Abhanga 4215
The verse
गोपाळ प्रीतीनें कैसे विनविती । विक्राळ श्रीपती होऊं नको ॥१॥
नको रे बा कृष्णा धरूं ऐसें रूप । आम्हां चळकांप सुटलासे ॥ध्रु.॥
होई बा धाकुटा शाम चतुर्भूज । बैसोनियां गुज सुखें बोलों ॥२॥
वोणव्याच्या रागें गिळिशील आम्हां । तुका मेघशामा पायां लागे ॥३॥
Literal translation
Gopāḷas-pray-with-prīti — don't-be-vikrāḷa-Śrī-pati. Don't-take-such-rūpa-Krṣṇa — we-tremble-shivering. Be-little-Śyāma-chatur-bhuja — sit-speak-guja-in-joy. In-vōnavā's-rage — might-swallow-us. Tukā-meghaśyāma falls-at-feet.
What it means
★★ Verse-8 of dāvānala-grasana cluster. The gopāḷas pray with love: don't become terrible, Śrī-pati. Don't take such a form, Krṣṇa — we're seized by shivering. Be the little Śyāma with four-arms — sit and let us speak close-talk in joy. In the forest-fire's rage you might swallow us (too) — Tukā falls at the meghaśyāma's feet. The reverse-petition: now-shrink-back-from-the-terrible-form. Pair with Arjuna's request in Gītā 11 for Krṣṇa to return from Viśva-rūpa to human-form.
For someone today
Tukārām: after-the-rescue-the-bhaktas-beg-the-saviour-to-return-to-his-tender-form — terrible-form-is-too-frightening-even-when-saving.
Where this applies
- ★★ Verse-8 of 10-abhang dāvānala-grasana cluster (4208-4217)