Abhanga 609
Before starting anything important, bow first and ask for a clear, strong mind, trusting that grace can pull you out quickly when you feel swept away by circumstance.
The verse
प्रथम नमन तुज एकदंता । रंगीं रसाळ वोडवीं कथा । मति सौरस करीं प्रबळता । जेणें फिटे आतां अंधकार ॥१॥ तुझिये कृपेचें भरितें । आणीक काय राहिलें तेथें । मारग सिद्धाच्यानि पंथें । पावविसी तेथें तूं चि एक ॥ध्रु.॥ आरंभा आदि तुझें वंदन । सकळ करितां कारण । देव ॠषि मुनि आदिकरुन । ग्रंथ पुराण निर्माणी ॥२॥ काय वणूप तुझी गती । एवढी कैची मज मती । दिनानाथ तुज म्हणती करी । करीं सत्य वचन हें चि आपुलें ॥३॥ मज वाहावतां मायेच्या पुरीं । बुडतां डोहीं भवसागरीं । तुज वांचुनि कोण तारी । पाव झडकरी तुका म्हणे ॥४॥
Literal translation
First namana — ēka-damta — ranga — rasāḷa kathā. Mati — saurasa — prabaḷa — andhakāra dissolves. Your kṛpā-flood — what else remains? — siddha-pantha — You alone make me reach. Ārambha Your vandana — kāraṇa of all — deva-ṛṣi-muni — granthas-purāṇas. What describe Your gati? — what mati mine? — call You Dīnānātha — make Your vacana sācā. Māyā-pūra — bhava-sāgara ḍōha — except You who saves? — come jhaḍakarī, Tuka says.
मराठी: प्रथम नमन तुज एकदंता — रंगीं रसाळ वोडवीं कथा — मति सौरस करीं प्रबळता — जेणें फिटे आतां अंधकार. तुझिये कृपेचें भरितें — आणीक काय राहिलें तेथें — मारग सिद्धाच्यानि पंथें — पावविसी तेथें तूं चि एक. आरंभा आदि तुझें वंदन — सकळ करितां कारण — देव ॠषि मुनि आदिकरुन — ग्रंथ पुराण निर्माणी. काय वणूप तुझी गती — एवढी कैची मज मती — दिनानाथ तुज म्हणती करी — करीं सत्य वचन हें चि आपुलें. मज वाहावतां मायेच्या पुरीं — बुडतां डोहीं भवसागरीं — तुज वांचुनि कोण तारी — पाव झडकरी. तुकाराम म्हणतां — पाव झडकरी.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| प्रथम नमन तुज एकदंता | "first namana — ēka-damta" |
| रंगीं रसाळ वोडवीं कथा | "ranga — rasāḷa kathā" |
| मति सौरस करीं प्रबळता | "mati — saurasa — prabaḷa" |
| जेणें फिटे आतां अंधकार | "andhakāra dissolves" |
| तुझिये कृपेचें भरितें | "kṛpā — bharita (flood)" |
| मारग सिद्धाच्यानि पंथें | "mārga — siddha-pantha" |
| पावविसी तेथें तूं चि एक | "You alone make me reach" |
| आरंभा आदि तुझें वंदन | "very-beginning Your vandana" |
| सकळ करितां कारण | "kāraṇa of all" |
| ग्रंथ पुराण निर्माणी | "granthas-purāṇas — create" |
| दिनानाथ तुज म्हणती | "they call You Dīnānātha" |
| करीं सत्य वचन हें चि आपुलें | "make Your vacana sācā" |
| मायेच्या पुरीं | "māyā pūra" |
| बुडतां डोहीं भवसागरीं | "drowning bhava-sāgara ḍōha" |
| पाव झडकरी | "come jhaḍakarī" |
What it means
A Gaṇēśa-prayer-flooded-by-māyā-come-quickly abhang. Five-verse Gaṇēśa-vandana-with-petition register. The opening abhang of a kathā / kīrtana-cycle. Five claims:
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प्रथम नमन तुज एकदंता — रंगीं रसाळ वोडवीं कथा — मति सौरस करीं प्रबळता — जेणें फिटे आतां अंधकार — first namana — ēka-damta — ranga — rasāḷa kathā — mati — saurasa — prabaḷa — andhakāra dissolves. The opening-Gaṇēśa-namana: firstnamana(bow) to You,ēka-damta(one-tusked = Gaṇēśa); set forthrasāḷa(juicy, flavorful)kathāin theranga(kīrtana-arena); make mymati(intellect)saurasa(well-flavored),prabaḷa(strong); by which theandhakāra(darkness, ignorance) nowphiṭē(dissolves). Gaṇēśa-as-the-beginning, removing-darkness-of-ignorance.
