Abhanga 1852
Even bold, teasing words to God are really praise, and the infinite Lord makes himself small and near so that simple devotion, resting your head at his feet, is enough.
The verse
कृपावंता कोप न धरावा चित्ती । छळूं वक्रोक्ति स्तुती करूं ॥१॥ आम्ही तुझा पार काय जाणों देवा । नेणों कैसी सेवा करावी ते ॥ध्रुर्वो.॥ अनंता अरूपा अलक्षा अच्युता । निर्गुणा सचिता सवाौत्तमा ॥२॥ चांगलीं हीं नामें घेतलीं ठेवून । जालासी लाहान भक्तिकाजा ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे तुझ्या पायांवरी सदा । मस्तक गोविंदा असो माझा ॥४॥
Literal translation
Kṛpāvanta, don't hold anger in chitta — (if I) tease with vakrōkti, (it's) stuti I make. Your depth, what do we know, deva? — we don't know how to do that service. Ananta, arūpa, alakṣa, Acyuta — nirguṇa, sat-cit, sarvottama. These good names you took, placing — you became small for bhakti's sake. Tuka says: on your feet, always — let my mastaka be, Govinda.
Word-by-word gloss
| Marathi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| कृपावंता कोप न धरावा चित्ती | "kṛpāvanta — don't hold anger — in chitta" |
| छळूं वक्रोक्ति स्तुती करूं | "(if I) tease — with vakrōkti — (it's) stuti I make" |
| आम्ही तुझा पार काय जाणों देवा | "your depth — what do we know — deva" |
| नेणों कैसी सेवा करावी ते | "we don't know — how to do that service" |
| अनंता अरूपा अलक्षा अच्युता | "Ananta, arūpa, alakṣa, Acyuta" |
| निर्गुणा सचिता सवाौत्तमा | "nirguṇa, sat-cit, sarvottama" |
| चांगलीं हीं नामें घेतलीं ठेवून | "these good names — (you) took, placing" |
| जालासी लाहान भक्तिकाजा | "(you) became small — for bhakti's sake" |
| तुका म्हणे तुझ्या पायांवरी सदा | "Tuka says — on your feet — always" |
| मस्तक गोविंदा असो माझा | "let my mastaka be — Govinda" |
What it means
Vakrōkti-is-still-stuti + names-list + became-small-for-bhakti abhang. Part of the 1848-1857 confrontation-cluster — but here Tuka softens, claiming his teasing-words are also stuti.
The opening: kṛpāvantā kōpa na dharāvā chittī — chaḷūm vakrōkti stuti karūm — kṛpāvanta, don't hold anger — (if I) tease with vakrōkti, (it's) stuti I make. Vakrōkti = twisted-speech, indirect-praise via apparent-criticism (= the rhetorical-figure of paradoxical-praise). Even when I-seem-to-tease-or-taunt, it's actually-stuti. (Defense of the bold-speech of the cluster's earlier abhangs.)
The depth-line: āmhī tujhā pāra kāya jāṇōm devā — nēṇōm kaisī sēvā karāvī tē — what depth of yours do we know? — don't know how to do that service. I-don't-know-your-vastness; don't-know-how-to-properly-serve.
The names-list: Anantā arūpā alakṣā Acyutā — nirguṇā saccitā sarvōttamā — Ananta, arūpa, alakṣa, Acyuta — nirguṇa, sat-cit, sarvottama. Seven cosmic-names: the endless, formless, unmarked, unfallen — qualityless, sat-cit, supreme.
The brilliant inversion: cāngalīm hīm nāmē ghētalīm ṭhē'ūna — jālāsī lāhāna bhakti-kājā — you took these good names, placing them — (and yet) became small for bhakti's sake. The cosmic-Lord-with-cosmic-names becomes-small for-the-bhakta-sake. (Echoes 1828's bhāvē kēlāsī lahāna — we made you small by bhāva.)
The closing: Tukā mhaṇē tujhyā pāyāmvarī sadā — mastaka Govindā asō mājhā — Tuka says: on your feet, always — let my mastaka be, Govinda. The simple-bhakti-conclusion: let my head-rest on your feet always.
This abhang is the conciliation in the middle of the confrontation-cluster — the bhakta admits his teasing-words are stuti, names-the-Lord's-cosmic-grandeur, and-then-thanks-the-Lord for-becoming-small for-bhakti.
[T]
For someone today
For today: kṛpāvanta, don't hold anger in chitta — even my teasing-words are stuti; your depth, what do we know, deva? — don't know how to do that service; Ananta, arūpa, alakṣa, Acyuta — nirguṇa, sat-cit, sarvottama; you took these good names, placing them — yet became small for bhakti's sake; Tuka says — on your feet, always, let my mastaka be, Govinda.
Where this applies
- When you've spoken bluntly or teasingly to someone you love and worry it sounded like anger instead of affection.
- When you feel unsure whether you're praying or serving in the right way and worry you're getting it wrong.
- When you're in awe of something vast and abstract but need it to feel personal and close.
- When you want to end an argument or a venting moment with humility instead of more words.