संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 408 of 4582

Abhanga 408

English: Open kavāḍa — standing in kāḷōṣā aside — five-or-seven — one bhīḍa — kept mauna.

When Krishna-as-butter-thief is detected at the dark door — and you have to recognize this register

When the gōpīs kept silent out of bhīḍa — and you accept this affectionate-tolerance

When Daśavanti's kautuka amused them all — and you receive this resolution

The verse

उघडें कवाड उभ्या काळोशाचे आड । साता पांचा एक भीड मौनेंची ठेल्या ॥१॥ नित्य सोंकवला नेदी । सांगों चित्त बोला । आतां सांपडतां याला कोण सोडी जीवें ॥ध्रु.॥ त्यांच्या भयाभीत चाले पिलंगत भोंवतालें । पाहे तंव देखियेलें नवनीत पुढें ॥२॥ जाणे राखती तयांसि । तेथें अधिक चि नासी । माग लावी हात पुसी । चोरी जाणावया ॥३॥ कां रे नागविसी । माझे मुळीं लागलासी । आणवीन तुजपासीं । मागें खादलें तें ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे मुख । त्याचें वाढों नेदी दुःख । दसवंती कवतुक। करुनी रंजविल्या ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Open kavāḍa — standing in kāḷōṣā aside — five-or-seven — one bhīḍa — kept mauna. Daily-spoiled — won't say citta-bōla — now caught — who releases jīva? Afraid — walks pilangata — sees forward — navanīta. Knows the watchers — there destroys more — finds trail — hand-wipes — to know cōrī. Why robbing me? — caught at root — fetch from you — what you ate before. Tuka says: face — doesn't let duḥkha grow — Daśavanti — by kautuka — amused them.

मराठी: उघडें कवाड उभ्या काळोशाचे आड — साता पांचा एक भीड मौनेंची ठेल्या. नित्य सोंकवला नेदी सांगों चित्त बोला — आतां सांपडतां याला कोण सोडी जीवें. त्यांच्या भयाभीत चाले पिलंगत भोंवतालें — पाहे तंव देखियेलें नवनीत पुढें. जाणे राखती तयांसि — तेथें अधिक चि नासी — माग लावी हात पुसी — चोरी जाणावया. कां रे नागविसी — माझे मुळीं लागलासी — आणवीन तुजपासीं — मागें खादलें तें. तुकाराम म्हणतां — मुख त्याचें वाढों नेदी दुःख — दसवंती कवतुक करुनी रंजविल्या.

Word-by-word gloss

Marathi	Meaning
उघडें कवाड उभ्या काळोशाचे आड	"open kavāḍa — standing in the kāḷōṣā aside"
साता पांचा एक भीड मौनेंची ठेल्या	"five-or-seven — one bhīḍa — kept mauna"
नित्य सोंकवला नेदी सांगों चित्त बोला	"daily-spoiled — won't say citta-bōla"
आतां सांपडतां याला कोण सोडी जीवें	"now caught — who releases jīva?"
त्यांच्या भयाभीत चाले पिलंगत भोंवतालें	"afraid of them — walks pilangata"
पाहे तंव देखियेलें नवनीत पुढें	"sees forward — navanīta"
जाणे राखती तयांसि तेथें अधिक चि नासी	"knows watchers — there destroys more"
माग लावी हात पुसी चोरी जाणावया	"finds trail — hand-wipes — to know cōrī"
कां रे नागविसी माझे मुळीं लागलासी	"why robbing me? — caught at root"
आणवीन तुजपासीं मागें खादलें तें	"fetch from you — what you ate before"
तुका म्हणे मुख त्याचें वाढों नेदी दुःख	"face — doesn't let duḥkha grow"
दसवंती कवतुक करुनी रंजविल्या	"Daśavanti — by kautuka — amused them"

What it means

A butter-thief-Krishna-at-the-dark-door abhang. Continues from 388 in the Krishna-as-butter-thief Daśavanti cluster. Six claims:

