Abhanga 4021
The Name is itself the rescuer across the ocean of worldly life, and simply repeating it with steadiness dissolves anger, desire, and division between friend and foe.
The verse
नाम तारक भवसिंधु । विठ्ठल तारक भवसिंधु ॥१॥
नामधारक तया अरि मित्रु । समता त्यागुनियां क्रोधु ॥ध्रु.॥
नामधारक तया । कदापि न घडे विषयाचा बाधु ॥२॥
ज्या नामें तरले शुकादिक । नारद संत मुनिजन साधु ॥३॥
जाणूनियां जे नसरें । ते नेणति जैसा गज अंधु ॥४॥
सहज तुकया । नाम चि जपतां स्वरुपीं वेधु ॥५॥
Literal translation
Nāma-tāraka-bhava-sindhu — Viṭṭhal-tāraka-bhava-sindhu. Nāmadhāraka — friend-foe-equal — samatā-leaves-kṛōdha. Nāmadhāraka — no-viṣaya-stain. By-this-Name — Śuka-Nārada-muni-sādhu-crossed. Don't-enter — blind-elephant. Sahaja-Tukayā — japa-Nāma — svarūpī-vēdha.
What it means
THE canonical 5-verse comprehensive Nāma-tāraka doctrine. The Name is the rescuer across the becoming-ocean; Viṭṭhal is the rescuer across the becoming-ocean. For the Name-bearer, foe and friend are the same; equanimity makes anger renounced. For the Name-bearer, the affliction of sense-objects never happens. By this very Name, Śuka, Nārada, the santas, the munis, the sādhus — all crossed. Those who, knowing this, don't enter — they are like blind elephants. Sahaja Tukayā — simply doing japa of the Name — pierces into the svarūpa. Comprehensive Name-doctrine in 5 verses: (a) Name-as-tāraka; (b) friend-foe-equal-by-samatā; (c) no-viṣaya-stain; (d) precedent-list (Śuka-Nārada-sant-muni); (e) sahaja-japa = svarūpa-piercing. Pair with 2448 (Nāma-sankīrtana-sōpē), 2855 (Hari-mhaṇatām), 3743 (Name-is-everything), 3890 (easy-Name-sādhana).
For someone today
Tukaram says the Name and Vitthal are the same rescuer, both able to carry you across the flood of worldly life. When you truly hold onto the Name, you stop dividing people into friends and enemies, and anger has nowhere to stand because you meet everyone with the same evenness of mind. Sense desires lose their grip on you too. Even great figures like Shuka and Narada crossed over by this very Name, so if you know this and still don't step in, you're like an elephant that walks blindly past the water it needs. Simple, steady repetition of the Name is enough to pull your attention into your true nature.
मराठी: तुकाराम म्हणतात की नाम आणि विठ्ठल दोन्ही एकाच प्रकारे तारणारे आहेत, दोघेही तुम्हाला या संसाराच्या पुरातून पार करू शकतात. जेव्हा तुम्ही खरोखर नामाला धरून राहता, तेव्हा तुम्ही माणसांना मित्र-शत्रू असे विभागणे सोडता, आणि राग टिकून राहायला जागाच उरत नाही कारण तुम्ही सर्वांशी सारख्याच समतेने वागता. विषयवासनांचीही पकड सुटते. शुक, नारद यांसारखे मोठे साधकही याच नामाने पार गेले, म्हणून हे माहीत असूनही जर तुम्ही यात उतरत नसाल, तर तुम्ही पाण्याजवळून आंधळ्या हत्तीसारखे चालत जाता. फक्त साधेपणाने, स्थिरपणे नामजप केला तरी तो तुमचे लक्ष तुमच्या खऱ्या स्वरूपाकडे खेचून नेतो.
Where this applies
- When you find yourself dividing people into friends and enemies and reacting with anger
- When cravings and sense pleasures keep pulling your attention away from what matters
- When you know a simple practice works but keep putting off starting it
- When you feel overwhelmed by life's difficulties and need something simple to hold onto