Abhanga 4352
Nirguṇa-nirākāra — took-avatāra.
The verse
जो का निर्गुण निराकार । तेथें धरियेले अवतार ॥१॥
निर्गुण होता तो सगुणासि आला । भक्तिसाटीं प्रगटला ॥ध्रु.॥
जो का त्रिभुवनचाळक । तो हा नंदाचा बाळक ॥२॥
सोडविलें वसुदेवदेवकीसि । अवतार धरिला तिचे कुशी ॥३॥
मारियेला कंसराणा । राज्यीं स्थापिलें उग्रसेना ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे देवादिदेव । तो हा उभा पंढरिराव ॥५॥
Literal translation
Nirguṇa-nirākāra — took-avatāra. Nirguṇa-saguṇa-came — bhakti-prakaṭalā. Tribhuvana-chāḷaka — Nanda's-bāḷaka. Vasudeva-Devakī-saved — womb-avatāra. Kamsa-killed — Ugrasena-rājya. Tukā: deva-of-devas — Paṇḍharī-rāva-stands.
What it means
A 5-verse canonical avatāra-doctrine précis. That which is unqualified-and-formless — there it took the avatāra. That unqualified came to qualified-form — manifested for bhakti's sake. That which moves the three-worlds — (here is) Nanda's child. He freed Vasudeva-Devakī — took the avatāra in her womb. Killed Kamsa-Rāya — installed Ugrasena in the kingdom. Tukā says: the Deva-of-devas — this standing one — is Paṇḍharī-rāva. The doctrine collapses: (1) nirguṇa-prior; (2) saguṇa-for-bhakti; (3) Nanda's-bāḷaka = tribhuvana-chāḷaka; (4) specific-acts (Devakī-Kamsa-Ugrasena); (5) Paṇḍharī-rāva is the same standing-one. Pair with 3044 (12-verse avatāra-stotra), 4220 (Krṣṇa-self-disclosure-nirguṇa-saguṇa).
For someone today
Tukārām: the-formless-took-form-for-bhakti — Nanda's-child is-the-mover-of-three-worlds — that-same-one-stands-as-Paṇḍharī-rāva.
Where this applies
- ★ Tukārām's avatāra-doctrine-précis Paṇḍharī-rāva-stands canonical