Abhanga 4181
The verse
विठोबाचे पायीं जीव म्यां ठेविला । भक्तीभावें केला देव ॠणी ॥१॥
देव माझा ॠणी आहे सहाकारी । परसपरवारि भवभय ॥ध्रु.॥
भवभयडोहीं बुडों नेदी पाहीं । धरूनियां बाही तारी मज ॥२॥
तारियेले दास पडिल्या संकटीं । विष केलें पोटीं अमृतमय ॥३॥
अमृतातें सेवीतसे नामरसा । तोडियेला फांसा बंधनाचा ॥४॥
बंधनाचा फांसा आम्हीं कांहीं नेणों । पाय तुझे जाणों पद्मनाभा ॥५॥
पद्मनाभा नाभिकमळीं ब्रम्हादिक । त्रैलोक्यनायक म्हणविसी ॥६॥
म्हणविसी देवा दासाचा अंकित । मनाचा संकेत पाहोनियां ॥७॥
पाहोनियां दृढ निश्चय तयाचा । तो चि दास साचा जवळीक ॥८॥
जवळीक जाली ब्रम्हीं सुखावले । मार्ग दाखविले मूढा जना ॥९॥
मूढा जनामाजी दास तुझा मूढ । कास तुझी दृढ धरियेली ॥१०॥
धरियेले तुझे पाय रे विठ्ठला । तुका सुखी जाला तुझ्या नामें ॥११॥
Literal translation
Jīva-at-Viṭhṭhal-feet — bhakti-bhāva-Deva-rṇī. Deva-rṇī-sahakārī-against-bhava-bhaya. Saves-from-bhava-bhaya-ḍōha-by-arm. Saved-dāsas — viṣa-amrta-maya. Amrta-by-nāma-rasa — cut-bandhana-fāmsā. Bandhana-fāmsā-we-don't-know — only-pāya-Padmanābha. Padmanābha-nābhi-kamaḷa-Brahmā — trailōkyanāyaka. Called-ankita-by-seeing-mana-sankēta. Dhrḍha-niścaya-makes-true-dāsa-close. Closeness-brahma-sukhāvalē — path-to-mūḍha-jana. In-mūḍha-jana-your-mūḍha-dāsa-held-dhrḍha-kāsa. Held-Viṭhṭhal-feet — Tukā-sukhī-by-Nāma.
What it means
★★ THE canonical 11-verse yamak-bandha (chain-rhyme) text — each verse's last word is the start of the next. I placed my soul at Viṭhōbā's feet; by bhakti-love I made Deva my debtor. My Deva is my debtor and ally — (he stands) against bhava-fear. He doesn't let me drown in the bhava-fear-whirlpool; holding by the arm, he saves. He saved dāsas in trouble; he made the poison in their bellies all-amrta. The amrta is served by the Nāma-rasa; he cut the noose of bondage. The noose-of-bondage — we know nothing (of it); we know only your feet, Padmanābha. Padmanābha — from your navel-lotus came Brahmā and others — they call you Lord-of-the-three-worlds. Deva, you let yourself be called the registered-of-(your)-dāsa, by seeing the sign of his mind. Seeing his firm niścaya, that one is the real dāsa near you. By nearness (we are) brahma-saturated; the path is shown to the unwise. Among the unwise, (I am) your unwise dāsa; I have held your waist-cloth firmly. I have held your feet, Viṭhṭhala — Tukā has become happy by your Name. Doctrinal centerpiece: Deva-becomes-bhakta's-rṇī-by-bhakti-bhāva — bhakti reverses the debtor-creditor relation between bhakta and Lord. Also rare-formal chain-rhyme demonstrating Tukārām's craft.
For someone today
Tukārām: bhakti-makes-Deva-your-debtor — he-stands-as-ally-against-bhava-fear; firm-niścaya-makes-true-dāsa.
Where this applies
- ★★ Tukārām's THE Deva-made-rṇī-by-bhakti-bhāva foundational
- ★★ Rare 11-verse chain-rhyme (yamak-bandha) formal demonstration