Abhanga 1094

The name Rāma is called the finest of syllables, so treasured that even Śiva keeps it in his own throat. Legend says this same name turned the world's deadliest poison into something cool and harmless, and it taught even the goddess Bhavānī how to escape the confusion of endless rebirth. Whether the practice is ancient or newly found, it stays fresh because it works, not because it is fashionable. Tukārām says the only thing that matters is holding it with your whole life and your whole heart, not just your lips.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Rāmacaritra abhanga 5. The Rāma-mantra-cosmology abhang. Four claims:

1. उत्तम-अक्षर — कंठ-शंकर. Best-syllable-claim. Rāma-Rāma is uttama akṣara;Śankara held it in the kaṇṭhī.

2. तारक-तिहीं-लोक — हळाहळ-शीतळ. Cooled-hāḷā-haḷa-claim. Suchtāraka,uttamafortihīm lōkām;hāḷā-haḷa(the cosmic poison) madeśītaḷaforŚivā, see. (The Rāma-name in Śiva's throat cooled the hāḷā-haḷa-poison Śiva had drunk.)

3. भवानी-उपदेश — गर्भादि-योनि-चुकले. Bhavānī-mantra-claim. This verymantraupadēśa-d toBhavānī;her garbhādi-yōni mistakes departed.

4. जुन्हाट-नागर — Tuka: जीवे-भावे. Held-by-jīvē-bhāvē-claim. Junhāṭa and nāgara, always navē (ever-fresh); Tuka says:I held by jīvē-bhāvē.

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For someone today

The name Rāma is called the finest of syllables, so treasured that even Śiva keeps it in his own throat. Legend says this same name turned the world's deadliest poison into something cool and harmless, and it taught even the goddess Bhavānī how to escape the confusion of endless rebirth. Whether the practice is ancient or newly found, it stays fresh because it works, not because it is fashionable. Tukārām says the only thing that matters is holding it with your whole life and your whole heart, not just your lips.

मराठी: रामनाम हा सर्वोत्तम अक्षरमंत्र मानला जातो, इतका मौल्यवान की खुद्द शंकरांनी तो आपल्या कंठात धारण केला. अशी कथा आहे की याच नामाने जगातील सर्वात भयंकर विष थंड आणि निरुपद्रवी केले, आणि खुद्द भवानीलाही जन्ममृत्यूच्या फेऱ्यातून सुटण्याचा मार्ग शिकवला. ही साधना जुनी असो वा नवी सापडलेली, ती नेहमी ताजी राहते कारण ती खरोखर काम करते, फॅशन म्हणून नाही. तुकाराम म्हणतात, फक्त ओठांनी नव्हे तर पूर्ण जीवाने आणि मनाने ती धरून ठेवणे हेच खरे महत्त्वाचे आहे.

Where this applies

• Best-syllable. Akṣara.
• Cooled-hāḷā-haḷa. Śivā.
• Bhavānī. Upadeśa.
• Held-jīvē-bhāva. Junhāṭa-nāgara.

Related verses

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