Indra's awe, division dissolved
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नाचतां देखिलीं गाई वत्सें जन । वििस्मत होऊन इंद्र ठेला ॥1॥
लागला पाऊस शिळांचिये धारीं । वांचलीं हीं परी कैसीं येथें ॥2॥
येथें आहे नारायण संदेह नाहीं । विघ्न केलें ठायीं निविनघ्न तें ॥3॥
विचारितां उचलिला गोवद्धनन । अवतार पूर्ण कळों आला ॥4॥
आला गौिळयांच्या घरा नारायण । करितो स्तवन इंद्र त्यांचें ॥5॥
त्यांच्या पुण्या पार कोण करी लेखा । न कळे चतुर्मुखा ब्रह्मयासि ॥6॥
सीणतां जो ध्याना न ये एकवेळा । तो तया गोपाळां समागमें ॥7॥
समागमें गाई वत्स पुण्यवंता । देह कुर्वािळतां अंगसंग ॥8॥
संग जाला मायबापां लोकपाळां । आिंळगिती गळा कंठाकंठ ॥9॥
करिते हे जाले स्तुती सकिळक । देव इंद्रादिक गोविंदाची ॥10॥
करितील वृष्टी पुष्पवरुषाव । देवआदिदेव पूजियेला॥11॥
पुष्पांजुळी मंत्र घोष जयजयकार । दुमदुमी अंबर नेणें नादें ॥12॥
नामाचे गजर गंधर्वांचीं गाणीं । आनंद भुवनीं न माये तो ॥13॥
तो सुखसोहळा अनुपम्य रासी । गोकुळीं देवासी दोहीं ठायीं ॥14॥
दोहीं ठायीं सुख दिलें नारायणें । गेला दरुषणें वैरभाव ॥15॥
भावना भेदाची जाय उठाउठी । तुका ह्मणे भेटी गोविंदाचे ॥16॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
When Indra saw the cows, the calves, and the people dancing, he was struck with wonder. 'A rain of boulders fell upon them. How have they survived?' 'Narayana must be here. There is no doubt. The obstacle was turned into no obstacle at all.' Upon reflection, the lifting of Govardhan made it clear: a full incarnation had arrived. Narayana had come to the home of the cowherds. Indra now praised their merit. 'Who can count their store of virtue? Not even Brahma with his four faces.' 'He who cannot be reached even once through the exhaustion of meditation is with these cowherds always.' 'With the cows, the calves, and these blessed ones, He touches their bodies and caresses them.' Their parents and guardians embraced Him, throat to throat. All beings, including the gods led by Indra, began to praise Govinda. The gods showered a rain of flowers. The God of gods was worshiped. Handfuls of flowers, sacred chants, and cries of 'Victory!' rang out. The sky thundered with the sound. The chanting of the Name, the songs of the celestial musicians, the joy that could not be contained in all the worlds. That unmatched festival of happiness took place in Gokul, for both God and the people. In both domains, Narayana gave the same joy. Through His darshan, all enmity dissolved. Says Tuka, at the meeting with Govinda, the sense of division is instantly destroyed.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
When Indra saw the cows, the calves, and the people dancing, he stood struck with wonder. A rain of boulders fell on them; how have they survived here? Narayana is here, there is no doubt. The obstacle was made into no obstacle at all. As he thought it over, the lifting of Govardhan made it clear: a full incarnation had come. Narayana had come to the home of the cowherds. Indra now praised their merit. Who can reckon their store of virtue? Not even four-faced Brahma can. He who cannot be reached even once through the exhaustion of meditation is with these cowherds always. With the cows, the calves, and these blessed ones, he touches their bodies and caresses them. Their parents and guardians embraced him, throat to throat. All beings, the gods led by Indra among them, began to praise Govinda. The gods showered down a rain of flowers. The God of gods was worshiped. Handfuls of flowers, sacred chants, cries of victory rang out. The sky thundered with the sound. The chanting of the Name, the songs of the celestial musicians, a joy too great to fit in all the worlds. That unmatched festival of happiness took place in Gokul, for both God and the people. In both places Narayana gave the same joy. Through his darshan, all enmity dissolved. Tuka says: at the meeting with Govinda, the sense of division is destroyed at once.
What it means
Here Indra, who sent the flood, becomes the witness who understands. Seeing Gokul whole after a rain of boulders, he reasons his way to the truth: only a full incarnation of Narayana could have turned that disaster into nothing. His pride collapses into praise, and he marvels that the God whom even Brahma and the hardest meditation cannot reach is here, casually touching and caressing simple cowherds. The poem then widens into a festival of flowers, chant, and song shared by gods and villagers alike. Tukaram lands the point at the end: the very darshan of Govinda burns off enmity, and at the true meeting the feeling of being separate from God is destroyed in an instant.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
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