Abhanga 4546
True recognition of what actually sustains you comes only after pride falls away, not before, and that humble surrender is itself the real accomplishment.
The verse
सांडवले सकळांचे अभिमान । आणिले शरण लोटांगणीं ॥१॥
लोटांगणीं आले होऊनियां दीन । मग नारायण म्हणे भलें ॥२॥
भला आजि तुम्ही केला साच पण । गिरि गोवर्धन उचलिला ॥३॥
लागती चरणा सकळ ते काळीं । आम्हांमध्यें बळी तूं चि एक ॥४॥
एका तुजविण न यों आम्ही कामा । कळों कृष्णा रामा आलें आजी ॥५॥
आजिवरि आम्हां होता अभिमान । नेणतां चरणमहिमा तुझा ॥६॥
तुझा पार आम्ही नेणों नारायणा । नखीं गोवर्धना राखियेलें ॥७॥
राखियेलें गोकुळ आम्हां सकळांसि । दगडाच्या राशी वरुषतां ॥८॥
वर्णावें तें काय तुझें महिमान । धरिती चरण सकळिक ॥९॥
सकळ ही तान विसरलीं भूक । सकळ ही सुख दिलें त्यांसि ॥१०॥
त्यासि कळों आला वैकुंठनायका । तुका म्हणे लोक निर्भर ते ॥११॥
Literal translation
Abhimāna-all-cast-aside — śaraṇa-lōṭāngaṇī. Lōṭāngaṇī-came-dīna — Nārāyaṇa-says-bhalē. Bhalā-today-pana-passed — Govardhana-lifted. All-fall-at-feet — among-us-only-you-bali. Without-you-we-don't-come-to-act — Krṣṇa-Rāma-known-today. Till-today-abhimāna — not-knowing-charaṇa-mahima. Pāra-not-known-Nārāyaṇa — Govardhana-on-nakha. Protected-Gokul-all — stone-rain-heaps. What-to-varṇa-your-mahimā — all-hold-feet. Forgot-tāna-bhūka — sukha-given-all. Came-to-know-Vaikuṇṭha-nāyaka — Tukā: loka-niṣbhara.
What it means
An 11-verse yamak-bandha — the Govardhana-uddhāraṇa-finale. The Gopāḷas (and-everyone-sheltered) prostrate-themselves before-the-Lord, cast-aside-abhimāna. Lord-says bhalā — today-you-passed-the-pana (test). They-confess: we-only-now-recognized you — Krṣṇa-Rāma — until-today-we-had-abhimāna-not-knowing-the-mahima-of-your-charaṇa — you-held-Govardhana-on-your-very-nakhī (fingernail) — protected-Gokul-and-us-all. The famous Govardhana-on-nakha (fingernail) image — Lord's-effortless-strength signified-by-holding-the-mountain-not-on-his-back-but-on-just-one-fingernail. The closing: forgot-thirst-hunger — gave-sukha-to-all — came-to-know-Vaikuṇṭha-nāyaka — loka-niṣbhara. Pair with 4544 (preceding climax), 4547 (continuing aftermath).
For someone today
Once the cowherds finally drop their pride and fall prostrate in humble surrender, Krishna tells them they have truly passed the test today. In that moment they confess the truth plainly: he alone is the strong one, they cannot do anything without him, and until today their own pride had kept them from recognizing the greatness of his presence, which had protected all of Gokul from the falling stones while holding the mountain as if it weighed nothing. Once the ego falls away, everyone forgets even hunger and thirst and is simply filled with joy. Real recognition of what truly sustains you comes only after pride steps aside, not before.
मराठी: शेवटी गोपाळ आपला अहंकार सोडून लोटांगण घालतात, तेव्हा कृष्ण त्यांना सांगतो की आज तुम्ही खरी परीक्षा पार केलीत. त्या क्षणी ते स्पष्टपणे कबूल करतात, तोच खरा बलवान आहे, त्याच्याशिवाय आपण काहीच करू शकत नाही, आणि आजपर्यंतच्या स्वतःच्या अभिमानामुळेच त्यांना त्याच्या उपस्थितीचा खरा महिमा कळला नव्हता, ज्याने पर्वत जणू काही वजनच नसल्यासारखा उचलून संपूर्ण गोकुळाला दगडांच्या पावसापासून वाचवले. अहंकार गळून पडताच सगळे भूक-तहानही विसरून केवळ आनंदात न्हाऊन निघतात. तुम्हाला खरोखर कोण सांभाळत आहे याची खरी जाणीव अभिमान बाजूला झाल्यावरच होते, त्याआधी नाही.
Where this applies
- When you finally admit you could not have gotten through something without someone else's help
- When pride has kept you from recognizing how much someone has been protecting or supporting you
- When letting go of ego brings a sudden wave of relief and gratitude
- When true appreciation for support only becomes visible once you stop insisting you did it alone