Abhanga 3737
The formless became form purely so devotion could exist, and worshipping that form is not separate from the deepest truth, so singing God's name joyfully is itself the whole path.
The verse
अद्वय चि द्वय जालें चि कारण । धरिलें नारायणें भक्तिसुख ॥१॥
अपरोक्ष आकार जाला चतुर्भुज । एकतत्व बीज भिन्न नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
शून्य निरशुन्यी राहिलें निर्मळ । तें दिसे केवळ इटेवरी ॥२॥
सुखें घ्यावें नाम वदना ही चाड । सरिता वापी आड एक पाणी ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे मी च आहें तेणें सुखें । भेद नाहीं मुखें नाम गातों ॥४॥
Literal translation
Advaya-itself-became-dvaya — cause: Nārāyaṇa-held-bhakti-sukha. Aparōkṣa-ākāra-became-chatur-bhuja — one-tattva-bīja, no-bhinna. Śūnya-niraśūnyī-nirmaḷa — seen-on-brick. Take-Name-happily — vadana-chāḍa; sarita-vāpī-āḍa — one-water. Tukā: I-am-in-that-sukha — no-bhēda — mouth-sings-Name.
What it means
A 4-verse bhakti-non-dualism text. The non-dual itself became dual — because Nārāyaṇa held bhakti-sukha. The immediate form became four-armed — one-essence-seed, not separate. The stainless stillness-beyond-stillness is what is seen on the brick. Take the Name happily — even the mouth desires it; river and well-pond — one water. I myself am there in that sukha — no separation — and by the mouth I sing the Name. Tukārām's signature reconciliation of advaita and bhakti — the advaya took dual-form for the sake of bhakti-sukha.
For someone today
Tukaram says that the one, formless reality chose to become two, taking on a form, purely so that the joy of devotion could exist at all. That visible, four-armed form is not really separate from the formless truth behind it, they share the same single root. The pure stillness beyond all things remains untouched even while it shows itself as the familiar image standing on a brick. So take joy in simply saying God's name, since the mouth itself longs to say it, the way a river and a well hold the very same water despite looking different. Tukaram says he himself lives inside that joy, feeling no real separation, and that is why his mouth keeps singing the Name.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की एकसंध, निराकार सत्य स्वतःच दुहेरी झाले, रूप धारण केले, फक्त भक्तीचा आनंद अस्तित्वात यावा म्हणून. दिसणारे ते चतुर्भुज रूप त्या निराकार सत्यापासून खरोखर वेगळे नाही, दोघांचे मूळ एकच आहे. सर्व गोष्टींच्या पलीकडची निखळ शांतता विटेवर उभ्या असलेल्या परिचित प्रतिमेच्या रूपातही तशीच अस्पर्श राहते. म्हणून देवाचे नाव घेण्यातच आनंद माना, कारण तोंडालाच ते नाव घ्यावेसे वाटते, ज्याप्रमाणे नदी आणि विहीर वेगळ्या दिसल्या तरी त्यांचे पाणी एकच असते. तुकाराम म्हणतात की तेही त्याच आनंदात राहतात, त्यांना कसलाही भेद जाणवत नाही, आणि म्हणूनच त्यांचे तोंड सतत नाम गात राहते.
Where this applies
- When you wonder whether worshipping an image or form of God is somehow less real than formless contemplation
- When you feel torn between different spiritual practices that seem to lead to the same place anyway
- When simply saying a name or word of devotion brings you unexpected joy without needing explanation
- When you sense that something you love and its deeper source are actually not separate at all