Abhanga 4568
The verse
तो बोले कोमळ निष्ठ साहोनि । कोपतां गौळणी हास्य करी ॥१॥
करावया दास्य भक्तांचें निर्लज्ज । कवतुकें रज माथां वंदी ॥२॥
दिलें उग्रसेना मथुरेचें राज्य । सांगितलें काज करी त्याचें ॥३॥
त्यासि होतां कांहीं अरिष्टनिर्माण । निवारी आपण शरणागता ॥४॥
शरणागतां राखे सर्व भावें हरि । अवतार धरी तयांसाटीं ॥५॥
तयांसाटीं वाहे सुदर्शन गदा । उभा आहे सदा सांभाळित ॥६॥
तळमळ नाहीं तुका म्हणे चत्तिा । भक्तांचा अनंता भार माथां ॥७॥
Literal translation
★ Speaks-soft-bearing-niṣṭhura — angry-gauḷaṇī-laughs. For-bhaktas'-dāsya-nirlajja — kautuka-foot-dust-on-head. Ugrasena-Mathurā-rājya — tells-business-does. Ariṣṭa-comes-Lord-removes-for-śaraṇāgatas. Protects-bhāve — avatāra-for-them. Sudarśana-gadā-always-standing-watching. No-anxiety-chitta — Tukā: bhakta-bhāra-on-Anantā-head.
What it means
★ A 7-verse yamak-bandha — Lord-as-bhakta-protector. Key images: (a) ★ for-the-sake-of-bhaktas' dāsya, the Lord becomes-nirlajja (shameless) — wearing-the-dust-of-bhaktas'-feet-on-his-head with-kautuka (delight) — radical inversion of Lord-as-servant-of-bhaktas, (b) Lord-tells-Ugrasena-the-business-he-does-for-him, (c) Sudarśana-and-gadā always-standing-watching for śaraṇāgatas, (d) closing: the bhaktas' burden is on the Anantā's head. Pair with 4565 (Kamsa-vadha-finale armed-protector), 4543 (Lord-clears-path-ahead).
For someone today
Tukārām: the-Lord-speaks-soft-while-bearing-harshness — for-his-bhaktas-he-becomes-shameless-wearing-their-foot-dust-on-his-head-with-delight — Sudarśana-and-club-always-standing-guard — the-bhaktas'-burden-rests-on-the-Boundless-One's-head.
Where this applies
- ★ Tukārām's Lord-bears-bhakta-burden + Sudarśana-gadā-always-watching + foot-dust-on-head canonical