Abhanga 520

English: We are Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī — came for this kāraṇa.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī-on-mission-sweep-saints'-path abhang. Tukaram's most direct mission-statement: he is from Vaikuṇṭha, came for-this-purpose, will sweep the overgrown saints' path, will beat the bhakti-drum against the kalikāḷa. Four claims:

1. आम्ही वैकुंठवासी — आलों या चि कारणासी — बोलिले जे ॠषी साच भावें वर्ताव्या — we are Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī — came for this kāraṇa — what ṛṣi spoke to be lived in sāca-bhāva. The opening-mission-claim: we are Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī (Vaikuṇṭha-dwellers, residents of the deva's-abode); we have come for this very kāraṇa (purpose, reason); what the ṛṣi (sage) spoke — to be lived in sāca-bhāva (true-stance, real-conviction). Vaikuṇṭha-dwellers-on-mission-to-live-the-ṛṣi-teachings.

2. झाडूं संतांचे मारग — आडरानें भरलें जग — उच्छिष्टाचा भाग शेष उरलें तें सेवूं — sweep saints' mārga — āḍa-rānē filled world — ucchiṣṭa-bhāga śēṣa remained — consume. The sweep-and-consume-claim: sweep (jhāḍūm) the samta's mārga (path); the world is filled with āḍa-rānē (untrodden-thicket, overgrowth); the ucchiṣṭa-bhāga (leftovers) — what śēṣa (remained) — we will consume. Active-clearing-of-the-saints'-overgrown-path.

3. अर्थे लोपलीं पुराणें — नाश केला शब्दज्ञानें — विषयलोभी मन साधनें बुडविलीं — purāṇa lost by artha — destroyed by śabdajñāna — viṣaya-lōbhī mind drowned sādhanā. The diagnosis-of-decline: the purāṇa (sacred-narratives) are lōpalī (effaced, hidden) by artha (= meaning-grubbing, hair-splitting interpretation, profit-motive); destroyed by śabdajñāna (word-knowledge, mere verbal-learning); the viṣaya-lōbhī (sense-greedy) mind has buḍavilī (drowned) sādhanā (spiritual-practice). Three-causes-of-decline: artha-grubbing, word-knowledge, sense-greed.

4. पिटूं भक्तिचा डांगोरा — कळिकाळासी दरारा — तुका म्हणे करा — जेजेकार आनंदें — beat bhakti-ḍāngōrā — darārā to kalikāḷa — Tuka says: make jay-jay-kāra in ānanda. The closing-offensive-strategy: we will piṭūm (beat, strike) the bhakti-ḍāngōrā (drum-of-devotion, war-drum-for-bhakti); darārā (terror, fear-induced) to kalikāḷa; Tuka says: make jay-jay-kāra (cry-of-victory) in ānanda (joy). Bhakti-as-active-counter-offensive-with-drum-and-jaya-cry*.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī-mission-statement register:

1. We are Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī on mission; live the ṛṣi*-teachings. Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī — kāraṇāsī — sāca-bhāva. Tuka declares his mission-origin and purpose: live the saints'-teachings in sāca-bhāva. Don't-treat-the-teachings-as-words-to-recite*.

2. Sweep the saints'-path; consume the leftovers. Jhāḍūm samtāmcē mārga — śēṣa sēvūm. The saints' path is overgrown; we sweep it; what the saints left, we consume. Active-restoration-of-the-tradition.

3. The decline has three causes: artha-grubbing, śabdajñāna, viṣaya-lōbha*. Arthē purāṇa lōpalī — śabdajñāna nāśa — viṣaya-lōbhī sādhanā buḍavilī. The diagnosis: the purāṇa are lost-to-meaning-grubbing; word-knowledge has destroyed them; sense-greed has drowned spiritual-practice. Recognize-the-three-causes*.

4. Beat the bhakti-ḍāngōrā; kalikāḷa-darārā; jay-jay-kāra in ānanda*. Pīṭūm bhakti-ḍāngōrā — kalikāḷa darārā — jay-jay-kāra ānanda. Bhakti is the offensive-counter-strategy; the drum is the war-drum; the jaya-cry is the joyful-offensive. Don't-be-defensive*.

For today: recognize the bhakta-as-Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī-on-mission; sweep the overgrown saints'-path; recognize the three-causes-of-decline (artha-grubbing, word-knowledge, sense-greed); beat the bhakti-drum as offensive-counter.

This abhang is Tukaram's Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī-mission register — self-identification as a Vaikuṇṭha-resident sent on mission. Compare 0519 nāma-dhāraka; same mission-statement-register but here with the Vaikuṇṭha-origin claim. The bhakti-ḍāngōrā image is from Vārkarī-warrior-vocabulary.

मराठी: ही ओवी Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī-mission-statement register नाव सांगते:

1. आम्ही Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī mission वर; ṛṣi*-teachings जगा. Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī — kāraṇāsī — sāca-bhāva. Tuka mission-origin आणि purpose declare करतो: saints-teachings sāca-bhāva मध्ये जगा. Teachings-recite-words-treat नका*.

2. Saints'-path झाडा; leftovers consume करा. झाडूं संतांचे मारग — शेष सेवूं. Saints चा path overgrown; आम्ही झाडतो; Saints जे सोडलं ते consume. Tradition च active-restoration.

3. Decline ची तीन causes: artha-grubbing, śabdajñāna, viṣaya-lōbha*. अर्थे पुराण लोपली — शब्दज्ञान नाश — विषयलोभी साधनें बुडविली. Diagnosis: purāṇa meaning-grubbing-ने-lost; word-knowledge ने destroyed; sense-greed ने spiritual-practice drowned. तीन-causes ओळखा*.

4. Bhakti-ḍāngōrā beat; kalikāḷa-darārā; jay-jay-kāra ānanda. पिटूं भक्तिचा डांगोरा — कळिकाळ दरारा — जयजयकार आनंद. Bhakti offensive-counter-strategy; Drum war-drum; Jaya-cry joyful-offensive. Defensive नका*.

आज: Bhakta-as-Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī-on-mission ओळखा; Overgrown saints'-path झाडा; Decline च तीन-causes ओळखा (artha-grubbing, word-knowledge, sense-greed); Bhakti-drum offensive-counter म्हणून beat.

Tukaram च-Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī-mission-register — Vaikuṇṭha-resident-sent-on-mission self-identification. 0519 nāma-dhāraka compare; तीच mission-statement-register पण इथे Vaikuṇṭha-origin claim सोबत. Bhakti-ḍāngōrā image Vārkarī-warrior-vocabulary मधलं.

Where this applies

• Vaikuṇṭha-vāsī mission. Origin-and-purpose.
• Sweep saints'-path. Active-restoration.
• Three-causes of decline. Diagnose.
• Bhakti-ḍāngōrā darārā. Offensive-counter.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2464
• Abhanga 2494
• Abhanga 4481
• Abhanga 4482