Abhanga 3401
You do not need elaborate rituals or austerities, constant simple remembrance of the name among fellow devotees is itself the deepest peace.
The verse
न करीं पठन घोष अक्षरांचा । बीजमंत्र आमुचा पांडुरंग ॥१॥
सर्वकाळ नामचिंतन मानसीं । समाधान मनासी समाधि हे ॥ध्रु.॥
न करीं भ्रमण न रिघें कपाटीं । जाईंन तेथें दाटी वैष्णवांची ॥२॥
अनु नेणें कांहीं न वजें तपासी । नाचें दिंडीपाशीं जागरणीं ॥३॥
उपवास व्रत न करीं पारणें । रामकृष्ण म्हणें नारायण ॥४॥
आणिकांची सेवा स्तुती नेणें वाणूं । तुका म्हणे आणु दुजें नाहीं ॥५॥
Literal translation
Don't-do-paṭha-akṣara-ghōṣa — Pāṇḍuranga-bīja-mantra. Sarva-kāḷa-nāma-chintana-in-mānasa — mana's-samādhāna is-samādhi. Don't-do-bhramaṇa, don't-enter-kapāṭa — go-where-Vaiṣṇavas-crowd. No-anu-known, don't-go-for-tapas — dance-at-diṇḍī during-jāgaraṇa. No-upavāsa-vrata-pāraṇa — say-Rāma-Krṣṇa-Nārāyaṇa. Don't-know-others'-sevā-stuti — Tukā: no-second-for-us.
What it means
THE CANONICAL Vārkarī negative-and-affirmative self-description. Tukārām systematically lists what he does NOT do (orthodox-sādhanā paths) and what he does instead — defining the Vārkarī by contrast:
| NOT-DOING (orthodox sādhanā) | DOING (Vārkarī way) |
|---|---|
| paṭha, akṣara-ghōṣa | Pāṇḍuranga as bīja-mantra |
| bhramaṇa (long pilgrimages elsewhere) | go where Vaiṣṇavas crowd |
| kapāṭa (cave-hermitage) | among-people |
| tapas | dance at diṇḍī during jāgaraṇa |
| upavāsa-vrata-pāraṇa | say Rāma-Krṣṇa-Nārāyaṇa |
| praising others' sevā | no second for us — only Viṭhṭhal |
For someone today
Tukārām's CANONICAL definition of the Vārkarī way: no orthodox sādhanā; only Name-chintana + diṇḍī + Vaiṣṇava-crowd.
Where this applies
- THE canonical Vārkarī self-description by via-negativa
- Defines path by NOT-doing orthodox sādhanās
- Pāṇḍuranga-as-bīja-mantra formulation
- samādhāna of mana = samādhi — radical re-definition of samādhi
- Companion to 3335 (Sadaiva-Vārkarī)
- Companion to 2864 (clap-hands kīrtana)