संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 498 of 4582

Abhanga 498

English: Kṛpāḷu of bhaktas — such pati of gōpīkā-s.

When the deva stands un-summoned at the bhakta's door — and you have to recognize this register

When He places His forehead in the dust of the bhakta's feet — and you accept this self-abasement

When why-not-bhajan-such-a-bhōḷā-rājā becomes the call — and you receive this challenge

The verse

कृपाळु भक्तांचा । ऐसा पति गोपिकांचा ॥१॥ उभा न पाचारितां दारीं । न संगतां काम करी ॥ध्रु.॥ भाव देखोनि निर्मळ । रजां वोडवी कपाळ ॥२॥ तुकयाबंधु म्हणे न भजा । कां रे ऐसा भोळा राजा ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Kṛpāḷu of bhaktas — such pati of gōpīkā-s. Standing un-summoned at the door — does the work without being asked. Seeing nirmaḷa-bhāva — places kapāḷa on rajām. Tukyā-bamdhu says: why don't you bhajan such a bhōḷā rājā?

मराठी: कृपाळु भक्तांचा — ऐसा पति गोपिकांचा. उभा न पाचारितां दारीं — न संगतां काम करी. भाव देखोनि निर्मळ — रजां वोडवी कपाळ. तुकयाबंधु म्हणतां — न भजा कां रे ऐसा भोळा राजा?

Word-by-word gloss

Marathi	Meaning
कृपाळु भक्तांचा	"kṛpāḷu of bhaktas"
ऐसा पति गोपिकांचा	"such pati of gōpīkā-s"
उभा न पाचारितां दारीं	"stands un-summoned at the door"
न संगतां काम करी	"does the work without being asked"
भाव देखोनि निर्मळ	"seeing nirmaḷa-bhāva"
रजां वोडवी कपाळ	"places kapāḷa on rajām"
न भजा कां रे ऐसा भोळा राजा	"why don't you bhajan such a bhōḷā rājā?"

What it means

A bhōḷā-rājā-stands-un-summoned abhang. The deva-of-the-gōpīkās image. Four claims:

कृपाळु भक्तांचा — ऐसा पति गोपिकांचा — kṛpāḷu of bhaktas — such pati of gōpīkā-s. The opening-claim: the deva is kṛpāḷu (compassionate) of bhaktas; such is the pati (lord, husband) of the gōpīkā-s (the cowherd-women of Vṛndāvana). Kṛṣṇa-of-the-gōpīkās-image as model of bhakta-grace.
उभा न पाचारितां दारीं — न संगतां काम करी — standing un-summoned at the door — does the work without being asked. The un-summoned-helper-claim: He stands at the door without being pācāritām (summoned, called); He does the kāma (work, task) without being samgatām (told). Pre-emptive-help-without-request. The deva does not wait for the bhakta to ask.
भाव देखोनि निर्मळ — रजां वोडवी कपाळ — seeing nirmaḷa-bhāva — places kapāḷa on rajām. The self-abasement-claim: seeing nirmaḷa (pure) bhāva (stance); He vōḍavī (places, brings down) His kapāḷa (forehead) on the rajām (dust = of the bhakta's feet). The deva places his forehead on the dust of the pure-bhakta's feet. Bhakta-superior-deva-self-abasing*.
तुकयाबंधु म्हणे न भजा — कां रे ऐसा भोळा राजा — Tukyā-bamdhu says: why don't you bhajan such a bhōḷā rājā? The closing-challenge: Tukyā-bamdhu says: na bhajā (don't you bhajan) — why such a bhōḷā rājā (simple-king, naive-king)? A king who is bhōḷā (simple, naive, easily-touched), who comes un-summoned, who places his forehead on dust — why-would-you-not-bhajan-Him?*

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the un-summoned-bhōḷā-rājā register:

The deva is kṛpāḷu of bhaktas; pati of gōpīkā*-s. Kṛpāḷu bhaktāmcā — pati gōpikāmcā. The model is the Kṛṣṇa-of-the-gōpīkās: intimate, family, accessible. Not-the-distant-Vaikuṇṭha-deva but the gōpīkā-pati*.
He stands un-summoned; works un-asked. Ubhā na pācāritām dārīm — na samgatām kāma karī. Pre-emptive-help-without-request. Don't wait until you ask; the deva is already there.
For nirmaḷa-bhāva*, He places forehead on dust. Bhāva dēkhōnī nirmaḷa — rajām vōḍavī kapāḷa. Pure-bhāva-buys-deva-self-abasement. The deva is willing to place his forehead on the bhakta's dust. Don't underestimate the deva's bhōḷā-pana*.
Why not bhajan such a bhōḷā rājā*? Na bhajā kām rē aisā bhōḷā rājā? The closing-question is rhetorical: a king who is bhōḷā (simple, naive, easy-to-touch) — why would you not bhajan? No-excuse-for-non-bhajan-of-the-bhōḷā-rājā.

For today: the deva is kṛpāḷu, accessible, gōpīkā-style; He comes un-summoned; works un-asked; He places forehead on dust for nirmaḷa-bhāva; no-excuse-for-non-bhajan.

This abhang is Kānhōbā's bhōḷā-rājā-self-abasement claim. Compare 0486 bhōḷiyāmcā deva sācā ankita; same bhōḷā-deva-image but here from the deva's-side (the deva is bhōḷā, not the bhakta). Notice the doubled-bhōḷā: bhōḷā-bhakta + bhōḷā-deva.

मराठी: ही ओवी un-summoned-bhōḷā-rājā register नाव सांगते:

Deva bhaktas चा kṛpāḷu; gōpīkā-s चा pati*. कृपाळु भक्तांचा — पति गोपिकांचा. Model Kṛṣṇa-of-the-gōpīkās: intimate, family, accessible. Distant-Vaikuṇṭha-deva नाही, gōpīkā-pati*.
न पाचारितां उभा; न सांगता काम. उभा न पाचारितां दारीं — न संगतां काम करी. Pre-emptive-help-without-request. विचारेपर्यंत थांबू नका; देव आधीच तिथे.
Nirmaḷa-bhāva साठी कपाळ धुळीत. भाव देखोनि निर्मळ — रजां वोडवी कपाळ. Pure-bhāva-deva-self-abasement-buys. Deva bhakta च्या dust वर कपाळ ठेवायला willing. Deva चा bhōḷā-pana underestimate नका*.
न भजा कां असा bhōḷā rājā*? न भजा कां रे ऐसा भोळा राजा? Closing-question rhetorical: bhōḷā (simple, naive, easy-to-touch) रजा — का भजन नाही? Bhōḷā-rājā-non-bhajan-no-excuse*.

आज: Deva kṛpāḷu, accessible, gōpīkā-style; न पाचारितां येतो; न सांगता काम; Nirmaḷa-bhāva साठी कपाळ धुळीत; No-excuse-for-non-bhajan.

Kānhōbā च-bhōḷā-rājā-self-abasement-claim. 0486 bhōḷiyāmcā deva sācā ankita compare; तीच bhōḷā-deva-image पण इथे देवाच्या-side ने (देव bhōḷā, bhakta नाही). Doubled-bhōḷā note करा: bhōḷā-bhakta + bhōḷā-deva.

Where this applies

Pati of gōpīkā-s. Kṛṣṇa-image.
Un-summoned at door. Pre-emptive.
Kapāḷa on rajām. Self-abasement.
Bhōḷā rājā — bhajan. No excuse.