Abhanga 4174
Tukārām describes standing to sing kīrtana, vīṇā in hand, feeling Nārāyaṇa's presence fill the space and his own throat as he sings the name. Just seeing that form, that presence, is enough to rest his heart completely. So instead of asking God for wealth or comfort, he asks for only one thing: a deeper longing to keep singing kīrtana. The lesson is that if you have found the practice that truly rests your heart, the best thing to pray for is more hunger for that very practice.
The verse
रंगीं रंगें नारायण । उभा करितों कीर्त्तन ॥१॥
हातीं घेउनियां वीणा । कंठीं राहें नारायणा ॥ध्रु.॥
देखिलीसे मूर्ती । माझ्या हृदयाची विश्रांति ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे देवा । देई कीर्तनाचा हेवा ॥३॥
Literal translation
Rangīm range Nārāyaṇa — ubhā karitōm kīrttana — in ranga, Nārāyaṇa is colored — I stand doing kīrtana. Hātīm ghēuniyām vīṇā — kaṇṭhīm rāhe Nārāyaṇā — taking the vīṇā in hand — in throat stay, Nārāyaṇa. Dekhilīse mūrtī — mājhyā hrdayāchī viśrāntī — the mūrti is seen — my hrdaya's rest. Tukā mhaṇe devā — dēī kīrtanācā hevā — Tukā says: Deva — give the passion for kīrtana.
What it means
A 3-verse kīrtana-image. Nārāyaṇa-colored-in-the-ranga (kīrtana-arena); I-stand-doing-kīrtana; vīṇā-in-hand, Nārāyaṇa-stay-in-throat; the-mūrti-is-my-hrdaya's-rest; give-me-passion-for-kīrtana. The hevā word — coveting / longing.
For someone today
Tukārām describes standing to sing kīrtana, vīṇā in hand, feeling Nārāyaṇa's presence fill the space and his own throat as he sings the name. Just seeing that form, that presence, is enough to rest his heart completely. So instead of asking God for wealth or comfort, he asks for only one thing: a deeper longing to keep singing kīrtana. The lesson is that if you have found the practice that truly rests your heart, the best thing to pray for is more hunger for that very practice.
मराठी: तुकाराम कीर्तन गाताना उभे राहण्याचे वर्णन करतात, हातात वीणा घेऊन, नारायणाची उपस्थिती त्या जागेत आणि स्वतःच्या कंठात भरून राहिलेली जाणवते. ती मूर्ती पाहणे हेच त्यांच्या हृदयाला पूर्ण विश्रांती देते. म्हणून ते देवाकडे धन किंवा सुख मागत नाहीत, फक्त एकच मागतात - कीर्तन करत राहण्याची अधिकाधिक ओढ. यातून हा धडा मिळतो की जी साधना खरोखर मनाला विश्रांती देते, तिच्यासाठीच अधिक ओढ मागावी.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's standing-kīrtana with-vīṇā; passion-for-kīrtana canonical
- Companion to 2919 (kīrtana-supremacy)