उघडें कवाड उभ्या काळोशाचे आड — साता पांचा एक भीड मौनेंची ठेल्या — open kavāḍa, standing in kāḷōṣā aside — five-or-seven, one bhīḍa, kept mauna. The opening-scene: open door; (Krishna) standing in the dark aside; five-or-seven (gōpīs), out of bhīḍa (consideration / hesitation) — kept mauna (silent). Affectionate-tolerance from the gōpīs.
नित्य सोंकवला नेदी सांगों चित्त बोला — आतां सांपडतां याला कोण सोडी जीवें — daily-spoiled, won't say citta-bōla — now caught, who releases jīva? The complaint-claim: daily-spoiled (the milk, the butter, the wares) — won't say citta-bōla (heart-words, won't confess); now that He is caught, who can release Him alive? (= who can punish him?).
त्यांच्या भयाभीत चाले पिलंगत भोंवतालें — पाहे तंव देखियेलें नवनीत पुढें — afraid of them, walks pilangata around — sees forward, navanīta. The cautious-walk: afraid of the watchers, He walks pilangata (bent, stooping) around; sees the navanīta (butter) before.
जाणे राखती तयांसि — तेथें अधिक चि नासी — माग लावी हात पुसी — चोरी जाणावया — knows watchers — there destroys more — finds trail, hand-wipes — to know cōrī. The trail-finding: He knows where they keep watch; there He destroys (the butter) even more; finds the trail, wipes his hand — the gōpīs trace it, to know the cōrī**.
कां रे नागविसी — माझे मुळीं लागलासी — आणवीन तुजपासीं — मागें खादलें तें — why robbing me? — caught at root — fetch from you — what you ate before. The gōpī's-protest: why are You robbing me? — You have caught me at the root; I will fetch from You what You ate before (= demand restitution).
तुका म्हणे मुख — त्याचें वाढों नेदी दुःख — दसवंती कवतुक — करुनी रंजविल्या — Tuka says: face — doesn't let duḥkha grow — Daśavanti — by kautuka — amused them. The closing-resolution: His face does not let duḥkha grow; Daśavanti — by kautuka (wonder) — amused them all. His charm dissolves the protest; Daśavanti's amusement settles*.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the butter-thief-at-the-dark-door-amusement-resolution register:

Affectionate-tolerance keeps the gōpīs silent. Sātā-pāñcā ēka bhīḍa maunēmcī ṭhēlyā. The bhakta's-affection toward the deva keeps her mauna even when He is in the wrong. Bhīḍa-mauna is bhakti-mode.
Cautious-walk and trail-finding. Cālē pilangata bhōmvatālē — māga lāvī hāta pusī. The deva walks cautiously; the bhakti-tradition traces the trail of His acts. Both He and the bhakta are detective-like.
Caught at root; demand restitution. Mājhē muḷīm lāgalāsī — āṇavīna tujapāsīm. When the deva has stolen-from-the-root of you, demand restitution. Don't let the cōrī go unaccountable.
His face dissolves duḥkha; Daśavanti* amused them. Mukha tyācē vāḍhōm nēdī duḥkha — Daśavantī kautuka ramjavilyā. The deva's charm dissolves the duḥkha of the protest; Daśavanti's amusement is the resolution. The protest dissolves into laughter*.

For today: if you protest the deva's cōrī, recognize that bhīḍa-mauna is also bhakti-mode; trace the trail; demand restitution at the root; but recognize that His charm will dissolve the duḥkha — the protest ends in laughter.

This abhang is one of Tukaram's most-detailed butter-thief images: every step of the cōrī-and-detection mapped. The Daśavanti-as-amused-mother closing pairs with 388.

मराठी: ही ओवी butter-thief-at-the-dark-door-amusement-resolution register नाव सांगते:

Affectionate-tolerance गोपींना mauna* ठेवते. सातां-पांचां एक भीड मौनेंची ठेल्या. Bhakta ची affection देवाकडे — mauna ठेवते तो चुकीचा असला तरी. Bhīḍa-mauna bhakti-mode*.
Cautious-walk आणि trail-finding. चाले पिलंगत भोंवतालें — माग लावी हात पुसी. Deva cautiously चालतो; bhakti-tradition त्याच्या acts चा trail trace करते. दोघेही detective-like.
मूळी काढून; restitution मागा. माझे मुळीं लागलासी — आणवीन तुजपासीं. Deva ने तुमच्या root पासून चोरी केली असेल — restitution मागा. Cōrī unaccountable जाऊ देऊ नका.
त्याचा चेहरा duḥkha dissolve करतो; Daśavanti* ला amused केलं. मुख त्याचें वाढों नेदी दुःख — दसवंती कवतुक रंजविल्या. Deva ची charm protest च duḥkha dissolve करते; Daśavanti च्या amusement मध्ये resolution. Protest laughter मध्ये dissolves*.

आज: Deva च्या cōrī ला protest करत असाल — bhīḍa-mauna पण bhakti-mode म्हणून ओळखा; Trail trace करा; root वर restitution मागा; पण ओळखा की त्याची charm duḥkha dissolve करेल — protest laughter मध्ये संपेल.

Tukaram च्या most-detailed butter-thief images पैकी एक: Cōrī-and-detection च प्रत्येक step mapped. Daśavanti-as-amused-mother closing 388 सोबत pairs.

Where this applies

Bhīḍa-mauna* even when wrong. Affectionate-tolerance.
Cautious-walk; trail-finding. Both detective-like.
Root-caught; demand restitution. Don't let cōrī go.
Charm dissolves duḥkha. Protest ends in laughter.