Abhanga 4448
How you leave and what name you carry with you at your final departure matters as much as how you lived, so let love and remembrance be your parting words.
The verse
आम्ही जातों आपुल्या गांवा । आमुचा रामराम घ्यावा ॥१॥
तुमची आमची हे चि भेटी । येथुनियां जन्मतुटी॥ध्रु.॥
आतां असों द्यावी दया । तुमच्या लागतसें पायां ॥२॥
येतां निजधामीं कोणी । विठ्ठलविठ्ठल बोला वाणी ॥३॥
रामकृष्ण मुखीं बोला । तुका जातो वैकुंठाला ॥४॥
Literal translation
We-go-to-our-own-village — take-our-Rāma-Rāma. This-your-and-our — is-the-bhēṭī — from-here-janma-tuṭī. Now-let-dayā-be — I-am-grasping-your-feet. When-anyone-comes-to-nija-dhāma — say-Viṭhṭhal-Viṭhṭhal-on-tongue. Say-Rāma-Krṣṇa-on-mouth — Tukā-goes-to-Vaikuṇṭha.
What it means
THE most-famous Tukārām farewell-abhang — the literary-climax of the Gathā. We are going to our own village — take our Rāma-Rāma farewell-greeting. This is your-and-our final meeting — from here the birth-cycle is cut. Now let compassion be granted — I am grasping your feet. When anyone comes to (their) own-true-abode — say Viṭhṭhal-Viṭhṭhal on the tongue. Say Rāma-Krṣṇa on the mouth — Tukā goes to Vaikuṇṭha. This abhang is daily-recited across Maharashtra as Tukārām's own vaikuṇṭha-gamana svar — his own farewell-statement. The traditional Vārkarī reception receives this as Tukārām's literal departure to Vaikuṇṭha (the vaikuṇṭha-gamana story) — āpulyā gāmvā (our own village) = Vaikuṇṭha; Tukā jātō Vaikuṇṭhālā (Tukā goes to Vaikuṇṭha) is the literary self-stamp of departure. The instruction say Viṭhṭhal-Viṭhṭhal when anyone goes to their own-abode makes this a parting-mantra-for-all-departures. janma-tuṭī (birth-cycle cut) — final liberation. Pair with 4443 (death-prayer), 4382 (Kēśava-kaṇṭhīm-vasō), 4438 (mortality-decay).
For someone today
This is Tukārām's most famous farewell verse, said to be his own parting words as he departs for his true home. He tells those around him plainly, we are going to our own village now, so take this as our final Rāma-Rāma greeting, this is the last meeting between us, and from here the cycle of birth and rebirth is finally cut. He asks for compassion and bows at their feet one last time. Then he leaves instructions for everyone else, whenever anyone reaches their own true destination, let the name Viṭṭhal be on their tongue, let Rāma-Krishna be on their lips, because that is how Tukā himself goes to Vaikuṇṭha. It has become a parting blessing recited across Maharashtra, a reminder that how you leave, and what name you carry with you, matters as much as how you lived.
मराठी: हा तुकारामांचा सर्वात प्रसिद्ध निरोपाचा अभंग आहे, जो त्यांच्या स्वतःच्या वैकुंठगमनाच्या वेळचे शब्द मानला जातो. ते आजूबाजूच्या लोकांना स्पष्टपणे सांगतात, आम्ही आता आपल्या गावी जात आहोत, म्हणून हा आमचा शेवटचा रामराम स्वीकारा, ही आपली अखेरची भेट आहे, आणि इथूनच जन्ममृत्यूची साखळी तुटते. ते शेवटचे कृपेची याचना करतात आणि त्यांच्या पायांना नमस्कार करतात. मग ते इतर सर्वांसाठी एक सूचना देऊन जातात, जो कोणी आपल्या खऱ्या स्थानाला पोहोचेल, त्याने जिभेवर विठ्ठल-विठ्ठल नाम घ्यावे, ओठांवर राम-कृष्ण असावे, कारण अशाच प्रकारे तुका वैकुंठाला जातो. हा अभंग महाराष्ट्रभर निरोपाचा आशीर्वाद म्हणून नित्य म्हटला जातो, आणि तो आठवण करून देतो की तुम्ही कसे जगलात तेवढेच, तुम्ही कसे निरोप घेता आणि सोबत कोणते नाम घेऊन जाता, हेही महत्त्वाचे असते.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's THE MOST-FAMOUS vaikuṇṭha-gamana farewell-abhang — literary-climax of the Gathā; daily-recited as Tukārām's own departure-text