Krishna-lila, rescue from the serpent
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अवचित त्यांणीं देखिला भुजंग । पळतील मग हाउ आला ॥1॥
आला घेऊनियां यमुनेबाहेरी । पालवितो करीं गडियांसि॥2॥
गडियांसि ह्मणे वैकुंठनायक । या रे सकिळक मजपाशीं ॥3॥
मजपाशीं तुह्मां भय काय करी । जविळ या दुरी जाऊं नका ॥4॥
कानीं आइकिले गोविंदाचे बोल । ह्मणती नवल चला पाहों ॥5॥
पाहों आले हरीजवळ सकळ । गोविंदें गोपाळ आिंळगिले ॥6॥
आल्या गाई वरी घालितील माना । वोरसलें स्तना क्षीर लोटें ॥7॥
लोटती सकळें एकावरी एक । होउनि पृथक कुर्वाळलीं ॥8॥
कुर्वाळलीं आनंदें घेती चारापाणी । तिहीं चक्रपाणी देखियेला ॥9॥
त्यां च पाशीं होता परि केली माव । न कळे संदेह पडलिया ॥10॥
याति वृक्ष वल्ली होत्या कोमेलिया । त्यांसि कृष्णें काया दिव्य दिली ॥11॥
दिलें गोविंदें त्या पदा नाहीं नाश। तुका ह्मणे आस निरसली ॥12॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Suddenly they saw the great serpent. They began to flee in terror. Krishna came out of the Yamuna, waving to His companions. The Lord of Vaikuntha said, 'Come to Me, all of you.' 'What harm can anything do in My presence? Come close. Do not go away.' Their ears heard Govinda's voice. They said, 'What a wonder! Let us go and see.' They came near Hari, all of them. Govinda embraced the cowherds. The cows came and lowered their heads upon Him. Milk flooded from their udders. They all rushed upon each other, one on top of another, each nuzzling and caressing the others. Amid this joy they began eating and drinking. They saw their Chakrapani. He had been with them all along, but His illusion had hidden Him. When confusion falls, He cannot be seen. The trees, plants, and creepers that had wilted were given divine new bodies by Krishna. Says Tuka, Govinda gave them an imperishable state. All longing was fulfilled.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
All at once they saw the great serpent. They began to flee in terror. Then Krishna came out of the Yamuna. He waved His hand to His friends. The Lord of Vaikuntha said to His companions: come here, all of you, come to Me. What harm can anything do while you are with Me? Come close; do not go far away. Their ears heard Govinda's words. They said: what a wonder, let us go and see. They all came near Hari. Govinda embraced the cowherd boys. The cows came and laid their heads upon Him. Their udders overflowed; milk poured out. They all pressed together, one upon another, each nuzzling and caressing the rest. In that joy they began to eat and drink. They saw their Chakrapani. He had been there with them all along, but His maya had hidden Him. When doubt falls, He cannot be seen. The trees and plants and creepers had wilted; Krishna gave them divine new bodies. Govinda gave them a state that does not perish. Tuka says: every longing was satisfied.
What it means
This abhanga sings the close of the Kaliya episode, when Krishna rises unharmed from the Yamuna and gathers His terrified friends back to Him. The teaching is folded into the story: when fear and doubt fall over the mind, God can stand right beside you and you will not see Him; the same Lord who was always present only seems to appear once the confusion lifts. His maya is what hides Him, not any distance on His part. The wilted plants given imperishable new bodies say the rest: contact with Him does not merely comfort, it transfigures, granting a state that does not pass away. So the closing line lands every longing satisfied, because what was wanted all along was this presence.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
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