Abhanga 453

English: Sudina, suvēḷa — Your gōmdhaḷa — pañca-prāṇa are divaṭē — two eyes' hilāla.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A Viṭhābāī-gōmdhaḷa-form abhang. Gōmdhaḷa is a Marāṭhī folk-ritual-form: a night-long dance-and-song festival traditionally for goddess-deities (Tuḷjābhavānī, Reṇukā), with torches, central pole, drumming, possession-trance. Tukaram applies this form to Viṭhābāī (= the feminine-Viṭhobā, the deva-as-mother). Five claims:

1. सुदिन सुवेळ — तुझा गोंधळ — पंच प्राण दिवटे — दोनी नेत्रांचे हिलाल — sudina, suvēḷa — Your gōmdhaḷa — pañca-prāṇa torches — two eyes' lamps. The opening-internal-ritual claim: good-day, good-time; this is Your gōmdhaḷa; the pañca-prāṇa (five-life-breaths) are the divaṭē (torches); the two eyes are the hilāla (lamps). Internal-organs as ritual-implements. (Compare 413 raja-tama-dhūpa, pañca-prāṇa-ārtī; same internal-pūjā register.)

2. पंढरपुरनिवासे — तुझे रंगी नाचत असें — नवस पुरवीं माझा — मनिंची जाणोनियां इच्छा — Pandharpur-resident — I dance in Your ranga — fulfill my navasa — knowing the icchā. The Pandharpur-Viṭhābāī petition: Pandharpur-resident; I dance in Your ranga (festival-ground); fulfill my navasa (vow); You know the icchā in my mana**.

3. मांडिला देव्हारा त्रिभुवनामाझारी — चौक साधियेला — नाभिकळस ठेविला वरी — set up dēvhārā in tribhuvana — cauka arranged — nābhi-kalaśa above. The cosmic-ritual setup: the dēvhārā (deity-shrine) is set up in the tribhuvana (three-worlds); the cauka (square) is arranged; the nābhi-kalaśa (the navel-pot, in gōmdhaḷa a central pot above the cauka) is placed above. Cosmic-scale internal-ritual.

4. बैसली देवता पुढें वैष्णवाचें गाणें — उद्गारे गर्जती — कंठीं तुळसीचीं दर्शनें — deity seated — vaiṣṇavas singing — throats roar — tulasī darśana at neck. The vaiṣṇava-singer-troupe image: the deity sits; vaiṣṇavas sing in front; their throats roar; the tulasī darśana (vision of tulsi-mālā) at the neck. Standard gōmdhaḷa but performed by Vaiṣṇavas.

5. स्वानंदाचे ताटीं धूप दीप पंचारती — ओवाळिली माता विठाबाई पंचभूतीं — तुझें तुज पावलें — माझा नवस पुरवीं आतां — तुका म्हणे राखें आपुलिया शरणागता — svānanda's tāṭa — dhūpa-dīpa-pañca-ārtī — ovāḷalī Mātā Viṭhābāī in pañca-bhūta — what is Yours has reached You — fulfill my navasa — Tuka says: keep Your śaraṇāgata. The closing-petition: the svānanda (own-bliss) is the tāṭa (offering-plate); with dhūpa-dīpa-pañca-ārtī; Mātā Viṭhābāī is ōvāḷalī (waved-with-light) in the pañca-bhūta (five-elements); what is Yours has reached You; fulfill my navasa now; Tuka says: keep Your śaraṇāgata.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the gōmdhaḷa-for-Viṭhābāī-internal-ritual register:

1. Today is sudina, suvēḷa for Your gōmdhaḷa*. Sudina suvēḷa — gōmdhaḷa. Recognize that today, now, is the auspicious-time; don't postpone the festival*.

2. Internal-implements: pañca-prāṇa* torches, eyes' lamps. Pañca-prāṇa divaṭē — nētra-hilāla. The body's-organs are the ritual-implements; the internal-ritual is real-ritual*.

3. Tribhuvana-dēvhārā; nābhi-kalaśa above. Tribhuvana-dēvhārā — nābhi-kalaśa. The deity-shrine is the three-worlds; the central-pot is above. Cosmic-scale-internal-ritual.

4. Svānanda is the offering-plate; Mātā ovāḷalī in pañca-bhūta. Svānanda tāṭa — Mātā pañca-bhūta. Your own-bliss is the offering; the deva-as-Mother is waved-with-light through the five-elements. All-elements-ārtī for the Mother.

5. Fulfill my navasa; keep Your śaraṇāgata*. Pūravīm navasa — rākhē śaraṇāgata. The deva-Mother fulfills the vow and keeps the surrendered-one*.

For today: recognize today as sudina-suvēḷa; the body-organs are the gōmdhaḷa implements; the tribhuvana is the dēvhārā; svānanda is the offering; let the deva-Mother fulfill the navasa and keep you.

This abhang is the gōmdhaḷa-form applied to Viṭhābāī. Tukaram folds the Tuḷjābhavānī-style possession-festival into Viṭhobā-bhakti. (Compare 413 ḍānkā form for Viṭhāī; here a different but related folk-form.)

मराठी: ही ओवी gōmdhaḷa-for-Viṭhābāī-internal-ritual register नाव सांगते:

1. आज sudina, suvēḷa तुमच्या gōmdhaḷa* साठी. सुदिन सुवेळ — गोंधळ. आज, आता auspicious-time ओळखा; Festival postpone नका*.

2. Internal-implements: pañca-prāṇa* torches, eyes' lamps. पंच प्राण दिवटे — नेत्र-हिलाल. Body च्या organs ritual-implements; Internal-ritual real-ritual*.

3. Tribhuvana-dēvhārā; nābhi-kalaśa above. त्रिभुवन-देव्हारा — नाभि-कलश. Deity-shrine three-worlds; Central-pot वर. Cosmic-scale-internal-ritual.

4. Svānanda offering-plate; Mātā ovāḷalī in pañca-bhūta. स्वानंद ताटीं — माता पंचभूतीं. तुमचा own-bliss offering; Deva-as-Mother five-elements ने waved-with-light. All-elements-ārtī Mother साठी*.

5. माझा navasa fulfill करा; śaraṇāgata* keep करा. पुरवीं नवस — राखें शरणागता. Deva-Mother vow fulfill करते आणि surrendered-one ला keep करते*.

आज: आज sudina-suvēḷa ओळखा; body-organs gōmdhaḷa implements; tribhuvana dēvhārā; svānanda offering; deva-Mother navasa fulfill करू दे आणि keep करू दे.

Gōmdhaḷa-form Viṭhābāī ला applied. Tukaram Tuḷjābhavānī-style possession-festival Viṭhobā-bhakti मध्ये fold करतो. (413 ḍānkā* form Viṭhāī साठी; इथे different पण related folk-form.)

Where this applies

• Today is sudina-suvēḷa. Auspicious-now.
• Body-organs as gōmdhaḷa-implements. Internal-ritual.
• Tribhuvana as dēvhārā. Cosmic-shrine.
• Svānanda offering; Mātā ārtī. All-elements.
• Fulfill navasa; keep śaraṇāgata. Petition-and-protection.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2469 — English: Naturally attaining Bhagavanta — but vikalpas distance — why don't they hold the
• Abhanga 2422 — English: What is my voice for your praise — I place head at the feet.
• Abhanga 437 — English: Jaga-jogī jaga-jogī — at every wake they speak.
• Abhanga 648 — English: Upāya khumṭalā — ātuḍatī feet — bhakti — no bhāva — jīva not in-hand.