Abhanga 3049
Netra jhākōnīyām kāya japatōsī — what's the use of closing eyes and doing japa; jamva nāhī mānasīm bhāva-prema — when no bhāva-prema in mānasa.
The verse
नेत्र झाकोनियां काय जपतोसी । जंव नाहीं मानसीं भावप्रेम ॥१॥
उघडा मंत्र जाणा राम कृष्ण म्हणा । तुटती यातना गर्भवास ॥ध्रु.॥
मंत्र यंत्र कांहीं करिसी जडी बुटी । तेणें भूतसृष्टी पावशील ॥२॥
सार तुका जपे बीजमंत्र एक । भवसिंधुतारक रामकृष्ण ॥३॥
Literal translation
Netra jhākōnīyām kāya japatōsī — what's the use of closing eyes and doing japa; jamva nāhī mānasīm bhāva-prema — when no bhāva-prema in mānasa. Ughaḍā mantra jāṇā Rāma Krṣṇa mhaṇā — know the open-mantra — say Rāma Krṣṇa; tuṭatī yātanā gārbhāvāsa — the gārbhāvāsa-yātanās are broken. Mantra yantra kāmhī karisī jaḍī buṭī — if (you) do mantra-yantra, jaḍī-buṭī (occult-root-herbs); teṇe bhūta-srṣṭī pāvaśīla — (you) will reach only the bhūta-srṣṭi. Sāra Tukā jape bīja-mantra eka — (the) sāra: Tukā recites one bīja-mantra; bhava-sindhu-tāraka Rāma-Krṣṇa — Rāma-Krṣṇa, tāraka of bhava-sindhu.
What it means
★ A canonical 3-verse Name-supremacy-against-occult text by Tukārām.
The argument: 1. Eyes-closed-japa is useless without bhāva-prema 2. The open-mantra (no-secret-required) is Rāma-Krṣṇa; saying-it breaks rebirth-suffering 3. Mantra-yantra-jaḍī-buṭī (tantric-occult) yields only bhūta-srṣṭi (ghost-realm) 4. Tukā's-only-bīja-mantra is Rāma-Krṣṇa; this is the bhava-sindhu-tāraka
★ The doctrine is foundational-bhakti: open-Name beats secret-tantra; bhāva-prema beats technique; one-mantra beats occult-arsenal. The verse refutes-the-secrecy-mystique of-tantric-occult-traditions in-favor of-public-democratic-Name-bhakti.
Compare-Tukārām's-own 2448 (Nāma-sankīrtana-sopa — Rāma-Krṣṇa-Hari-Viṭṭhal-Kēśava mantra), 3037 (Nāme-Viṭṭhal-5fold-spontaneous-revelation).
For someone today
Tukārām's canonical Name-supremacy-against-occult. What is the use of closing eyes and doing japa — when there is no bhāva-prema in the mind? Know the open-mantra — say Rāma Krṣṇa — the sufferings of rebirth are broken. If you do mantra-yantra, root-herbs — you will reach only the ghost-realm. The essence: Tukā recites one bīja-mantra — Rāma-Krṣṇa — the tāraka of the bhava-sindhu. The verse permits the canonical anti-occult-Name-supremacy claim.
Where this applies
- ★ Canonical Name-supremacy against-occult-practice
- Open-mantra Rāma-Krṣṇa democratic-claim
- Mantra-yantra-jaḍī-buṭī yields bhūta-srṣṭi anti-tantric-warning
- Companion to 2448, 3037