Abhanga 1653

For today: I placed the piṇḍa upon the (Lord's) footprint with my own hand; my Gayā-rite has been done — the debt of the ancestors cleared; my karmic-ritual is completed — I have cried out "Hari-Hara!"; Tuka says — my burden, the heavy-load, has come down.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Gayā-varjana-letter-by-bhakti-without-traveling abhang. Third of 4-letter-cluster (1651-1654). End-marker ॥३॥.

This abhang is the most-radically-bhakti-bold of the cluster: Tukārām claims to have completed the Gayā-varjana ritual without traveling to Gayā — by placing piṇḍa on the Lord's feet (= the Viṭhṭhal-pada at Paṇḍharī).

The piṇḍa-on-feet: piṇḍa padāvarī — dilā āpuliyē karīm — piṇḍa upon the pada — given by my own hand. Piṇḍa = the rice-ball-offering for ancestors in the śrāddha-ritual. Traditionally, Gayā-varjana (= Gayā-rite) involves placing piṇḍas at the Viṣṇu-pada (footprint of Viṣṇu) at Gayā — the most efficacious ritual for clearing the ancestral-debt (pitr-ṛṇa). Tukārām claims: I placed the piṇḍa upon the pada (= upon the Viṭhṭhal-feet at Paṇḍharī) with my own hand — and my Gayā-rite is complete.

The ritual-completion: mājhēm jālēm Gayā-varjana — phiṭalēm pitarāñcēm ṛṇa — my Gayā-varjana has been done — the ancestors' debt cleared. The full theological-claim: the Viṭhṭhal-pada-piṇḍa-offering replaces the Gayā-pilgrimage; the pitṛ-ṛṇa is cleared.

The karmāntara: kēlēm karmāntara — bōmba mārilī Hari-Hara — done karmāntara — cried out Hari-Hara. Karmāntara = the completion-of-ritual-karma; bōmba mārilī Hari-Hara = cried out "Hari-Hara!" loudly. (= the closing-shout of the ritual; the cry-of-completion.)

The closing: Tukā mhaṇē mājhēm — bhāra utaralēm ōjhēm — Tuka says: my burden, the load, has come down. The load-of-ancestral-debt has come off-the-shoulders.

This abhang is one of the strongest warkari-anti-tīrtha-statements: one need not travel to Gayā for the Gayā-rite; the Viṭhṭhal-pada at Paṇḍharī suffices. (Compare 1610's Nārāyaṇa came to Gōrā's-vārī — same bhakti-replaces-physical-tīrtha logic.) The abhang sent as letter to yātrīs going-via-Gayā would implicitly-message them: I have already done it here at Paṇḍharī; you needn't repeat it for me.

End-marker ॥३॥ = third-in-cluster.

[T]

For someone today

For today: I placed the piṇḍa upon the (Lord's) footprint with my own hand; my Gayā-rite has been done — the debt of the ancestors cleared; my karmic-ritual is completed — I have cried out "Hari-Hara!"; Tuka says — my burden, the heavy-load, has come down.

Where this applies

• Piṇḍa-on-pada-by-own-hand.* Piṇḍa-padāvarī-āpuliyē-karīm.
• Gayā-varjana-done-pitṛ-ṛṇa-cleared.* Gayā-varjana-pitarāñcēm-ṛṇa-phiṭalēm.
• Karmāntara-Hari-Hara-cry.* Karmāntara-Hari-Hara-bōmba.
• Burden-load-came-down.* Bhāra-ōjhēm-utaralēm.

Related verses

• Abhanga 2425
• Abhanga 2477 — English: Unceasingly attached, drum-roll in courtyard — holding vaikharī in hand, bhāva sh
• Abhanga 2484
• Abhanga 2540 — English: What greatness will I, low one, describe — you become compassionate, kṛpā-ocean.