Abhanga 2834

A canonical kīrtana-etiquette text. Why not sit in kathā? — Pāṇḍuranga (himself) stands waiting. Therefore hold dhīra, attention and reverence — for one for whom bhava-sindhu-crossing is to be. In kathā — not an atom-measure of worldly-talk — (else) the Deva-bhakta chitta-merging breaks. Why worship vaiṣṇavas? — (he) who takes with bhāva — places feet-dust on head. Know this — Deva is the ankita (bondsman) of vaiṣṇavas — though untouched-transcendent, he is bound for their sake. Tukā came in full-prostration — bows at the sants' feet.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

A canonical 5-verse kīrtana-etiquette text. Each verse is a discipline-statement.

Verse 1: Kām na vajāve baisōnī kathē — aisē aikā hō śrōte — Pāṇḍuranga tēthē — ubhā ase tiṣṭhata — why not go and sit in kathā? — listen, audience! — Pāṇḍuranga (himself) stands waiting there. The canonical-warrant for kīrtana-attendance: the Lord himself attends; he is standing-waiting (tiṣṭhata). The bhakta-attendance is worth-it because the Lord-himself-is-there.

Dhrūpada: mhaṇaūnī karī dhīra — lakṣa lāvūnī sādara — bhava-sindhu-pāra — asela jyā taraṇē — therefore hold dhīra, with attention and reverence — for one for whom bhava-sindhu-pāra is to be. The discipline: steady-attention-reverent — if you want bhava-sindhu-crossing.

Verse 2: Kathē kāmhī aṇu-mātra — nō bōlāve hā vrttānta — deva-bhaktām chitti — samarasīm khaṇḍanā — in the kathā — not the atom-measure — should this worldly-account be spoken — (else) in the Deva-bhakta chitta-merging — breakage. The discipline: no worldly-talk during kathā — because it breaks the samarasa (chitta-merging) between Deva and bhakta. The aṇu-mātra — even an atom's-measure of worldly-talk damages.

Verse 3: Kām vaiṣṇavā pūjāve — aikā ghēīla jō bhāve — charaṇa-rajā śive — vōḍavilā mastaka — why should vaiṣṇavas be worshipped? — listen — (he) who takes (with) bhāva — places feet-dust on head — placed head (under) feet-dust. The discipline: feet-dust-on-head-with-bhāva is the vaiṣṇava-worship.

Verse 4: Aisē jāṇā he nibhrānta — Deva vaiṣṇavāñcā ankita — alipta atīta — paramita tyāsāṭhī — know this without-doubt — Deva is the ankita (marked-bondsman) of vaiṣṇavas — though alipta-atīta (untouched-transcendent), he is paramita (bound, limited) for their (sake). The bhakti-claim: the otherwise-untouched-transcendent Deva binds-himself for the vaiṣṇavas' sake. The Deva-as-ankita-of-vaiṣṇavas is one of the most-radical bhakti-claims.

Verse 5 (close): Ghālōnī lōḷaṇā — Tukā ālā lōṭāngaṇī — vandī pāya-vaṇī — santa-charaṇīñce māthām — throwing-himself in a roll — Tukā came in lōṭāngaṇa (full-prostration) — bows the pāya-vaṇī (feet-water/path) — placing the head at the sants' feet. Tukārām himself performs the prostration he prescribes.

For someone today

A canonical kīrtana-etiquette text. Why not sit in kathā? — Pāṇḍuranga (himself) stands waiting. Therefore hold dhīra, attention and reverence — for one for whom bhava-sindhu-crossing is to be. In kathā — not an atom-measure of worldly-talk — (else) the Deva-bhakta chitta-merging breaks. Why worship vaiṣṇavas? — (he) who takes with bhāva — places feet-dust on head. Know this — Deva is the ankita (bondsman) of vaiṣṇavas — though untouched-transcendent, he is bound for their sake. Tukā came in full-prostration — bows at the sants' feet.

Five operative-disciplines: (1) attend kīrtana — the Lord is there; (2) hold steady-attention-reverence; (3) no worldly-talk during kīrtana (it breaks the samarasa); (4) take vaiṣṇava-feet-dust with bhāva; (5) Deva is bonded to his bhaktas — the radical bhakti-claim.

Where this applies

• Recited at the opening of a kīrtana
• The canonical kīrtana-etiquette text
• Recognizing Pāṇḍuranga-stands-waiting-in-kathā warrant
• The Deva-is-vaiṣṇavas'-ankita claim — Deva-is-bondsman-to-the-bhakta
• The discipline of no worldly-talk during kīrtana

Related verses

• Abhanga 4481
• Abhanga 4482
• Abhanga 4582
• Abhanga 3335 — Tukārām's CANONICAL Vārkarī-affirmation: the-pilgrim's-mokṣa is already-in-hand; the-weake