संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1575 of 4582

Abhanga 1575

English: One danta shines, vikrāḷa mukha, dōnda — within Brahmāṇḍa, shows ananta chandas.

When you'd offer a Gaṇapati-ārtī — one-tooth-belly-Gaṇapati; thousand-name; bhakti-mukti-dātā; Tuka plays affectionately

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

English: 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 Brahmāṇḍashowsinfiniteplayful-fascinations"
जय जया गणपती ओंवाळित आरती "jaya-jayā Gaṇa-pati — circling ārtī"
साजिर्‍या सरळ भुजा फरशकमळ शोभती "beautiful, straightarms; — axe and lotusshine"
घातले तोडरीं हो भक्तजनपाळका "placedat toḍa (leg-band); — O bhakta-jana-pāḷakā"
सहस्र नाम तुज भक्तिमुक्तिदायका "thousand-names — to youbhakti-mukti-dāyaka"
रविशशितारागणें जयामाजी सहजें "ravi-śaśi-tārā-gaṇa — within whom — naturally"
उदरी सामावलीं जया ब्रम्हांडबीजें "in bellymerged — whose — Brahmāṇḍa-seeds"
अवतार जन्मला हो लिंगनाभी या मुखें "avatārawas born — by linga-nābhi — by this mukha"
अमूर्त मूर्तिमंत होय भक्तीच्या सुखें "formlessform-bearingbecomes — by bhakti-sukha"
धूप दीप पंचारति ओंवाळिन निवाडें "incense, lamp, five-arati — I circledeciding"
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 dōndaone tooth shines, terrible mouth, belly. Standard Gaṇapati-iconography: single-tusked, terrifying mouth, large belly.

The cosmic-image: Brahmāṇḍā-mājhī dāvī ananta hē chandawithin Brahmāṇḍa shows infinite chandas (= playful-fascinations / cosmic-creations). Gaṇapati shows infinite play within the cosmos.

The arms: sājiryā saraḷa bhujā pharaśa-kamaḷa śōbhatībeautiful 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-bījēmthe 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 lāḍēTuka 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

Related verses