Abhanga 3033
Tukārām's canonical kīrtana-opening-call. Viṭṭhal-Viṭṭhal — with this longing-mood — roar with brahmānanda. Play tāḷa and clap tāḷī — let there be a bonfire of obstacles. Viṭṭhala at the beginning and end; Viṭṭhala remembered in the mind. Speak the Viṭṭhal-vāṇī — hear (it) in (your) ears. The verse permits the canonical Vārkarī kīrtana-opening-call.
The verse
विठ्ठल विठ्ठल येणें छंदें । ब्रम्हानंदें गर्जावें ॥१॥
वाये टाळ टाळ्याटाळी । होइल होळी विघ्नांची ॥ध्रु.॥
विठ्ठल आद्ये अवसानीं । विठ्ठल मनीं स्मरावा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे विठ्ठलवाणी । वदा कानीं आईंका ॥३॥
Literal translation
Viṭhṭhala Viṭhṭhala yeṇe chamdē — Viṭhṭhala-Viṭhṭhala — with this chanda (longing-mood); brahmānamdē garjāve — roar with brahmānanda. Vāye tāḷa tāḷyā-tāḷī — play tāḷa and tāḷī; hōila hōḷī vighnāñcī — let there be a hōḷī (bonfire) of vighnas. Viṭhṭhala ādye avasānīm — Viṭhṭhala at ādye and avasāna; Viṭhṭhala manīm smarāvā — Viṭhṭhala remembered in the mana. Tukā mhaṇe Viṭhṭhala-vāṇī — Tukā says: Viṭhṭhala-vāṇī (Viṭhṭhal-speech); vadā kānīm āīmkā — speak (it) — hear (it) in ears.
What it means
A canonical 3-verse kīrtana-opening-call by Tukārām.
The call: (1) Viṭṭhal-Viṭṭhal chant with this chanda; (2) roar-with-brahmānanda; (3) play-tāḷa-clap-tāḷī; (4) (let) there be a hōḷī of vighnas; (5) Viṭṭhal at-start-and-end; (6) Viṭṭhal-in-mind; (7) speak-Viṭṭhal-vāṇī, hear-with-ears.
This is one of the canonical Vārkarī kīrtana-opening-calls — used to-begin-a-kīrtana-session in-Vārkarī-tradition. Compare-Tukārām's-own 2864 (clap-hands-kīrtana).
The image hōḷī of-vighnas is striking — the festival of-bonfire-burning-old-things applied-to-the-burning-of-obstacles by-Name-chanting.
For someone today
Tukārām's canonical kīrtana-opening-call. Viṭṭhal-Viṭṭhal — with this longing-mood — roar with brahmānanda. Play tāḷa and clap tāḷī — let there be a bonfire of obstacles. Viṭṭhala at the beginning and end; Viṭṭhala remembered in the mind. Speak the Viṭṭhal-vāṇī — hear (it) in (your) ears. The verse permits the canonical Vārkarī kīrtana-opening-call.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's canonical kīrtana-opening Viṭṭhal-Viṭṭhal-chant
- Hōḷī-of-vighnas — bonfire-of-obstacles image
- Companion to 2864 (clap-hands-kīrtana)
- Used to-begin Vārkarī kīrtana-sessions