Abhanga 2983
Barā re nirguṇā naṣṭa Nārāyaṇā — good (it is) — nirguṇa (formless), naṣṭa (cruel, destroyer) Nārāyaṇa; ghara-buḍavaṇā bhēṭalāsī — ghara-buḍavaṇā (house-sinker, household-destroyer) — you have met (us).
The verse
बरा रे निर्गुणा नष्ट नारायणा । घरबुडवणा भेटलासी ॥१॥
एके घरीं कोणी कोणासी न धरी । ऐसी अपरांपरी केली आम्हां ॥२॥
कान्हा म्हणे कां रे निःकाम देखिलें । म्हणोनि मना आलें करितोसी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Barā re nirguṇā naṣṭa Nārāyaṇā — good (it is) — nirguṇa (formless), naṣṭa (cruel, destroyer) Nārāyaṇa; ghara-buḍavaṇā bhēṭalāsī — ghara-buḍavaṇā (house-sinker, household-destroyer) — you have met (us). Eke gharī kōṇī kōṇāsī na dharī — in one ghara, no-one keeps anyone; aisī aparāmparī kelī āmhām — such aparāmpari (extreme rare-and-exceptional thing) you have done to us. Kānhā mhaṇe kām re niḥkāma dekhile — Kānhā says: why did you see (us) as niḥkāma (desire-less, weak); mhaṇōnī manā āle karitōsī — that (this thing) came-to-your-mind to do?
What it means
A striking 3-verse protest-verse signed by Kānhā. Part of the lament-cluster (2977-2987).
Verse 1: Barā re nirguṇā naṣṭa Nārāyaṇā — ghara-buḍavaṇā bhēṭalāsī — good (sarcastic), nirguṇa naṣṭa Nārāyaṇa — house-destroyer — you've-met-(us). The sarcastic-bitter-opening: the Lord-is-called nirguṇa-and-naṣṭa (cruel) — and ghara-buḍavaṇā (one-who-destroys-households). The bhakta-brother addresses-the-Lord-with-this-painful-title.
Eke gharī kōṇī kōṇāsī na dharī — aisī aparāmpari kelī āmhām — in one house, no-one keeps anyone — such aparāmpari you've-done-to-us. The lament: in our-one-house, no-one is keeping-anyone-anymore (the family-is-broken-by-Tukārām's-departure). Aparāmpari — extreme, rare, exceptional — you've-done-this-unique-thing to-us.
Close: Kānhā mhaṇe kām re niḥkāma dekhile — mhaṇōnī manā āle karitōsī — Kānhā says: why did you see (us) as niḥkāma — that (this) came to mind to-do? The protest: did-you-see-us-as-weak (niḥkāma = without-desire-or-power), and-therefore-decided-this?
For someone today
A striking 3-verse protest by Kānhā. Good (it is), nirguṇa, naṣṭa Nārāyaṇa — house-destroyer — you have met-(us). In one house, no-one keeps-(holds) anyone — such extreme thing you have done to us. Kānhā says: why did you see (us) as desire-less (weak) — that (this) came-to-(your)-mind to do? The verse permits the bhakta-brother's-bitter-protest: you-are-cruel and house-destroying; you've-broken-our-household; was-it because-you-saw-us-as-weak?
Where this applies
- Part of Kānhōbā-lament-cluster (2977-2987)
- NON-Tukārām composition — signed by Kānhā
- Striking Lord-as-house-destroyer; in-one-house no-one-keeps protest
- Bitter-Lord-naming (naṣṭa, ghara-buḍavaṇā) by-grief-stricken-bhakta