Abhanga 564

English: Naṭa-nāṭyē — every sōnga — bhēda — ranga — na pālaṭē.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A naṭa-nāṭya-sphaṭika-doesn't-take-color-jana-virahita-krīḍā abhang. Saint-as-actor-without-internal-change register. Three claims:

1. नटनाट्ये अवघें संपादिलें सोंग — भेद दाऊं रंग न पालटे — naṭa-nāṭyē — every sōnga — bhēda — ranga — na pālaṭē. The opening-actor-claim: naṭa-nāṭyē (the actor's-drama) — every sōnga (role / form / pose) we have sampādilē (accomplished); bhēda-dāūm (we show difference, we apparently differ-as-roles); but the ranga (deep-dye, true-color) does not pālaṭē (change, get-altered). Saint-plays-every-role-but-the-deep-dye-doesn't-change*.

2. मांडियेला खेळ कौतुक बहुरूप — आपुलें स्वरूप जाणतसों — स्फटिकाची शिळा उपाधि न मिळे — भाव दावी पिवळे लाल संगे — khēḷa set — bahu-rūpa-kautuka — svarūpa we know — sphaṭika — upādhi na miḷē — yellow-red — samga. The crystal-image-claim: we have set up the khēḷa (game / play), bahu-rūpa-kautuka (multi-form wonder); but our own svarūpa (true-form) we know; the sphaṭika (crystal / quartz) stone — upādhi (coloring-limit / superimposed-condition) doesn't miḷē (stick / fit); the bhāva (appearance, mode-of-appearing) of pīvaḷē (yellow), lāla (red) — comes by samga (contact, proximity). The crystal-stone takes-on-the-color-of-what-it-is-near, but the color-doesn't-stick; remove-the-near-thing, the crystal-is-clear. Saint-as-crystal: appears-colored-by-context, but the deep-quality-doesn't-change*.

3. तुका म्हणे आम्ही या जनाविरहित — होऊनि निश्चिंत क्रीडा करूं — Tuka says: we — jana-virahita — niścinta — krīḍā. The closing-private-play-claim: Tuka says: we are jana-virahita (without-people, separated-from-people); being niścinta (worry-free); we play krīḍā (sport, divine-play). The saint-plays-divine-sport-without-the-public-without-worry. Private-divine-play.

[T]

For someone today

This abhang names the saint-as-actor-without-internal-change register:

1. Every sōnga played; deep-ranga* doesn't change. Naṭa-nāṭyē — bhēda-ranga na pālaṭē. The saint plays every role in the world's drama, but the deep-quality doesn't change. Don't-confuse-the-role-with-the-saint*.

2. Multi-form-game; svarūpa* known. Khēḷa — bahu-rūpa-kautuka — svarūpa. Many-forms-game played, but the svarūpa (true-form) is known to the saint. Self-knowledge-amid-the-play*.

3. The sphaṭika doesn't take the color; only appears so by samga*. Sphaṭika — upādhi na miḷē — pīvaḷē-lāla — samga. The crystal-stone-image: appears-colored-by-context, but the color-doesn't-stick. Saint-as-crystal. (This is the classic Vedānta-image of aupādhika*-imposition.)

4. Jana-virahita, niścinta, krīḍā. Jana-virahita — niścinta — krīḍā. The saint plays without-the-public-without-worry; the divine-play is private. Private-divine-sport*.

For today: recognize that the saint plays every role but the ranga doesn't change; like a sphaṭika, the saint takes-on-color-by-context but doesn't get-stained; the saint plays krīḍā without-people, without-worry.

This abhang is Tukaram's saint-as-sphaṭika-naṭa register — one of the most-philosophically-precise images. Compare 0556 no-name-form-beyond-karma-akarma; same beyond-the-role state but here with the actor-and-crystal images. The sphaṭika-upādhi image is classical-Vedānta vocabulary applied in bhakti-Marathi.

मराठी: ही ओवी saint-as-actor-without-internal-change register नाव सांगते:

1. प्रत्येक sōnga play; deep-ranga* बदलत नाही. नट-नाट्ये — भेद-रंग न पालटे. Saint world च्या drama मध्ये प्रत्येक role play करतो, पण deep-quality बदलत नाही. Role-saint-confuse नका*.

2. Multi-form-game; svarūpa* known. खेळ — बहु-रूप-कौतुक — स्वरूप. Many-forms-game play, पण svarūpa (true-form) saint ला known. Play-amid-self-knowledge*.

3. Sphaṭika color घेत नाही; फक्त samga ने appear. स्फटिक — उपाधि न मिळे — पिवळें-लाल — संग. Crystal-stone-image: context-ने-colored-appear, पण color-stick-नाही. Saint-as-crystal. (Classic Vedānta-image of aupādhika*-imposition.)

4. Jana-virahita, niścinta, krīḍā. जन-विरहित — निश्चिंत — क्रीडा. Saint without-public-without-worry play करतो; divine-play private. Private-divine-sport*.

आज: Saint प्रत्येक role play पण ranga बदलत नाही ओळखा; Sphaṭika सारखं, saint context-ने-color घेतो पण stained-नाही; Saint krīḍā without-people, without-worry play करतो.

Tukaram च-saint-as-sphaṭika-naṭa-register — Most-philosophically-precise images पैकी एक. 0556 no-name-form-beyond-karma-akarma compare; तीच beyond-the-role state पण इथे actor-and-crystal images सोबत. Sphaṭika-upādhi image classical-Vedānta vocabulary bhakti-Marathi मध्ये applied.

Where this applies

• Every role; deep-ranga firm. Actor-image.
• Sphaṭika takes no upādhi. Crystal-image.
• Svarūpa known. Self-knowledge.
• Jana-virahita-niścinta-krīḍā. Private-play.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2374
• Abhanga 2377 — English: Gentle, sweet bāla-rūpa — that form from Kāḷī-time.
• Abhanga 2387
• Abhanga 2402