Bolaava Vitthala

This is one of the most popular Marathi Abhangs of Sant Tukaram Maharaj . This is sung by one and all, in the Warkari Sampradaya that is so prevalant in Maharashtra, Karantaka and parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh etc even today. With my rather rudimentary knowledge of Marathi, I have tried to make sense out of the prolific Abhang, below. I have given the lyrics in English, followed by transliteration ( as I understand it), translation and then my own interpretation of what the Abang means. At the end, I have also provided the Marathi lyrics

Abhang: 

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Bolaava Vitthala Pahaawa Vittala

Karaawa Vittala Jeewa bhaawa

Yene Sose Man Zale Hawbhari

Parati Maghari Yete Nahi

Bandna pasooni Ukalya Gaanthi

Deta Aali Mithi Sawkaanshe

Tuka Mahne Deh Bhaarila Vittale

Kaam Krodhe Kele Ghar Reete

- Sant Tukaram Maharaj

Trans-literation
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Bolva Vitthala - I only want to speak of Vitthala;  Pahawa Vittala - I want to see Vitthala in everything;  Karawa Vittala - I want to make Vitthala; Jeewabhawa  - the very essence (Bhava) of this Jeevan. 

Yene - come back ; Sose  - uncontrollable ; Man Zale. - heart has become ;  Hawbhari - filled with desire Parati - again;  Maghari - back; yete Nahi - does not go

Bandna - tied up (bondage);  pasooni - from when ;  Uklalya. - came unstruck; Gaanthi - (worldly) knots Deta Aali - has been giving ; Mithi - sweet emotions;  Sawkaanshe - சாவகாசமாக at leisure (slowly)

Tuka Mahne - Tuka(ram) says ;  Deh - the body ( தேகம்) ;  Bhaarila - has been filled with ;  Vittale - Vitthala ; Kaam - Krodhe - Desire and (resultant) Anger ;  Ghar - abode ;  Reete Kele - left (and went away) 

Translation:

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The state of my mind now is that I only want to talk about Vitthala, and nothing else. I only want to see Vitthala in everything my eyes see. So much so that I want to make Vitthala the very essence of living of this Jeevathma.

The heart is laden with an uncontrollable desire for Vitthala, that it refuses to come back to worldly affairs any more.

The bondage of Samsaara ( worldly affairs) gets easily un-knotted with the mere thought of Vitthala, who has been giving extremely pleasant emotions equanimously. 

Tukaram says : the body is filled with Vitthala to the brim, that there is no more space for desires, anger and all other worldly emotions anymore, and they have left this body, to make way for Vitthala. 

My Bhashyam (interpretation)

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This Abhang reflects the state of mind of Sant Tukaram, who in extreme posession of the thoughts of Vitthala. He feels he only wants to eat, breathe and sleep Vitthala. Though this Abhang professes the Bhakti Bhava of total Sharangathi, if one observes carefully, in a way, this also reflects the Gyana Yoga , where when the Atman starts getting absorbed in the Brahmam, worldly affairs cease to exist or matter. As per the Upanishad, that that is ultimate goal - of Paramatma - Jeevathma Aikyam , and thus the Jeevathma never returns to worldly matters any more. 

And in that journey towards the Aikyam, Sant Tukaram explains how the very smaranam ( thought) of Vitthala easily un-knots worldy bondages, and how other worldly emotions easily get displaced, when Vitthala fills the heart.

This Abhang reminds me of the Isavasya Upanishad ( stanza 15), which says

"O my Lord, sustainer of all that lives, Your real face is covered by Your dazzling effulgence. Kindly remove that covering and exhibit Yourself to Your pure devotee."

hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasyāpihitaṁ mukham

tat tvaṁ pūṣann apāvṛṇu satya-dharmāya dṛṣṭaye

Meaning:

hiraṇmayena—by a golden effulgence; pātreṇa—by a dazzling covering; satyasya—of the Supreme Truth; apihitam—covered; mukham—the face; tat—that covering; tvam—Yourself; pūṣan—O sustainer; apāvṛṇu—kindly remove; satya—pure; dharmāya—unto the devotee; dṛṣṭaye—for exhibiting.

