Krishna-lila, Gokul's joyful welcome
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
शुभ मात तिहीं आणिली गोपाळीं । चेंडू वनमाळी घेउनि आले ॥1॥
आली दारा देखे हरुषाची गुढी । सांगितली पुढी हरुषें मात ॥2॥
हरुषलीं माता केलें निंबलोण । गोपाळांवरून कुरवंडी ॥3॥
गोपाळां भोवतें मिळालें गोकुळ । अवघीं सकळ लहान थोरें ॥4॥
थोर सुख जालें ते काळीं आनंद । सांगती गोविंद वरि आला ॥5॥
आले वरि बैसोनियां नारायण । काळया नाथून वहन केलें ॥6॥
नगराबाहेरी निघाले आनंदें । लावूनियां वाद्यें नाना घोष ॥7॥
नारायणापुढें गोपाळ चालती । आनंदें नाचती गाती गीत ॥8॥
तंव तो देखिला वैकुंठींचा पती । लोटांगणीं जाती सकळ ही ॥9॥
सकळ ही एका भावें आलिंगिले । अवघियां जाले अवघे हरि ॥10॥
हरि आलिंगनें हरिरूप जालीं । आप विसरलीं आपणास ॥11॥
सकळांसी सुख एक दिलें देवें । मायबापां भावें लोकपाळां ॥12॥
मायबाप देवा नाहीं लोकपाळ । सारिखीं सकळ तुका ह्मणे ॥13॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The cowherds brought the joyful news. The Lord had come back with the ball. At the door she saw the banner of joy. They told the happy news with great excitement. The mothers were overjoyed and performed the ritual warding off the evil eye, waving offerings over the cowherds. All of Gokul gathered around the cowherds, everyone, young and old. Great joy and celebration arose. They told how Govinda had risen from the pool. Narayana came up from the water, seated upon the subdued Kaliya. They marched out of the village in a festive procession, with instruments and all manner of joyful sounds. The cowherds walked ahead of Narayana, dancing and singing in ecstasy. Then they beheld the Lord of Vaikuntha. All fell to the ground in prostration. Everyone was embraced with one feeling, and all became Hari. Through Hari's embrace they became Hari's form, forgetting themselves entirely. God gave the same bliss to all: to parents, to the guardians of the world. Says Tuka, God has no favorites among parents and guardians. All are the same to Him.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The cowherds brought the joyful news. Vanamali came back, bringing the ball. She came to the door and saw the banner of joy. They told the happy news first of all. The mothers were overjoyed. They made the warding ritual against the evil eye and waved the offering over the cowherds. All of Gokul gathered around the boys, every one, young and old. Great happiness arose then, great joy. They told how Govinda had risen from the pool. Narayana came up from the water, seated on the subdued Kaliya. They went out of the town in a glad procession, with instruments and many sounds. The cowherds walked ahead of Narayana, dancing and singing in joy. Then they saw the Lord of Vaikuntha. They all fell flat on the ground before Him. With one feeling He embraced them all, and all of them became Hari. By Hari's embrace they took Hari's own form; they forgot themselves entirely. God gave one and the same bliss to all, to parents, to the guardians of the world. Tuka says: God keeps no favorites among parents or guardians. To Him all are the same.
What it means
The whole of Gokul pours out to meet Krishna risen from the river riding the tamed Kaliya, and the homecoming becomes a festival. The heart of it is the embrace: when the Lord holds them, with one feeling toward all, they lose themselves and become His very form. That is the abhanga's claim about union, that nearness to God does not leave the self standing apart but dissolves it into Him. The closing lines name the stake plainly: this grace plays no favorites. God gives the same bliss to parent and protector alike, and before Him no rank or relation counts for more than another.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
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