Abhanga 394

God does not want payment or explanations for being drawn into joyful devotion, only your whole undivided heart and mind, and giving that keeps your dignity intact.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A Krishna-arranges-mass-līlā-and-preserves-bhakta's-lāja abhang. Seven claims:

1. मांडिले विंदान ख्याल सुखाचें संधान — अंग लपवूनी मान पिलंगत चाले — set up vindāna-khyāl, sukha-samdhāna — hides body, walks pilangata. The opening-image: Krishna sets up the elaboratevindāna-khyāl(entertainment-game), aiming atsukha-samdhāna(joy-target); hides his body, walks bent-down (stealthily).

2. पायां पडतां रे न सोडी नेदी साउलां — falling at feet — doesn't release — doesn't let the sāūla. The grip-claim: (when one) falls at His feet, He doesn't release; doesn't let thesāūla(shadow / shade) escape.

3. खांदी धरूनियां करीं दृष्टी घालोनि सामोरी — बैसे पाला वोढी वरी खदखदां हांसे — shoulder grabbed, gaze before — sits, pulls pālā, laughs khada-khadām. The play-image: Krishna grabs the shoulder, places gaze before; sits, pullspālā(leaves), laughs out loud.

4. एकी उगविती कोडीं नाना परीच्या निकडी खेळ मांडियेला — one solves kōḍī, various nikaḍī khēḷa set up. The multi-game-image: one (gōpī) solveskōḍī(riddles), various close-and-quick games are set up.

5. केला सकळी हाकारा तंव आलिया बाहेरा — आतां म्हणतील घरां जावें कैशा परी — called everyone — they came outside — how to go home now? The predicament: Krishna called everyone — they all came outside (to the līlā); now how can they return home? The līlā has trapped them outside.

6. लाज राखावी गोपाळा आम्हांजणींची सकळां — काय मागसी ये वेळा देऊं गुळवाटी — preserve lāja, Gopāla, all of us — what do you ask? we'll give guḷa-vāṭī. The gōpī-petition: Gopāla, preserve ourlāja, all of us; what do you ask? we'll giveguḷa-vāṭī(a share of jaggery). They negotiate: please preserve our honor; we offer guḷa-vāṭī.

7. भातुकें भूषण नाहीं चाड नेघें धन — करा एक चित्त मन या गे मजपाशीं — no cāḍa for bhātukē-bhūṣaṇa, won't take dhana — make ēka citta-mana — come to me. The Krishna's-reply: I have nocāḍa(need) forbhātukē-bhūṣaṇa(toys-and-ornaments); I won't takedhana; (but) make yourcitta-manaone — come to me. Krishna asks for unified-citta-mana, not material-offerings.

8. जोडोनियां हात कैशा राहिल्या निवांत — तुका म्हणे केली मात लाज राखिली तयांची — folded hands — sat nivāmta — Tuka says: māta done — preserved their lāja. The closing-resolution: the gōpīs folded hands, satnivāmta(calmly); themāta(word, contract) is done;(He) preserved their lāja.

[T]

For someone today

Krishna sets up an elaborate game aimed purely at joy, hiding himself, moving in close, and once someone falls at his feet he will not let them go, not even their shadow. He grabs a shoulder, looks straight at her, sits down pulling at leaves and laughing out loud, while riddles are solved and one playful test after another unfolds. He calls out to everyone and they all come running outside to join him, and only then do they realize the awkward question, how will we explain going home now. So the gopis ask him directly to protect their honor, offering him a share of jaggery in return, whatever he wants. But Krishna says he has no use for toys, ornaments, or wealth. What he actually wants is their heart and mind united and brought fully to him. Once they understand this, they fold their hands and settle into a quiet peace, and Tukaram says his word held, their honor was kept safe. The lesson is that being drawn out of your ordinary life by joy and play with God can feel embarrassing or risky, but what he actually asks for is not payment or explanation, only your whole undivided attention, and if you give him that, your dignity is never actually lost.

मराठी: कृष्ण एक निखळ आनंदाचा खेळ मांडतो, स्वतःला लपवत, हळूच जवळ येत, आणि एकदा कोणी त्याच्या पाया पडलं की तो त्याला सोडत नाही, अगदी त्याची सावलीसुद्धा सोडत नाही. तो खांदा धरतो, थेट नजरेला नजर भिडवतो, पानं ओढत बसतो आणि खळखळून हसतो, तर कोडी सोडवली जातात आणि एकामागोमाग एक खेळ रंगत जातो. तो सगळ्यांना हाक मारतो आणि सगळ्याजणी बाहेर धावत येतात, आणि तेव्हाच त्यांना प्रश्न पडतो की आता घरी कसं जायचं आणि काय सांगायचं. मग गोपी थेट त्याला विनवतात की आमची अब्रू राख, गोपाळा, आणि बदल्यात त्याला गूळवाटी द्यायची तयारी दाखवतात. पण कृष्ण म्हणतो, मला खेळणी, दागिने किंवा धनाची काहीच गरज नाही. त्याला हवं असतं फक्त त्यांचं मन आणि चित्त एकत्र, पूर्णपणे त्याच्याकडे वळलेलं. हे समजल्यावर त्या हात जोडून शांतपणे स्थिर होतात, आणि तुकाराम म्हणतात की त्याचा शब्द खरा ठरला, त्यांची अब्रू राखली गेली. यातून शिकवण अशी की, देवाच्या आनंददायी खेळात ओढले जाणे कधी कधी लाजिरवाणे किंवा धोक्याचे वाटू शकते, पण त्याला खरं तर कशाचीही परतफेड किंवा स्पष्टीकरण नको असतं, फक्त तुमचं अखंड, एकाग्र लक्ष हवं असतं, आणि ते दिलं की तुमची अब्रू कधीच जात नाही.

Where this applies

• Krishna's līlā aimed at bhakta's sukha. Don't predict shape.
• Falling at feet — grip-of-grace. Not bondage.
• Trapped outside — petition for lāja. Don't be embarrassed.
• Unified citta-mana, not material gifts. Deva's-true-ask.
• Lāja preserved. Trust the contract.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2481 — Pandharpur surpasses even the greatest pilgrimage cities because people there set aside pr
• Abhanga 4481 — Tukaram promises that sincerely calling on the Lord's name, knowingly or unknowingly, with
• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center
• Abhanga 4483 — Tukaram tells of the gopis whose all-consuming secret longing for Krishna, hidden beneath