Thread by @Kal_Chiron

Even many Marathi ppl did not know that this ārati is composed by Samarth Rāmadāsa svāmī

Interesting thing is to know when & why he invoked gaNapati in this ārati

This was composed by svāmī when Afzal Khan invaded Hindavi swarājya. Fate of Hindus was at stake in that meeting 🙏

https://twitter.com/kal_chiron/status/1300718008868896768

Now read this entire ārati in this light. Samartha invoking gaNapati in these words

सुख-कर्ता दुख-हर्ता
वार्ता विघ्नाची नुरवी (remove the news of calamity)
पुरवी प्रेम कृपा “जयाची” (grant victory)

सर्वांग सुंदर उटी शेंदुराची
कंठी झळके माळ मुक्ताफळांची

Now last stanza where one asks for varadāna after Stuti of dèvatā

लंबोदर पीतांबर
फणीवर बंधना
सरळ सोंड
वक्रतुण्ड त्रिनयना

दास रामाचा वाट पाहे सदना

(rāmadāsa is eagerly waiting for good news at his home of victory mentioned in first stanza)

संकटी पावावें

निर्वाणी रक्षावे

(help us out in our sankaTa, our utmost dire need)

सुरवरवंदना (oh foremost amongst gods)

जय देव जय देव जय मंगलमूर्ती
दर्शनमात्रे मन कामनांपुरती

GaNapati smiled and ran to help... dharma won...

At least all Marathi ppl : keep these two images in mind when you sing this ārati next time. 😊🙏

Almost all other āratis ask for krupā of the dèvatā. Or his anugraha. Or moksha. Or good gati. Or worldly benefits etc.

This ārati is distinctly different.

It is an emergency SOS to gaNapati.

Please help NOW...

This was the reason behind this urgency.

The phrase “निर्वाणीचा क्षण” is used in Marathi to denote - the moment of reckoning.

The make or break moment. When you are at your wit’s and strength’s end.

when everything you have worked for, can come crashing down

निर्वाणी रक्षावे -Save us in that moment.