संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1576 of 4582

Abhanga 1576

English: In gold pariyēḷa, kindling ārtī — ratna-dīpa-śōbhā, how the jyōtīs are kindled.

When you'd offer a Pāṇḍuranga-ārtī — sa-bāhya-sājirā husband of Rāhi-Rakhumāī-Satyabhāmā; vaijayantī-mālā, weapons; sama-dṛṣṭi-samādhi at his feet

The verse

कनकाच्या परियेळीं उजळूनि आरती । रत्नदीपशोभा कैशा पाजळल्या ज्योती ॥१॥ ओंवाळूं गे माये सबाह्य साजिरा । राहिरखुमाईंसत्यभामेच्या वरा ॥ध्रु.॥ मंडितचतुर्भुज दिव्य कानीं कुंडलें । श्रीमुखाची शोभा पाहातां तेज फांकलें ॥२॥ वैजयंती माळ गळां शोभे श्रीमंत । शंखचक्रगदापद्म आयुधें शोभत ॥३॥ सांवळा सकुमार जैसा कर्दळीगाभा । चरणीचीं नेपुरें वांकी गर्जती नभा ॥४॥ ओंवाळितां मन हें उभें ठाकलें ठायीं । समदृष्टि समाधि तुकया लागली पायीं ॥५॥

Literal translation

English: In gold pariyēḷa, kindling ārtī — ratna-dīpa-śōbhā, how the jyōtīs are kindled. Let us circle, O māye — the sa-bāhya sājirā — to the husband of Rāhi-Rakhumāī-Satyabhāmā. Adorned, four-armed, divine, kuṇḍalas at ears — śrī-mukha's śōbhā, seeing, tēja has spread. Vaijayantī-mālā at neck, śōbhē, śrīmanta — śankha-cakra-gadā-padma āyudhas śōbhata. Dark-blue, tender, like kardaḷī-gābha — at feet, nūpuras and vānkīs thunder to the sky. While circling, this mind stood upright-still in place — sama-dṛṣṭi-samādhi attached at Tuka's feet.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
कनकाच्या परियेळीं उजळूनि आरती "in (the) kanaka (gold) pariyēḷa (plate) — kindlingāratī"
रत्नदीपशोभा कैशा पाजळल्या ज्योती "ratna-dīpa-śōbhāhow — are kindled — the jyōtīs"
ओंवाळूं गे माये सबाह्य साजिरा "let us circle, O māyeinside-and-outsidebeautiful one"
राहिरखुमाईंसत्यभामेच्या वरा "to (the) vara (husband) — of Rāhi-Rakhumāī-Satyabhāmā"
मंडितचतुर्भुज दिव्य कानीं कुंडलें "adorned, four-armed, divine — in ears — kuṇḍalas"
श्रीमुखाची शोभा पाहातां तेज फांकलें "of (the) śrī-mukhaśōbhā — seeing — tēja — has spread"
वैजयंती माळ गळां शोभे श्रीमंत "vaijayantī mālā — at (the) neck — śōbhē, śrīmanta"
शंखचक्रगदापद्म आयुधें शोभत "śankha-cakra-gadā-padmaāyudhasśōbhata"
सांवळा सकुमार जैसा कर्दळीगाभा "dark-bluetenderlikekardaḷī-gābha (banana-stalk-pith)"
चरणीचीं नेपुरें वांकी गर्जती नभा "at (the) feet — nūpuras, vānkīsthunder — to (the) sky"
ओंवाळितां मन हें उभें ठाकलें ठायीं "while circling — this minduprightstood still — in place"
समदृष्टि समाधि तुकया लागली पायीं "sama-dṛṣṭi-samādhi — to Tukaattached — at (the) feet"

What it means

Pāṇḍuranga-ārtī. A 5-verse āratī to Pāṇḍurangathe husband of Rāhi-Rakhumāī-Satyabhāmā. The opening: kanakācyā pariyēḷīm ujaḷūni āratī — ratna-dīpa-śōbhā kaiśā pājaḷalyā jyōtīin the gold plate, kindling ārtī — ratna-dīpa-śōbhā, how the jyōtīs are kindled. Gold plate with jewel-lamps — the standard ārtī-ritual.

The dhṛuva-line: ōmvāḷūm gē māye sa-bāhya sājirā — Rāhi-Rakhumāīm-Satyabhāmēcyā varālet us circle, O māye — the sa-bāhya (inside-and-outside) sājirā — to the husband of Rāhi-Rakhumāī-Satyabhāmā. Sa-bāhya-sājirābeautiful inside-and-outside; the three-consort-list — Rāhi (= Rādhā), Rakhumāī (= Rukmiṇī), Satyabhāmā — establishes this as Pāṇḍuranga-Kṛṣṇa (Vaiṣṇava-ārtī).

The iconography: maṇḍita catur-bhuja divya kānīm kuṇḍalēm — śrī-mukhācī śōbhā pāhātām tēja phānkalēmadorned, four-armed, divine — kuṇḍalas at ears; seeing the śrī-mukha-śōbhā, tēja has spread. Standard Viṣṇu-iconography: catur-bhuja (four-armed), kuṇḍala (ear-rings), śrī-mukha (sacred-face).

The neck-and-weapons: vaijayantī māḷa gaḷām śōbhē śrīmanta — śankha-cakra-gadā-padma āyudhēm śōbhatavaijayantī-mālā at neck, śōbhē śrīmanta; śankha-cakra-gadā-padma āyudhas śōbhata. Vaijayantī = victory-garland; the four-weapons of Viṣṇuconch, discus, mace, lotus.

The body-and-feet: sāmvaḷā sukumāra jaisā kardaḷī-gābhā — caraṇīcīm nēpurēm vānkī garjatī nabhādark-blue, tender, like kardaḷī-gābha (banana-stalk-pith); at feet, nūpuras and vānkīs thunder to the sky. Kardaḷī-gābha — the tender pith of the banana-stalk — classical-image for youthful tenderness. Nūpura (anklet) and vānkī (foot-ornament) garjatī nabha (thunder to the sky).

The closing: ōmvāḷitām mana hēm ubhēm ṭhākalēm ṭhāyīm — sama-dṛṣṭi samādhi Tukayā lāgalī pāyīmwhile circling, this mind stood upright-still in place — sama-dṛṣṭi-samādhi attached to Tuka at his feet. The ārtī-as-samādhi-trigger: while circling the lamps, the mind itself stood still; sama-dṛṣṭi-samādhi (= equal-vision-trance) attached Tuka at the Lord's feet. (Pattern P2 register — bhakti-as-samādhi.)

[T]

For someone today

For today: in the gold plate, kindling ārtī with jewel-lamp jyōtīs; let us circle, O mother, the inside-and-outside beautiful husband of Rāhi-Rakhumāī-Satyabhāmā; adorned, four-armed, divine kuṇḍalas at ears, śrī-mukha-tēja spreads when seen; vaijayantī-mālā at his neck, śankha-cakra-gadā-padma weapons shining; dark-blue, tender like banana-stalk-pith — at his feet nūpuras and vānkīs thunder to the sky; while circling, the mind itself stood still — sama-dṛṣṭi-samādhi attached Tuka at his feet.

Where this applies

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