Abhanga 403
English: Why vañcanuka of sumana?
The verse
तरी कां वंचनुक सुमनासि वो । नट नाट्य बरें संपादूं जाणतोसि वो ॥१॥ जाणतें मी या शब्दाच्या कुसरी । ऐसें च करून ठकविलें आजिवरी ॥ध्रु.॥ तों तों केलें हें पाठमोरें जग । ऐसें काय जाणें हे तुझे रंग ॥२॥ नाहीं तरी कां नव्हती ठावीं वर्में । परद्वारीं ऐसा हाकलिती प्रसिद्ध नांवें ॥३॥ आप पर न म्हणसी माय बहीण । सासूसुनास लावुनि पाहासी भांडण ॥४॥ आतां न करीं तैसें करी क्रिया आणा । भक्तवत्सल म्हणे तुकयाबंधु कान्हा ॥५॥
Literal translation
English: Why vañcanuka of sumana? Naṭa-nāṭya — You know how. I know — Your śabda-kusarī — like this ṭhakavilē till now. Made the jaga pāṭha-mōrē — how would I know Your ranga? Else — how would varma not be known — para-dvāra — they call by name. No āpa-para, māya-bahīṇa — between sāsū-sunā You make bhāṇḍaṇa. Now — don't — kriyā āṇā. Bhakta-vatsala — Tukyā-bamdhu says — Kānhā.
मराठी: तरी कां वंचनुक सुमनासि — नट नाट्य बरें संपादूं जाणतोसि. जाणतें मी या शब्दाच्या कुसरी — ऐसें च करून ठकविलें आजिवरी. तों तों केलें हें पाठमोरें जग — ऐसें काय जाणें हे तुझे रंग. नाहीं तरी कां नव्हती ठावीं वर्में — परद्वारीं ऐसा हाकलिती प्रसिद्ध नांवें. आप पर न म्हणसी माय बहीण — सासूसुनास लावुनि पाहासी भांडण. तुकयाबंधु म्हणतां — आतां न करीं तैसें करी क्रिया आणा — भक्तवत्सल कान्हा.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| तरी कां वंचनुक सुमनासि | "why vañcanuka (deception) of sumana?" |
| नट नाट्य बरें संपादूं जाणतोसि | "naṭa-nāṭya — You know how to perform" |
| जाणतें मी या शब्दाच्या कुसरी | "I know — Your śabda-kusarī" |
| ऐसें च करून ठकविलें आजिवरी | "like this — ṭhakavilē — till now" |
| तों तों केलें हें पाठमोरें जग | "made the jaga — pāṭha-mōrē" |
| ऐसें काय जाणें हे तुझे रंग | "how would I know — Your ranga?" |
| नाहीं तरी कां नव्हती ठावीं वर्में | "else — how would varma not be known?" |
| परद्वारीं ऐसा हाकलिती प्रसिद्ध नांवें | "(at) para-dvāra — call by name (publicly)" |
| आप पर न म्हणसी माय बहीण | "no āpa-para, no māya-bahīṇa" |
| सासूसुनास लावुनि पाहासी भांडण | "between sāsū-sunā — make bhāṇḍaṇa" |
| आतां न करीं तैसें करी क्रिया आणा | "now — don't (do) like that — kriyā āṇā" |
| भक्तवत्सल म्हणे तुकयाबंधु कान्हा | "Bhakta-vatsala — says Tukyā-bamdhu — Kānhā" |
What it means
A chiding-Krishna's-naṭa-nāṭya-deception abhang. Tukyā-bamdhu mudra (Kānhōbā). Six claims:
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तरी कां वंचनुक सुमनासि — नट नाट्य बरें संपादूं जाणतोसि — why vañcanuka of sumana? — naṭa-nāṭya You know how. The opening-question: why this vañcanuka (deception) of the sumana (good-mind / tulasī-flower)? — You know how to perform naṭa-nāṭya (theatre). Krishna as theatrical-actor.
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जाणतें मी या शब्दाच्या कुसरी — ऐसें च करून ठकविलें आजिवरी — I know Your śabda-kusarī — like this You've cheated me till now. The recognition-of-deception: I know your word-cleverness; like this You have ṭhakavilē (cheated) me till now.
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तों तों केलें हें पाठमोरें जग — ऐसें काय जाणें हे तुझे रंग — made the jaga pāṭha-mōrē — how would I know Your ranga? The jaga-back-turned claim: You have made the world pāṭha-mōrē (back-turned); how would I know Your colors? The world's-turning-its-back is His doing.
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नाहीं तरी कां नव्हती ठावीं वर्में — परद्वारीं ऐसा हाकलिती प्रसिद्ध नांवें — else how would varma not be known — para-dvāra — they call by name. The public-mark-claim: otherwise, the varma (secret) wouldn't have been hidden; (but) at the para-dvāra (other's-door, accusation-of-adultery), they call by name. His doings get the bhakta-publicly-named.
