Abhanga 4210
When danger is closing in with no plan left, calling out honestly on the strength of a name you trust is itself the prayer.
The verse
धडकला अग्नि आह्या येती वरी । गोपाळ श्रीहरी विनविती ॥१॥
अरे कृष्णा काय विचार करावा । आला रे वोणवा जळों आतां ॥ध्रु.॥
अरे कृष्णा तुझें नाम बळिवंत । होय कृपावंत राख आतां ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे अरे कृष्णा नारायणा । गोपाळ करुणा भाकितिले ॥३॥
Literal translation
Fire-struck-close — flames-fall-above. Gopāḷas-pray-Śrī-Hari. Krṣṇa-what-vichāra — vōnavā-burns-now. Krṣṇa-Name-baḷivanta — be-krpāvanta — save-now. Tukā: Krṣṇa-Nārāyaṇa — gopāḷas-prayed-in-karuṇā.
What it means
Verse-3 of dāvānala-grasana cluster. The fire struck close; flames fall from above. The gopāḷas pray to Śrī-Hari: O Krṣṇa! what counsel to take — the forest-fire has come, we'll burn now! O Krṣṇa! your Name is mighty — become krpāvanta — save us now! Tukā says: O Krṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa — the gopāḷas prayed you in karuṇā. The ground of petition: Name-is-mighty-so-show-grace. The narrative-progression moves from crisis (4209) to prayer.
For someone today
As the fire closes in and flames begin falling from above, the young cowherds turn to Krishna in desperation and cry out, asking what can possibly be done now that the blaze has reached them and they are about to burn. Their plea rests on one thing: they know his Name is powerful, so they beg him to be merciful and save them right now. Tukaram notes that this is exactly how the cowherds cried out, in genuine, piteous supplication. The verse shows that when danger is closing in and there seems to be no plan left, calling out honestly on the strength of a name you trust is itself the prayer.
मराठी: आग जवळ येते आणि वरून ज्वाळा पडू लागतात, तेव्हा घाबरलेले गोपाळ कृष्णाकडे धाव घेतात आणि विचारतात, आता काय करावं, वणवा आलाय, आपण जळून जाणार! त्यांची विनवणी एकाच गोष्टीवर आधारलेली आहे — कृष्णाचं नाव बलवान आहे, म्हणून तो कृपावंत होऊन आताच वाचवेल अशी त्यांना खात्री आहे. तुकाराम सांगतात, गोपाळांनी अशाच करुणेने आर्जव केलं. संकट जवळ येतं आणि काहीच उपाय दिसत नाही तेव्हा, ज्या नावावर आपला भरवसा आहे त्याच्या बळावर मनापासून हाक मारणं, हीच खरी प्रार्थना असते, हे या अभंगातून दिसतं.
Where this applies
- Verse-3 of 10-abhang dāvānala-grasana cluster (4208-4217)