संत साहित्य · Tukārām · Abhanga 2446 of 4582

Abhanga 2446

All scripture, the Vedas, the Puranas, and the Gita, points to one simple practice: speak God's name, so let go of complicated methods and just say it.

When you feel like you need an elaborate practice before you can even begin.

When you're reading scripture and losing the main point in all its detail.

When you want something simple to actually do today, not just something to believe.

The verse

चारी वेद जयासाटीं । त्याचें नाम धरा कंठीं ॥१॥ न करीं आणीक साधनें । कष्टसी कां वांयांविण ॥ध्रु.॥ अठरा पुराणांचे पोटीं । नामाविण नाहीं गोठी ॥२॥ गीता जेणें उपदेशिली । ते ही विटेवरी माउली ॥३॥ तुका म्हणे सार धरीं । वाचे हरिनाम उच्चारीं ॥४॥

Literal translation

That for which 4 Vedas exist — hold its Name at the throat. Don't do other sādhanas — why suffer in vain. In the 18 Purāṇas' belly — no story without the Name. Who taught the Gītā — that very Mother on the brick. Tuka says: hold the essence — utter Hari-nāma in speech.

What it means

THE VEDIC-PURĀṆIC-GĪTĀ-SYNTHESIS-IN-VIṬHṬHAL ABHANG. One of Tukārām's most-compact scripture-synthesis statements.

The 4-Vedas-purpose: chārī vēda jayāsāṭīm — tyāchē nāma dharā kaṇṭhīm — that for which 4 Vedas exist — hold its Name at the throat. The 4-Vedas-exist-for-THAT (= the Lord); hold-HIS-NAME at-the-throat. The entire Vedic-tradition reduces-to-Name-utterance.

The 18-Purāṇas'-belly: aṭharā purāṇāñchē pōṭīm — nāmāviṇa nāhīm gōṭhī — in the 18 Purāṇas' belly — no story without the Name. In-the-18-Purāṇas' pōṭīm (belly = contents), no-story exists without-the-Name.

THE GĪTĀ-TEACHER-IS-VIṬHṬHAL: Gītā jēṇē upadēśilī — tē hī viṭēvarī mā'ulī — who taught the Gītā — that very Mother on the brick. The-one-who-taught-the-Gītā (= Kṛṣṇa) is-the-very-same Mother-on-the-brick (Viṭhṭhal-on-the-viṭā at Pandhārpūr). The Vārkarī-identification of Kṛṣṇa-of-the-Gītā with Viṭhṭhal-of-Pandhārpūr — foundational for the tradition.

The synthesis: Vedas, Purāṇas, Gītā — all-three-canonical-scripture-categories converge in-Viṭhṭhal-on-the-brick. A complete Vārkarī-canonical-positioning in 4 verses.

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For someone today

For today: 4 Vedas exist for that Name — hold it at the throat; no Purāṇa-story without the Name; Gītā-teacher is the Mother on the brick ; utter Hari-nāma.

Where this applies

When you feel overwhelmed by too many spiritual techniques and don't know which one to follow
When you're studying scripture and getting lost in the details instead of the point
When you want one simple daily practice you can actually keep doing
When you doubt that something as small as saying a name could really matter