Abhanga 2001

For today: by Rāma — bath, twilight-rite, kriyā-karma done — bhava-śrama warded off; others got distanced doing fuss — uselessly clamoring without varma; who held trust in Rāma-Nāma — cut the bhava-noose; Tuka says — kali-kāla made small — by Nāma-sankīrtana, by the devout.

The verse

Literal translation

What it means

Rāma-Nāma-substitutes-all-rituals + cuts-bhava-noose abhang.

The opening: Rāmē snāna-samdhyā kēlē kriyā-karma — tyāchā bhava-śrama nivāralā — by Rāma — bath, twilight-rite, kriyā-karma done — his bhava-śrama warded off. Saying-Rāma is-itself the bath, twilight-rite, and-kriyā-karma; the bhava-śrama (samsāra-fatigue) is-warded-off. Tukārām's classic position: the Name substitutes all-ritual-action.

The contrast: āṇikē durāvalīm karitām khaṭa-paṭa — vā'ugē bōbhāṭa varmā-viṇa — others got distanced doing fuss — uselessly clamoring without varma. Others performing-elaborate-rituals (khaṭa-paṭa) get-distanced-from-the-Lord; useless-clamor without-the-secret (varma).

The trust-cuts-bond: Rāma-Nāmīm jihīm dharilā viśvāsa — tihīm bhava-pāśa tōḍiyēlē — who held trust in Rāma-Nāma — they cut the bhava-noose. Trust-in-Rāma-Nāma cuts the samsāra-noose.

The closing — kali-yuga conquered: Tukā mhaṇē kēlē kaḷi-kāḷa ṭhēngaṇē — Nāma-sankīrtanē bhāvikāmnīm — Tuka says: kali-kāla made small — by Nāma-sankīrtana, by the devout. Ṭhēngaṇē = short, cut-down. The mighty kali-kāla itself made-puny by-Nāma-sankīrtana (= the kali-yuga's powers can't-stand-against the Name-singing of-the-devout).

[T]

For someone today

For today: by Rāma — bath, twilight-rite, kriyā-karma done — bhava-śrama warded off; others got distanced doing fuss — uselessly clamoring without varma; who held trust in Rāma-Nāma — cut the bhava-noose; Tuka says — kali-kāla made small — by Nāma-sankīrtana, by the devout.

Where this applies

• When you feel you can't do enough elaborate practice and worry that disqualifies you from real peace.
• When you're going through the motions of ritual without any real trust behind it.
• When you feel trapped by anxieties and attachments you can't seem to cut loose from.
• When the state of the world feels overwhelming and you need something simple to hold onto.

Related verses

• Abhanga 4482 — Tukaram teaches that no ritual equals sincerely speaking the Lord's name, that self-center
• Abhanga 2348 — Sitting in true, wholehearted kathā where God, devotee, and Name meet is itself the highes
• Abhanga 2406 — A reverent heart grows goodness wherever it turns, and the truest merit comes from deepeni
• Abhanga 1142 — Devotion is a free farm anyone can work, its crop of love is already ripe within you, and