Abhanga 4573
A community built on equal dignity for everyone, regardless of status, and offering lasting shelter to all, is something that cannot be torn down.
The verse
रचियेला गांव सागराचे पोटीं । जडोनि गोमटीं नानारत्नें ॥१॥
रत्न खणोखणी सोनियाच्या भिंती । लागलिया ज्योति रविकळा ॥२॥
कळा सकळ ही गोविंदाचे हातीं । मंदिरें निगुतीं उभारिलीं ॥३॥
उभारिलीं दुगॉ दारवंठे फांजी । कोटी चर्या माजी शोभलिया ॥४॥
शोभलें उत्तम गांव सागरांत । सकळांसहित आले हरि ॥५॥
आला नारायण द्वारका नगरा । उदार या शूरा मुगुटमणि ॥६॥
निवडीना याति समान चि केलीं । टणक धाकुलीं नारायणें ॥७॥
नारायणें दिलीं अक्षईं मंदिरें । अभंग साचारें सकळांसि ॥८॥
सकळ ही धर्मशीळ पुण्यवंत । पवित्र विरक्त नारीनर ॥९॥
रचिलें तें देवें न मोडे कवणा । बळियांचा राणा नारायण ॥१०॥
बळबुद्धीनें तीं देवा च सारिखीं । तुका म्हणे मुखीं गाती ओंव्या ॥११॥
Literal translation
An 11-verse yamak-bandha — Dvārakā-construction. Lord built-a-city-in-the-sea-belly-jeweled-with-various-gems / each-plot-jeweled-golden-walls-sun-radiance / Govinda's-hands-built-mandirās-neatly / forts-gates-parapets-streets-shone / Lord-came-with-all-Dvārakā-nagara / no-yāti-discrimination-strong-meek-equal / akṣayī-eternal-mandirās-given-to-all-abhanga-saca / all-dharma-śīla-puṇyavanta-pavitra-virakta-nara-nārī / what-Deva-built-no-one-can-break / bala-buddhi-Deva-equal — Tukā: mouth-singing-ovis.
What it means
MAJOR An 11-verse yamak-bandha — Tukārām's Dvārakā-construction narrative. The famous Bhāgavata-tradition (10.50-52) of Lord building Dvārakā in the ocean-bed to-shelter-the-Yadu-clan from Jarāsandha. Notable claims: (a) jeweled-city — gems-walls-gold-sun-radiance, (b) Govinda's-hands-built (Tukārām emphasizing Lord-as-architect not-Viśvakarman), (c) no-yāti-discrimination — strong-and-meek made-equal — Dvārakā as caste-equal-utopia, (d) akṣayī (imperishable) mandirās given-to-all — abhanga-saca — eternal-permanent-houses, (e) all-dharma-śīla-puṇyavanta-pavitra-virakta nara-and-nārī — Dvārakā-citizens are-all-virtuous + women-included, (f) what-Deva-built no-one-can-break — Lord's-construction-is-indestructible, (g) closing: bala-buddhi-Deva-equal — Tukā: mouth-singing-ovis. Pair with 4572 (preceding announcement), 4574 (continuing Dvārakā-life).
For someone today
God builds a whole city, Dvaraka, in the middle of the sea, jeweled and golden, with his own hands shaping every palace and street. What's most striking is how he treats the people who live there: he makes no distinction by caste or class, treating the strong and the humble exactly alike, and gives everyone lasting, imperishable homes. Every resident, men and women both, is described as virtuous, pure, and free of attachment, and Tukaram says plainly that what God builds cannot be torn down by anyone. It's a vision of a just, generous community where dignity and shelter are given equally to all.
मराठी: देव समुद्राच्या मध्यभागी संपूर्ण एक नगरी, द्वारका, उभी करतो, रत्नजडित आणि सोन्याची, स्वतःच्या हातांनी प्रत्येक राजवाडा आणि रस्ता घडवत. सर्वात लक्षवेधी गोष्ट म्हणजे तो तिथे राहणाऱ्या लोकांशी कसा वागतो: तो जात किंवा वर्गभेद न करता, बलवान आणि साध्या माणसाला अगदी सारखेच वागवतो, आणि सर्वांना कायमस्वरूपी, अविनाशी घरे देतो. तिथला प्रत्येक रहिवासी, स्त्री-पुरुष दोघेही, सद्गुणी, पवित्र आणि आसक्तिरहित असल्याचे सांगितले आहे, आणि तुकाराम स्पष्टपणे म्हणतात की देवाने जे बांधले ते कोणीही मोडू शकत नाही. ही एका न्याय्य, उदार समाजाची दृष्टी आहे जिथे सन्मान आणि निवारा सर्वांना समान दिले जाते.
Where this applies
- When you're building a home or community and want everyone treated with equal dignity regardless of status
- When you want to give someone lasting security instead of something temporary or conditional
- When you're inspired to imagine what a truly just and generous society could look like
- When you need reassurance that something built with real integrity and care won't easily be destroyed