संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1203 of 4582

Abhanga 1203

English: When (Śukra) came in the way, his eye was broken — by the cosmic thrust Śukra was made one-eyed.

When the Deva himself does all the bhakta's work — preserves dharma and honor; he knows the heart's kaḷavaḷā, that's why he saved even Ajāmiḷa — and you have to recognize this register

The verse

आड आला म्हुन फोडियेला डोळा । बिळनें आंधळा शुक्र केला ॥१॥ करी देव तरी काय नव्हे एक । कां तुम्ही पृथक सिणा वांयां ॥ध्रु.॥ अवघे चि त्यांचें देवें केलें काज । धर्म आणि लाज राखियेली ॥२॥ बहुत विघ्नें केलीं तया आड । परि नाहीं कैवाड सांडियेला ॥३॥ तयां दिलें ते कोणासी नाहीं । अवघा अंतर्बाहीं तो चि जाला ॥४॥ तुका म्हणे हा जाणतो कळवळा । म्हणोनि अजामेळा उद्धरिलें ॥५॥

Literal translation

English: When (Śukra) came in the way, his eye was broken — by the cosmic thrust Śukra was made one-eyed. If the Deva acts, what is not done? Why do you, separately, strain in vain? The Deva did all of their work — preserved their dharma and honor. Many obstacles arose against them — but the kaivāḍa (protector's stand) was not abandoned. What was given to them is given to none — he became their all, inside and out. Tuka says: he knows the heart's kaḷavaḷā — therefore Ajāmiḷa was uplifted.

मराठी: (शुक्र) आड आला म्हणून त्याचा डोळा फोडला — विशाल बळानें त्याला आंधळें केलें. देव करतो तर काय करत नाहीं? — मग तुम्हीं स्वतः वायां सिणतां काय? त्यांचें सर्व काम देवानें-च केलें — धर्म आणि लाज दोन्ही राखली. आड बहु विघ्नें आलीं — पण देवानें कैवाड सांडला नाहीं. त्यांना दिलें तें इतर कोणासच नाहीं — आंत आणि बाहेर — तो-च त्यांचा (सर्व) झाला. Tukā म्हणे — तो (देव) कळवळा (अंतःकरणाचें दुःख) जाणतो — म्हणूनच अजामेळाचा उद्धार केला.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
आड आला म्हुन फोडियेला डोळा "(when Śukra) came in the way, his eye was broken (by Bali, with kuśa-grass)"
बिळनें आंधळा शुक्र केला "by the (cosmic) thrust Śukra was made one-eyed (āndhaḷā)"
करी देव तरी काय नव्हे एक "if the Deva acts — what is not (made) one (= done)?"
कां तुम्ही पृथक सिणा वांयां "why do you separately strain in vain (siṇā vāyām)?"
अवघे चि त्यांचें देवें केलें काज "all of their work the Deva did"
धर्म आणि लाज राखियेली "preserved their dharma and lāja (honor)"
बहुत विघ्नें केलीं तया आड "many obstacles came in their way"
परि नाहीं कैवाड सांडियेला "but the kaivāḍa (protector-stand) was not abandoned"
अवघा अंतर्बाहीं तो चि जाला "he became their all — inside and outside (antar-bāhī)"
हा जाणतो कळवळा "he knows the kaḷavaḷā (heart-suffering)"
म्हणोनि अजामेळा उद्धरिलें "therefore Ajāmiḷa was uplifted (uddharilēm)"

What it means

Ajāmiḷa-uddhāra abhang. The frame is the Bhāgavata story (skandha 6): Ajāmiḷa, a fallen brahmin who lived in sin with a low-caste woman, called his son's name Nārāyaṇa on his deathbed — and Viṣṇu's messengers (Viṣṇu-dūtas) saved him from Yama's noose because the Name had been spoken. Tuka opens with another Bhāgavata image: at Bali's sacrifice, Vāmana came as the dwarf-brahmin; the demon-guru Śukrācārya, sensing the trick, hid in the spout of the kamaṇḍalu (water-pot) to block the water-pour that would seal the gift. Bali pierced the spout with kuśa-grass — putting out Śukra's eye. The point: if the Deva moves, all opposition fails. Therefore: don't strain separately (pṛthak siṇā vāyām) — let Hari do the work; he knows the kaḷavaḷā of his bhaktas — that's how even Ajāmiḷa was lifted.

[T]

For someone today

For today: Hari does the bhakta's work completely — even Ajāmiḷa, with his calling-the-son-by-Hari's-name as the only merit, was lifted; trust that he knows your kaḷavaḷā.

Where this applies

Related verses