बोलावा विठ्ठल पहावा विठ्ठल । 

करावा विठ्ठल जीवभाव ॥१॥

येणें सोसें मन जालें हांवभरी ।

परती माघारीं येते नाहीं ॥२॥

बंधना पासूनि उकलल्या गांठी ।

 देतां आली मिठी सावकाशें ॥३॥

तुका म्हणे देह भारिला विठ्ठलें ।

 कामक्रोध- केलें घर रीतें ॥४॥

Meaning of "Aparna"

Out of the blue, I was intrigued by the name Aparna. Decided to dig a little deeper.

I know that in Sanskrit , "parna" means dried leaf. I also know that in the Vedic period, the rishis used to construct "parnashala" , ie, a "hall" or a camp, built of forest products - tree branches for support, and dried leaves for tiles. This used to look like a hut, with high ceiling. And under that, they used to conduct vedic rituals. Once the ritual event is completed, they then used to burn down the parnashala! 

A-parna, to me sounded like " one who is not a dried leaf!"   Did not quite make sense. So, I was spending the better part of the sleepy afternoon, trying to make some sense out of this. 

Sundar Pichai, of course, helped me, as almost always. He led me to this canto 5 stanza 28 of Kalidasa's Kumarasambhavam. Kalidasa confirmed to me that Aparna is the name of Parvati  - as someone who let her body wither away if Shiva was not forthcoming in marrying her. 

स्वयंविशीर्णद्रुमपर्णवृत्तिता परा हि काष्ठा तपसस्तया पुनः।

तदप्यपाकीर्णमतः प्रियंवदां वदन्त्यपर्णेति च तां पुराविदः॥

Svayamviseernadrumaparnavrttitaa

Paraa hi kaashtaatapasahtayaapunah

Tadapyapaakeernamatahpriyamvadaam

Vadantiaparneticha taampuraavidah.

"By enduring all the ordeals, by means of Vratam, harsh on her body tender like the lotus-stalk, Parvathi surpassed the intensity of penance of all sages".

And then , I realized Lalitha Sahasranamam too has "aparna chandika chanda..."   "aparna" here literally translates to " one did not even consume dried leaves while performing austerities".

So, I got the transliteration done. Now what? Does anyone who carry the name Aparna desist from consuming dried leaves? Is that all? 

I now interpret it this way. This name Aparna indicates One who is resolute, and will be determined to go the distance, to make things happen the way she wants. Sign of a strong-willed woman. So, now, in my lexicon "Aparna= Strong-willed woman"

Thoughts?

PS: 

My father used to love snuff powder at one point - and then went one to become " Aparna" after he had visited Kaashi, symbolically drowning his last snuff box in the Ganga.  :)

Birthday - a time for self reflection

 

Sometime back, Death came, knocking at my door

But that’s when your solidarity came to the fore.

Got me back on my feet, ready again to make folklore,

Your abundant love now makes me crave for more.

Ever grateful.

-Dilip

அன்று 
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சோறு உண்டு களிப்பதைத் தவிர  

வேறு ஒரு கவலையும் இல்லை.

வாழ்க்கையின் விழுப்புண்கள் பல 

வலித்திடவே வழியுமில்லை.

இன்று 
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அன்றைய நினைவுகள் இன்னும் 

நெஞ்சில் திகட்டவில்லை - ஆனால்

இன்றும் நெஞ்சில் வாழ்க்கை பால்

நன்றி தவிர ஒன்றும் இல்லை.

-திலீப் 

मेरा बचपन ख़ुशी का गुलशन हो गया।

शरारत ही मेरा दिल का धड़कन हो गया।  

पर ज़िन्दगी के कई मोड़ पे भटकते भटकते 

यूँ  चुटकी में मेरा बचपन पचपन हो गया!

- Dilip

Happy Birth Day, Kasturi Rangan

 

You literally carry "divine music" in your name

You had aspired to set the musical stage to flame.

Little did you know then, that life plays its own game

It has given you, in an another field, money and fame.

Soon, I may be fading away into oblivion, 

But your voice will ring on, for many a eon,

It is hard not to sit up and take notice of you,

For, in our group, you are quite the Bohemian.