Abhanga 1760
If God showed up personally for devotees before you, in their crises and their humble offerings, you have the right to ask directly for that same closeness now.
The verse
उद्धवअक्रूरासी । आणीक व्यासआंबॠषी । रुक्मांगदाप्रल्हादासी । दाविलें तें दाखवीं ॥१॥ तरि मी पाहेन पाहेन । तुझे श्रीमुखचरण । उतावळि मन । तयाकारणें तेथें ॥ध्रु.॥ जनकश्रुतदेवा करीं । कैसा शोभलासी हरी । विदुराच्या घरीं । कण्या धरी कवतुकें ॥२॥ पांडवा अकांतीं । तेथें पावसी स्मरती । घातलें द्रौपदी । यागीं बिरडें चोळीचें ॥३॥ करी गोपीचें कवतुक । गाईंगोपाळांसी सुख । दावीं तें चि मुख । दृष्टी माझ्या आपुलें ॥४॥ तरि तूं अनाथाचा दाता । मागतियां शरणागतां । तुका म्हणें आतां । कोड पुरवीं हें माझें ॥५॥
Literal translation
To Uddhava, Akrūra, also Vyāsa, Amba-ṛṣi, Rukmāngada, Prahlāda — what was shown — show (to me too). Then I will see, see — your śrī-mukha and feet — mind impatient for that-cause there. In Janaka, Śrutadeva — how Hari shone — in Vidura's house — held kaṇyā (rice) playfully. In Pāṇḍava-akānti, you came to remembrance — placed Draupadī's-cīra-haraṇa-cover. Do Gopīs' play — sukha to gā'īs and gopāḷas — show that very mukha to my eye, your-own. Then you the orphan's-dātā — to askers, śaraṇāgatas — Tuka says — now — fulfill this riddle of mine.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| उद्धवअक्रूरासी ... प्रल्हादासी | "to Uddhava-Akrūra ... Prahlāda" |
| दाविलें तें दाखवीं | "what was shown — show (to me)" |
| तरि मी पाहेन पाहेन | "then I will see, will see" |
| तुझे श्रीमुखचरण | "your śrī-mukha-and-feet" |
| जनकश्रुतदेवा करीं | "in Janaka-Śrutadeva" |
| विदुराच्या घरीं । कण्या धरी कवतुकें | "in Vidura's house — held kaṇyā (rice) playfully" |
| पांडवा अकांतीं । तेथें पावसी स्मरती | "in Pāṇḍava-akānti — came to remembrance" |
| घातलें द्रौपदी । यागीं बिरडें चोळीचें | "placed — Draupadī's-cīra-haraṇa-cover" |
| करी गोपीचें कवतुक । गाईंगोपाळांसी सुख | "does Gopīs' play — sukha to gā'īs-gopāḷas" |
| दावीं तें चि मुख । दृष्टी माझ्या आपुलें | "show that very mukha — to my eye, your-own" |
| तुका म्हणें आतां । कोड पुरवीं हें माझें | "Tuka says — now — fulfill this riddle" |
What it means
Catalogue-of-Vaiṣṇava-bhakta-savior-stories + show-me-too abhang.
The opening: Uddhava-Akrūrāsī — āṇīka Vyāsa-Amba-ṛṣī — Rukmāngada-Prahlādāsī — dāvilēm tēm dākhavīm — to Uddhava, Akrūra, also Vyāsa, Amba-ṛṣi, Rukmāngada, Prahlāda — what was shown, show. The Vaiṣṇava-bhakta-list:
- Uddhava — Kṛṣṇa's friend-and-disciple
- Akrūra — who fetched Kṛṣṇa from Vraja
- Vyāsa — composer of Mahābhārata, saw Kṛṣṇa-līlā
- Amba-ṛṣi — saved by Sudarśana from Durvāsā's curse
- Rukmāngada — saved by Hari for keeping ekādaśī-vrata
- Prahlāda — saved from Hiraṇyakaśipu by Narasimha
The desire: tarī mī pāhēna pāhēna — tujhē śrī-mukha-caraṇa — I will see, see — your śrī-mukha and feet.
More-savior-stories:
- Janaka-Śrutadeva — how Hari shone in their houses
- Vidura's house — held kaṇyā (rice) playfully — the famous Mahābhārata story of Kṛṣṇa choosing humble Vidura's kaṇyā-rice over Duryodhana's-feast
- Pāṇḍava-akānti — came to remembrance — the Pāṇḍavas in distress
- Draupadī's-cīra-haraṇa — the famous extending-cīra (sari) miracle (biraḍē cōḷī = underbodice/cover-cloth)
- Gōpīs-play, gā'īs-and-gopāḷas-sukha — Vraja-līlā
The closing: tarī tūm anāthācā dātā — māgatiyām śaraṇāgatām — Tukā mhaṇē ātām — kōḍa puravīm hēm mājhēm — you orphan's-dātā — to askers, śaraṇāgatas — Tuka says — now fulfill this riddle of mine.
[T]
For someone today
For today: to Uddhava, Akrūra, also Vyāsa, Amba-ṛṣi, Rukmāngada, Prahlāda — what was shown to them, show me too; then I will see, see — your sacred face and feet — my mind is impatient for that-cause; how Hari shone in Janaka, Śrutadeva — in Vidura's house, held the broken-rice playfully; in the Pāṇḍavas' calamity, you came to remembrance — you placed Draupadī's cover at the disrobing; you play with the Gopīs, give sukha to the cows and gopāḷas — show that very face to my own eye; you are the orphan's-giver — to askers, refuge-seekers — Tuka says — now fulfill this riddle of mine.
Where this applies
- When you feel like grace or rescue only happens to other people, never to you
- When you're facing a hard moment and want to remember stories of people who were helped through similar crises
- When you feel unseen despite giving whatever small offering you can, like Vidura's simple rice
- When you're tired of hearing about someone else's spiritual experience and want your own direct encounter