Abhanga 501
When you are worn out from asking and struggling, this verse says God has made it His own pride and duty to fulfill the wishes of tired devotees. The titles people give Him, protector of the humble, embodiment of joy, are not empty flattery; they truly fit who He is. Countless people have prayed to Hari in countless different ways, and He has met every one of them wherever they stood. Tukaram says this family-like tenderness cannot be figured out with the mind; it can only be received.
The verse
सिणलेती सेवकां देउनि इच्छादान । केला अभिमान अंगीकारा ॥१॥ अहो दीनानाथा आनंदमूर्ती । तुम्हांसि शोभती ब्रीदें ऐसीं ॥ध्रु.॥ बहुतांनीं विनविलें बहुतां प्रकारीं । सकळां ठायीं हरी पुरलेती ॥२॥ तुका म्हणे अगा कुटुंबवत्सळा । कोण तुझी लीळा जाणे ऐसी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Tired sēvakas — given icchā-dāna — took abhimāna of angīkāra. Ahō Dīnānāthā ānanda-mūrtī — such brīdē suit You. Many begged in many ways — Hari fulfilled at all sites. Tuka says: agā kuṭumba-vatsaḷā — who knows such a līḷā of Yours?
मराठी: सिणलेती सेवकां देउनि इच्छादान — केला अभिमान अंगीकारा. अहो दीनानाथा आनंदमूर्ती — तुम्हांसि शोभती ब्रीदें ऐसीं. बहुतांनीं विनविलें बहुतां प्रकारीं — सकळां ठायीं हरी पुरलेती. तुकाराम म्हणतां — अगा कुटुंबवत्सळा — कोण तुझी लीळा जाणे ऐसी?
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| सिणलेती सेवकां देउनि इच्छादान | "tired sēvakas — given icchā-dāna" |
| केला अभिमान अंगीकारा | "took abhimāna of angīkāra" |
| अहो दीनानाथा आनंदमूर्ती | "ahō Dīnānāthā ānanda-mūrtī" |
| तुम्हांसि शोभती ब्रीदें ऐसीं | "such brīdē suit You" |
| बहुतांनीं विनविलें बहुतां प्रकारीं | "many begged — in many ways" |
| सकळां ठायीं हरी पुरलेती | "Hari fulfilled — at all sites" |
| अगा कुटुंबवत्सळा | "agā kuṭumba-vatsaḷā" |
| कोण तुझी लीळा जाणे ऐसी | "who knows such līḷā?" |
What it means
A tired-sevakas-icchā-dāna-Dīnānātha-līḷā abhang. Praise of the deva's kuṭumba-vatsaḷā (family-loving) trait. Four claims:
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सिणलेती सेवकां देउनि इच्छादान — केला अभिमान अंगीकारा — tired sevakas — given icchā-dāna — took abhimāna of angīkāra. The opening-claim: thesiṇalēti sēvakas(tired servants) — He givesicchā-dāna(the gift-of-wishes, gift-fulfilling-desire); He has taken theabhimāna(the pride / commitment / responsibility) ofangīkāra(taking-up-as-His-own). Tired-bhaktas-get-wish-gift-because-angīkāra-is-His-pride.
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अहो दीनानाथा आनंदमूर्ती — तुम्हांसि शोभती ब्रीदें ऐसीं — ahō Dīnānāthā ānanda-mūrtī — such brīdē suit You. The epithet-praise: ahō (oh)Dīnānāthā(lord-of-the-lowly),ānanda-mūrtī(joy-form); suchbrīdē(epithets, titles)śōbhatī(suit, look-good-on) You. Your-epithets-fit-You.
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बहुतांनीं विनविलें बहुतां प्रकारीं — सकळां ठायीं हरी पुरलेती — many begged in many ways — Hari fulfilled at all sites. The universal-fulfillment-claim: bahutāmnī (by many) have vinavilēm (begged, prayed)inbahutām prakārīm(many ways); atsakaḷām ṭhāyīm(all sites) — Hari has puralētī (fulfilled, made-complete).Hari-fulfills-everywhere-everyone.
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तुका म्हणे अगा कुटुंबवत्सळा — कोण तुझी लीळा जाणे ऐसी — Tuka says: agā kuṭumba-vatsaḷā — who knows such a līḷā of Yours? The closing-praise: Tuka says:agā(oh, hey)kuṭumba-vatsaḷā(family-affectionate, fond-of-the-bhakta-family); who knows (jāṇē) such (aisī) alīḷā(play, divine-sport) of Yours? Your-family-affection-is-an-incomprehensible-līḷā.
[T]
For someone today
When you are worn out from asking and struggling, this verse says God has made it His own pride and duty to fulfill the wishes of tired devotees. The titles people give Him, protector of the humble, embodiment of joy, are not empty flattery; they truly fit who He is. Countless people have prayed to Hari in countless different ways, and He has met every one of them wherever they stood. Tukaram says this family-like tenderness cannot be figured out with the mind; it can only be received.
मराठी: जेव्हा तुम्ही मागून मागून थकून जाता, तेव्हा ही ओवी सांगते की थकलेल्या भक्तांची इच्छा पूर्ण करणे देवाने स्वतःचा अभिमान मानला आहे. लोक देवाला जी नावे देतात, दीनांचा नाथ, आनंदाची मूर्ती, ती केवळ स्तुती नाहीत; ती त्याला खरोखर शोभतात. असंख्य लोकांनी वेगवेगळ्या प्रकारे हरीची प्रार्थना केली आणि तो प्रत्येकाला जिथे होता तिथे भेटला. तुकाराम म्हणतात की देवाची ही कुटुंबवत्सल माया बुद्धीने समजण्यासारखी नाही; ती फक्त स्वीकारायची असते.
Where this applies
- Tired sēvakas — icchā-dāna. Don't doubt.
- Brīdē suit You. Epithet-praise.
- Hari fulfills at all-sites. Universality.
- Kuṭumba-vatsaḷālīḷā. Incomprehensible.