संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 1593 of 4582

Abhanga 1593

For today: with conch, discus, mace, and lotus, Puruṣōttama has come on this side; "fear not, fear not, O king-of-bhaktas — I have arrived quickly, friend"; from afar when his coming is seen, the very sins flee from creation in fear; seeing Tuka alone — from Vaikuṇṭha, Hari has come.

When you'd note the personal-divine-arrival — Puruṣōttama with weapons on this side; fear-not bhakta-rāya, friend; sins flee at the sight; Hari came from Vaikuṇṭha for Tuka alone

The verse

शंखचक्रगदापद्म । पैल आला पुरुषोत्तम ॥१॥ ना भी ना भी भक्तराया । वेगीं पावलों सखया ॥ध्रु.॥ दुरूनि येतां दिसे दृष्टी । धाकें दोष पळती सृष्टी ॥२॥ तुका देखोनि एकला । वैकुंठींहूनि हरि आला ॥३॥

Literal translation

English: Śankha-cakra-gadā-padma — on this side has come Puruṣōttama. "Fear not, fear not, O bhakta-rāya — quickly I have arrived, sakhā." From afar when coming, seen by the eye — with fear, the dōṣas flee from creation. Seeing Tuka alone — Hari has come from Vaikuṇṭha.

Word-by-word gloss
Marathi Meaning
शंखचक्रगदापद्म "śankha-cakra-gadā-padma"
पैल आला पुरुषोत्तम "on this side — has comePuruṣōttama"
ना भी ना भी भक्तराया "fear not, fear not — O bhakta-rāya"
वेगीं पावलों सखया "quicklyI have arrived — O sakhā"
दुरूनि येतां दिसे दृष्टी "from afarcomingseen — by (the) eye"
धाकें दोष पळती सृष्टी "with feardōṣas (sins) — flee — (from) creation"
तुका देखोनि एकला "Tuka — seeingalone"
वैकुंठींहूनि हरि आला "from VaikuṇṭhaHari — has come"

What it means

Personal-divine-arrival abhang. Vaikuṇṭha-gamana cluster. A short-intense companion to 1592, narrating the arrival from a different angle: the bhakta's relational-perspective.

The opening identification: śankha-cakra-gadā-padma — paila ālā Puruṣōttamaśankha-cakra-gadā-padma — on this side has come Puruṣōttama. The four-weapon-set (śankha-cakra-gadā-padma = conch, discus, mace, lotus) confirms the identity: Puruṣōttama (the supreme-puruṣa, Viṣṇu).

The address: nā bhī nā bhī bhakta-rāyā — vēgīm pāvalōm sakhayāfear not, fear not, O bhakta-rāya — quickly I have arrived, sakhā. The Lord addresses Tuka as bhakta-rāya (king-of-bhaktas) and sakhā (friend). Vēgīm pāvalōmI have arrived quickly — the divine-haste-to-meet-the-bhakta. (Striking-formulation: the Lord names the bhakta his sakhā and announces his own quick-arrival.)

The cosmic-effect: durūni yētām disē dṛṣṭī — dhākēm dōṣa paḷatī sṛṣṭīfrom afar when coming, seen by the eye — with fear, the dōṣas flee from creation. Even the sight of Hari approaching from afar makes the dōṣas (= sins / faults) flee from creation in fear. The cosmic-purifying-vision of the approaching Lord.

The closing-revelation: Tukā dēkhōni ēkalā — Vaikuṇṭhīm-hūni Hari ālāseeing Tuka alone — from Vaikuṇṭha, Hari has come. For Tuka alone, Hari descended from Vaikuṇṭha. (Striking-formulation: the descent is for the single-bhakta; Vaikuṇṭha-empties-for-Tuka.)

[T]

For someone today

For today: with conch, discus, mace, and lotus, Puruṣōttama has come on this side; "fear not, fear not, O king-of-bhaktas — I have arrived quickly, friend"; from afar when his coming is seen, the very sins flee from creation in fear; seeing Tuka alone — from Vaikuṇṭha, Hari has come.

Where this applies

Related verses