Abhanga 2352
A devotee can feel intimately close to the divine one moment and abandoned and afraid the next, and it is honest and right to cry out for that closeness to return.
The verse
कान्हया रे जगजेठी । देई भेटी एकवेळे ॥१॥ काय मोकलिलें वनीं । सावजांनीं वेढिलें ॥ध्रु.॥ येथवरी होता संग । अंगें अंग लपविलें ॥२॥ तुका म्हणें पाहिलें मागें । एवढ्या वेगें अंतरला ॥३॥
Literal translation
O Kānhayā, Lord-of-the-world — give darshan once. What — have you left me in the forest — surrounded by wild-beasts. Until now, there was company — you hid limb in limb. Tuka says: I looked back — with such speed you became distant.
What it means
THE OPENING OF THE GOPIKĀ-LĪLĀ CLUSTER (2352-2357) — Tukārām adopts the gopī-voice.
THE GOPIKĀ-VOCATIVE: Kānhayā rē Jagajēṭhī — dē'ī bhēṭī ēka-vēḷē — O Kānhayā, Lord-of-the-world — give darshan once. O Kānhayā (Kṛṣṇa), Jagajēṭhī (Lord-of-the-world) — give-bhēṭī (meeting) just-once. The bhakta-as-gopī addressing-the-abandoning-Lord.
The forest-abandonment: kāya mōkalilē vanīm — sāvajānnī vēḍhilē — what — have you left me in the forest — surrounded by wild-beasts. Sāvaja = wild-beast. What — have-you-left-me in-the-forest? I'm-surrounded by-wild-beasts.
The previous-company: yēthavarī hōtā sanga — angē anga lapavilē — until now, there was company — you hid limb in limb. Until-now-there-was-company; you-hid-limb-in-limb (= intimately-close).
The disappearance: Tukā mhaṇē pāhilē māgē — ēvaḍhyā vēgē antaralā — Tuka says: I looked back — with such speed you became distant. I-looked-back; with-such-speed you-became-distant.
Within the cluster (2352-2357): This-opening introduces the gopikā-voice — the bhakta-as-the-abandoned-gopī addresses-Kānhayā who-has-disappeared from-the-forest-tryst. The cluster continues: pursuit (2353), gopikā-praise (2354), Hari-with-other-gopīs (2355), secret-meeting-in-rāṇa (2356), full-union (2357).
[T]
For someone today
Oh Kanhaya, Lord of the world, grant me just one glimpse of you. Have you really left me here in the forest, surrounded by wild beasts? Only a moment ago we were so close, wrapped limb in limb together. Tuka says: I looked back, and in an instant you had already slipped away.
मराठी: अरे कान्हया, जगजेठी, एकदा तरी भेट दे. मला या रानात सोडून दिलंस का, चहूकडे हिंस्र पशूंनी वेढलंय. आत्ता आत्तापर्यंत आपली इतकी जवळीक होती, अंगाला अंग लपवत होतो. तुका म्हणतो, मी मागे वळून पाहिलं, तर तू इतक्या वेगाने दूर निघून गेलास.
Where this applies
- When you have felt very close to God or to peace and then suddenly feel abandoned and afraid
- When you look back for a person or a feeling that was just there a moment ago and find it gone
- When you are honest enough to voice a desperate longing instead of hiding it
- When fear surrounds you and you want to call out directly for help, without formality