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आप पर न म्हणसी माय बहीण — सासूसुनास लावुनि पाहासी भांडण — no āpa-para, no māya-bahīṇa — between sāsū-sunā You make bhāṇḍaṇa. The anti-categorical-claim: You don't say own-other, mother-sister; between sāsū-sunā (mother-and-daughter-in-law), You make a quarrel appear. The deva is not bound by relational-categories; even disrupts family-relations. (This is bold theology: the deva-as-disruptor of social-categories — compare 365 no diśā excluded from deva's khēḷa, varṇa-dharma is His khēḷa.)
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आतां न करीं तैसें करी क्रिया आणा — भक्तवत्सल म्हणे तुकयाबंधु कान्हा — now don't — kriyā āṇā — Tukyā-bamdhu says: bhakta-vatsala Kānhā. The closing-petition-and-naming: now don't (do) like that — make a kriyā āṇā (vow-of-action, swear-on-conduct); Tukyā-bamdhu says: bhakta-vatsala (the bhakta-loving) Kānhā. The chiding-protest closes with the affectionate-recognition: despite the deception-chiding, He is bhakta-vatsala.
[T]
For someone today
This abhang names the chiding-Krishna's-deception-yet-bhakta-vatsala register:
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Krishna's naṭa-nāṭya deceives the sumana*. Naṭa-nāṭya barē sampādūm jāṇatōsī. The deva is the master-actor; don't be surprised by deception*.
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His śabda-kusarī* cheats; recognize it. Jāṇatē mī yā śabdācyā kusarī. The word-cleverness has cheated you till now. Don't trust the surface-words of the deva*.
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He turns the jaga* back-and-makes-categorical-disruption. Tōm tōm kelē pāṭha-mōrē jaga — āpa-para na mhaṇasī. The deva turns the world's back to you and disrupts your categories. Don't expect bhakti to keep your social-relations intact*.
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Make a kriyā āṇā* — vow-of-action. Ātām na karīm taisē karī kriyā āṇā. Demand the deva swear on action — not just words. Hold Him accountable*.
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He is bhakta-vatsala* despite all this. Bhakta-vatsala mhaṇē Kānhā. The closing-affection: despite the chiding, He is bhakta-vatsala (the bhakta-loving). Affection survives the protest*.
For today: recognize the deva's naṭa-nāṭya as theatrical, not deception-against-you; don't trust His surface-words; recognize that He turns jaga-back and disrupts categories; make a kriyā āṇā if you want accountability; accept that despite all chiding, He is *bhakta-vatsala.
This abhang is Kānhōbā Tukārām's gōpī-bhāva voice — playful-chiding-with-affection register. The anti-categorical claim (āpa-para no, māya-bahīṇa no) is theologically bold: the deva exceeds all relational-categories.
मराठी: ही ओवी chiding-Krishna's-deception-yet-bhakta-vatsala register नाव सांगते:
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Krishna च naṭa-nāṭya sumana* ला deceive करतं. नट नाट्य बरें संपादूं जाणतोसि. Deva master-actor; Deception ने surprised नका*.
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त्याची śabda-kusarī* cheat करते; ओळखा. जाणतें मी या शब्दाच्या कुसरी. Word-cleverness ने आजपर्यंत cheat केलं. Deva च्या surface-words वर trust नका*.
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तो jaga* back-turn करतो आणि categorical-disruption करतो. पाठमोरें जग — आप पर न म्हणसी. Deva जगाला तुमच्याविरुद्ध turn करतो आणि तुमच्या categories disrupt करतो. Bhakti तुमच्या social-relations intact ठेवेल expect नका*.
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Kriyā āṇā — vow-of-action मागा. आतां न करीं तैसें करी क्रिया आणा. Action वर swear करायला Deva ला सांगा — फक्त words नाही. Accountable hold करा*.
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या सर्वातून तो bhakta-vatsala* आहे. भक्तवत्सल म्हणे कान्हा. Closing-affection: Chiding असूनही तो bhakta-vatsala (bhakta-loving). Protest-survival affection*.
आज: Deva च्या naṭa-nāṭya ला theatrical म्हणून ओळखा, deception-against-you नाही; त्याच्या surface-words वर trust नका; तो jaga-back turn करतो आणि categories disrupt करतो ओळखा; Accountability हवी असेल तर kriyā āṇā मागा; Chiding असूनही तो bhakta-vatsala accept करा.
Kānhōbā Tukārām च gōpī-bhāva voice — playful-chiding-with-affection register. Anti-categorical claim (āpa-para नाही, māya-bahīṇa नाही) — theologically bold: Deva सर्व relational-categories पलीकडे.
Where this applies
- Naṭa-nāṭya-deception of sumana. Master-actor.
- Śabda-kusarī cheats.** Don't trust words.
- Jaga-pāṭha-mōrē; categorical-disruption. Don't expect categories intact.
- Kriyā āṇā — vow-of-action. Demand accountability.
- Bhakta-vatsala despite all. Affection survives.