Litany of names, calling on the protector
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अगा ये वैकुंटनायका । अगा ये त्रैलोक्यतारका । अगा जनादनना जगव्यापका । अगा पाळका भक्तांचिया ॥1॥
अगा ये वसुदेवदेवकीनंदना । अगा ये गोपिकारमणा । अगा बिळबंध वामना। अगा निधाना गुणनिधी ॥ध्रु.॥
अगा ये द्रौपदीबांधवा । अगा ये सखया पांडवा । अगा जीवाचिये जीवा । अगा माधवा मधुसूदना ॥2॥
अगा महेश्वरा महाराजा । अगा श्रीहरी गरुडध्वजा । अगा सुंदरा सहस्रभुजा । पार मी तुझा काय वणूप ॥3॥
अगा अंबॠषिपरंपरा। निलारंभ निविनकारा । अगा गोवर्धन धरणीधरा । अगा माहेरा दीनाचिया ॥4॥
अगा धर्मराया धर्मशीळा । कृपासिंधु कृपाळा । अगा प्रेमाचिया कल्लोळा । सकळकळाप्रवीणा ॥5॥
अगा चतुरा सुजाणा । मधुरागिरा सुलक्षणा । अगा उदारा असुरमदनना । राखें शरणा तुकयाबंधु ॥6॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
O Lord of Vaikuntha, O deliverer of the three worlds, O all-pervading Janardana, O protector of Your devotees. O son of Vasudeva and Devaki, O delight of the gopis, O Vamana who bound Bali, O treasure-house of virtues. O brother of Draupadi, O friend of the Pandavas, O life of our very life, O Madhava, Madhusudana. O great Lord, O supreme King, O Shri Hari bearing the Garuda banner, O beautiful one of a thousand arms. How can I describe Your fullness? O heir of Ambarisha's lineage, O spotless one beyond all change, O lifter of Govardhana, O home of the helpless. O righteous one of supreme virtue, O ocean of compassion, O flood of pure love, master of all arts. O wise and discerning one, of sweet speech and auspicious qualities, O generous crusher of demons, protect Tukayabandhu who comes to Your shelter.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
O Lord of Vaikuntha. O deliverer of the three worlds. O all-pervading Janardana. O protector of your devotees. O son of Vasudeva and Devaki. O delight of the gopis. O Vamana who bound Bali. O treasure-house of virtues. O brother of Draupadi. O friend of the Pandavas. O life of our very life. O Madhava, Madhusudana. O great Lord, O supreme King. O Shri Hari with the Garuda banner. O beautiful one of a thousand arms, how can I tell your fullness? O heir of Ambarisha's line. O spotless one beyond all change. O lifter of Govardhana. O home of the helpless. O righteous one of highest virtue. O ocean of compassion. O flood of pure love, master of all arts. O wise and discerning one, of sweet speech and lovely marks. O generous crusher of demons: guard Tukayabandhu, who has come to your shelter.
What it means
This abhanga is almost entirely an address, name after name laid before the Lord like offerings. Tukaram threads together his cosmic titles, Lord of Vaikuntha, all-pervading Janardana, and his intimate ones, brother of Draupadi, friend of the Pandavas, life of our life, so that the same God is at once beyond the three worlds and bound to those who love him. Each name also recalls a rescue: Vamana who humbled Bali, the lifter of Govardhana, the home of the helpless, the crusher of demons. The long list is itself the prayer; only at the very end does the single request arrive, that this Lord of so many names guard the one who has taken refuge.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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