari*. मंत्र दिला राम कृष्ण हरि. Vārkarī-Vaiṣṇava mahā-mantra. या paramparā मध्ये हा mantra घ्या*.

आज: Sevā च्या आधी grace येऊ शकते ओळखा; वाटेत पकडलं जाऊ शकतं ओळखा; Dream-initiations dismiss करू नका; Paramparā-sign honor करा; Mantra Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari वापरा.

ही ओवी Tukaram च्या spiritual life चं central biographical-abhang. Māgha-śuddha-daśamī gurū-vāra date — traditionally Tukaram च्या dīkṣā-divasa म्हणून celebrated.

Where this applies

• Grace antecedent to sevā. Unmerited-grace.
• Sad-guru catches on the way. Disciple-is-found.
• Dream-initiation is real. Don't dismiss.
• Paramparā-sign authenticates. Maḷikē-kī-khūṇa.
• Mantra: Rāma Kṛṣṇa Hari. Vārkarī mahā-mantra.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2374
• Abhanga 2377 — English: Gentle, sweet bāla-rūpa — that form from Kāḷī-time.
• Abhanga 2387
• Abhanga 2402