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तुझिये कृपेचें भरितें — आणीक काय राहिलें तेथें — मारग सिद्धाच्यानि पंथें — पावविसी तेथें तूं चि एक — Your kṛpā-flood — what else remains? — siddha-pantha — You alone make me reach. The kṛpā-flood-claim: in thebharita(flood) of Yourkṛpā; what else remains? (= nothing else needed); on thesiddha-pantha(siddhas' path); there You alone make me reach. Gaṇēśa's-kṛpā-as-the-only-vehicle-on-the-siddha-path.
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आरंभा आदि तुझें वंदन — सकळ करितां कारण — देव ॠषि मुनि आदिकरुन — ग्रंथ पुराण निर्माणी — ārambha — Your vandana — kāraṇa of all — deva-ṛṣi-muni — granthas-purāṇas — create. The ārambha-kāraṇa-claim: very-beginning, Yourvandana(bowing); for all — becoming thekāraṇa (cause);deva-ṛṣi-muni-ādi (devas-sages-and-others)—create grantha-purāṇa (texts and purāṇas)(with this opening). Gaṇēśa-as-cause-of-all-text-creation.
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काय वणूप तुझी गती — एवढी कैची मज मती — दिनानाथ तुज म्हणती करी — करीं सत्य वचन हें चि आपुलें — what describe Your gati? — what mati mine? — call You Dīnānātha — make Your vacana sācā. The Dīnānātha-leverage-claim: whatvaṇūpa(describe) Yourgati(way / going)?; where do I have suchmati?; they call YouDīnānātha; make this Your ownvacana(word)sācā(true). Reputation-leverage-via-Dīnānātha-name.
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मज वाहावतां मायेच्या पुरीं — बुडतां डोहीं भवसागरीं — तुज वांचुनि कोण तारी — पाव झडकरी तुका म्हणे — māyā-pūra — bhava-sāgara — ḍōha — except You who saves? — come quickly Tuka says. The closing-drowning-petition: I am being carried inmāyā'spūra(flood); drowning in thebhava-sāgara'sḍōha(deep-pool); except You — who saves?; comejhaḍakarī(quickly), Tuka says. Drowning-call-for-quick-rescue.
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For someone today
This abhang is a traditional opening prayer to Ganesha, bowed to first before any story or kirtana begins. Tukaram asks Ganesha to sharpen and strengthen his mind so the darkness of confusion clears, and he trusts that in the flood of Ganesha's grace nothing else is needed to walk even the hardest, most accomplished path. He calls Ganesha the cause behind every text and story ever composed by gods, sages, and seers, then turns personal: he is being swept along in the flood of illusion and drowning in the deep pool of worldly life, and only Ganesha, known as protector of the humble, can pull him out quickly.
मराठी: ही ओवी गणेशाला केलेली पारंपरिक प्रारंभ-प्रार्थना आहे, कोणतीही कथा किंवा कीर्तन सुरू करण्याआधी सर्वप्रथम केलेला नमस्कार. तुकाराम गणेशाकडे विनंती करतात की त्यांची बुद्धी तीक्ष्ण आणि बळकट व्हावी, जेणेकरून अंधकार दूर होईल, आणि त्यांचा विश्वास आहे की गणेशाच्या कृपेच्या पुरात दुसरं काहीच लागत नाही, अगदी कठीण सिद्ध-मार्गावरही तोच पोहोचवतो. ते गणेशाला सर्व ग्रंथ आणि पुराणांच्या निर्मितीचं मूळ कारण मानतात, जे देव, ऋषी आणि मुनींनी रचले. शेवटी ते वैयक्तिक होतात: ते मायेच्या पुरात वाहत आहेत आणि भवसागराच्या डोहात बुडत आहेत, आणि दीनानाथ म्हणून ओळखला जाणारा गणेशच त्यांना लवकर वाचवू शकतो.
Where this applies
- Namanatoēka-damta. Beginning-tradition.
- Mati saurasa-prabaḷa. Intellect-clarity.
- Kāraṇa of all texts. Cosmic-cause.
- Jhaḍakarī — drowning. Quick-rescue.