Abhanga 4570
Keeping God, or whatever truly matters, at the center of your body, mind, and speech can dissolve past suffering and settle the heart into fearless peace.
The verse
वास नारायणें केला मथुरेसि । वधूनि दुष्टांसि तये ठायीं ॥१॥
ठायीं पितियाचे मानी उग्रसेना । प्रतिपाळ जनांसहित लोकां ॥२॥
लोकां दुःख नाहीं मागील आठव । देखियेला देव दृष्टी त्यांणीं ॥३॥
देखोनियां देवा विसरलीं कंसा । ठावा नाहीं ऐसा होता येथें ॥४॥
येथें दुजा कोणी नाहीं कृष्णाविणें । ऐसें वाटे मनें काया वाचा ॥५॥
काया वाचा मन कृष्णीं रत जालें । सकळां लागलें कृष्णध्यान ॥६॥
ध्यान गोविंदाचें लागलें या लोकां । निर्भर हे तुका म्हणे चित्ती ॥७॥
Literal translation
Nārāyaṇa-stays-Mathurā-killing-duṣṭas. Ugrasena-mānya-pitr-people-protected. No-duḥkha-past — saw-Deva. Forgot-Kamsa-Deva-seen — no-such-here. Here-no-second-Krṣṇa — kāyā-vāchā-mana. Krṣṇa-rata — all-Krṣṇa-dhyāna. Govinda-dhyāna-people — Tukā: niṣbhara-chitti.
What it means
A 7-verse yamak-bandha — Mathurā-after-Kamsa-vadha. The transformation: people-forgot-Kamsa-as-if-no-such-person-ever-existed; here-no-second-except-Krṣṇa (kāyā-vāchā-mana); all-absorbed-in-Krṣṇa-dhyāna; chitti-niṣbhara. The Lord's-presence dissolves-past-trauma and-creates-Krṣṇa-saturated-life in Mathurā too. Pair with 4565 (preceding Kamsa-vadha), 4547 (Govardhana-aftermath similar mass-Krṣṇa-saturation).
For someone today
Once God settled in Mathura after removing the tyrant, the people's suffering seemed to lift completely, and they forgot Kamsa's cruelty so fully it was as though he had never existed. Seeing God with their own eyes changed everything for them; now their whole being, body, mind, and speech, is absorbed in thinking of Krishna, and there is nothing else that feels real to them beside him. Tukaram says the whole community settled into a deep, fearless peace, simply from keeping God at the center of their attention.
मराठी: जुलमी शासकाला दूर केल्यावर देव मथुरेत स्थिरावला, तेव्हा लोकांचे दुःख जणू पूर्णपणे संपले, आणि कंसाची क्रूरता ते इतकी विसरले की जणू तो कधी अस्तित्वातच नव्हता. देवाला स्वतःच्या डोळ्यांनी पाहणे त्यांच्यासाठी सर्व काही बदलून टाकते; आता त्यांचे संपूर्ण अस्तित्व, शरीर, मन आणि वाणी, कृष्णाच्या विचारात मग्न आहे, आणि त्याच्याशिवाय काहीच त्यांना खरे वाटत नाही. तुकाराम म्हणतात संपूर्ण समाज केवळ देवाला लक्षाच्या केंद्रस्थानी ठेवल्याने एका खोल, निर्भय शांततेत स्थिरावला.
Where this applies
- When healing from a painful past feels impossible but a new focus helps you finally let it go
- When you notice a whole community coming together in shared relief after a shared hardship
- When you want your thoughts, words, and actions to align around one central, meaningful focus
- When keeping your attention on what truly matters brings you an unexpected sense of settled peace