Krishna-lila, the divine sport that breaks rules
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जाला कवतुक करितां रोकडें । आणीक ही पुढें नारायण ॥1॥
येउनियां पुढें धरिला मारग । हरावया भाग इंद्रापाशीं॥2॥
इंद्रा दहीं दुध तूप नेतां लोणी । घेतलें हिरोनि वाटे त्यांचें ॥3॥
हिरोनि घेतल्या कावडी सकळा । ह्मणती गोपाळा बरें नव्हे ॥4॥
नव्हे तें चि करी न भे किळकाळा । तुका ह्मणे लीळा खेळे देव ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Having worked these wonders openly, Narayana planned still more. He went ahead and blocked the road, intending to take away the offerings meant for Indra. He intercepted the loads of curds, milk, ghee, and butter meant for Indra, seizing them all on the road. When their baskets were taken, the people said, 'This is not right, O little Cowherd.' Says Tuka, what should not be done, He does. He fears no one. God plays His divine sport.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Having openly worked these wonders, Narayana planned still more. He went ahead and held the road. He meant to take away the share owed to Indra. He snatched away the curds, milk, ghee, and butter that were being carried to Indra. He seized it all on the road. When all their loads were taken, the people said: this is not good, O cowherd boy. Tuka says: what should not be done, He does. He fears no one. God plays His sport.
What it means
This abhanga opens the Govardhana episode: Krishna deliberately intercepts the offerings the villagers carry to Indra. The point is in His freedom. He does what convention says should not be done, and He answers to no one. Where the people see a rule broken and worry, Tukaram sees lila, the divine play that is not bound by what fear and custom permit. The teaching held inside the mischief is that God is not under our notions of right procedure; His sport can overturn the very arrangements we think He must respect, and that fearlessness is itself a sign of who He is.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
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