Abhanga 1575
The sacred can wear a strange or humble appearance, and playfulness itself can be a genuine doorway into devotion rather than a distraction from it.
The verse
एक चि दंत शोभे मुख विक्राळ दोंद । ब्रम्हांडामाजि दावी अनंत हे छंद ॥१॥ जय जया गणपती ओंवाळित आरती । साजिर्या सरळ भुजा फरशकमळ शोभती ॥ध्रु.॥ घातले तोडरीं हो भक्तजनपाळका । सहस्र नाम तुज भक्तिमुक्तिदायका ॥२॥ रविशशितारागणें जयामाजी सहजें । उदरी सामावलीं जया ब्रम्हांडबीजें ॥३॥ अवतार जन्मला हो लिंगनाभी या मुखें । अमूर्त मूर्तिमंत होय भक्तीच्या सुखें ॥४॥ धूप दीप पंचारति ओंवाळिन निवाडें । राखें या शरणागता तुका खेळतां लाडें ॥५॥
Literal translation
One danta shines, vikrāḷa mukha, dōnda — within Brahmāṇḍa, shows ananta chandas. Jaya Gaṇapati! — circling ārtī; beautiful straight arms, axe-lotus shine. Placed at tōḍa, O bhakta-pāḷaka — thousand-name, bhakti-mukti-dāyaka. Ravi-śaśi-tārā-gaṇa naturally within him — udarī merged Brahmāṇḍa-seeds. Avatāra born from linga-nābhi and this mukha — formless becomes form-bearing by bhakti-sukha. Incense, lamp, pañca-arati — I circle, deciding — protect this refugee, Tuka plays affectionately.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| एक चि दंत शोभे मुख विक्राळ दोंद | "one tooth alone — shines; — vikrāḷa mukha, dōnda (belly)" |
| ब्रम्हांडामाजि दावी अनंत हे छंद | "within Brahmāṇḍa — shows — infinite — playful-fascinations" |
| जय जया गणपती ओंवाळित आरती | "jaya-jayā Gaṇa-pati — circling ārtī" |
| साजिर्या सरळ भुजा फरशकमळ शोभती | "beautiful, straight — arms; — axe and lotus — shine" |
| घातले तोडरीं हो भक्तजनपाळका | "placed — at toḍa (leg-band); — O bhakta-jana-pāḷakā" |
| सहस्र नाम तुज भक्तिमुक्तिदायका | "thousand-names — to you — bhakti-mukti-dāyaka" |
| रविशशितारागणें जयामाजी सहजें | "ravi-śaśi-tārā-gaṇa — within whom — naturally" |
| उदरी सामावलीं जया ब्रम्हांडबीजें | "in belly — merged — whose — Brahmāṇḍa-seeds" |
| अवतार जन्मला हो लिंगनाभी या मुखें | "avatāra — was born — by linga-nābhi — by this mukha" |
| अमूर्त मूर्तिमंत होय भक्तीच्या सुखें | "formless — form-bearing — becomes — by bhakti-sukha" |
| धूप दीप पंचारति ओंवाळिन निवाडें | "incense, lamp, five-arati — I circle — deciding" |
| राखें या शरणागता तुका खेळतां लाडें | "protect this — refugee — Tuka — playing affectionately (lāḍē)" |
What it means
Gaṇa-pati-ārtī. A 5-verse āratī to Gaṇapati — the only-deity-of-the-non-Vaiṣṇava set in this 13-ārtī cluster (alongside 1574-Śiva). The opening: ēka chi danta śōbhē mukha vikrāḷa dōnda — one tooth shines, terrible mouth, belly. Standard Gaṇapati-iconography: single-tusked, terrifying mouth, large belly.
The cosmic-image: Brahmāṇḍā-mājhī dāvī ananta hē chanda — within Brahmāṇḍa shows infinite chandas (= playful-fascinations / cosmic-creations). Gaṇapati shows infinite play within the cosmos.
The arms: sājiryā saraḷa bhujā pharaśa-kamaḷa śōbhatī — beautiful straight arms; axe and lotus shine. Gaṇapati's paraśu (axe) and kamala (lotus) — two of his classical-attributes.
The cosmic-presence: ravi-śaśi-tārā-gaṇē jayā-mājhī sahajēm — udarī sāmāvalīm jayā Brahmāṇḍa-bījēm — the sun-moon-star-host naturally within him; in his belly merged the Brahmāṇḍa-seeds. His belly contains the cosmic-seeds.
The closing-formula: Tukā khēḷatām lāḍē — Tuka plays affectionately. Lāḍē — affectionately, indulgently. Protect this refugee while he plays affectionately. (Pattern P11 register — charming-domestic-bhakti.)
[T]
For someone today
For today: one-tusked Gaṇapati with terrible mouth and large belly shows infinite cosmic-chandas; jaya Gaṇapati, beautiful arms with axe and lotus; leg-bands placed, bhakta-protector, thousand-named bhakti-mukti-giver; sun-moon-stars naturally within him, cosmic-seeds in his belly; formless becomes form by bhakti-sukha; incense-lamp-pañca-arati I circle — protect this refugee Tuka who plays affectionately.
Where this applies
- When you feel self-conscious about an unusual appearance or trait and need to see it as part of your uniqueness rather than something to hide
- When you underestimate someone or something ordinary-looking and later discover surprising depth inside it
- When you let yourself approach a serious practice playfully instead of treating it only as solemn duty
- When you find comfort trusting protection while you simply enjoy an unguarded, joyful moment