Abhanga 4356
The verse
ब्राम्हणा न कळे आपुलें तें वर्म । गंवसे परब्रम्ह नामें एका ॥१॥
लहानथोरासि करितों प्रार्थना । दृढ नारायणा मनीं धरा ॥ध्रु.॥
सर्वांप्रति माझी हे चि असे विनंती । आठवा श्रीपती मनामाजी ॥२॥
केशव नारायण करितां आचमन । ते चि संध्या स्नान कर्म क्रिया ॥३॥
नामें करा नित्य भजन भोजन । ब्रम्हकर्म ध्यान याचे पायीं ॥४॥
तुका म्हणे हें चि निर्वाणींचें शस्त्र । म्हणोनि सर्वत्र स्मरा वेगीं ॥५॥
Literal translation
Brāhmaṇa-doesn't-know-own-warma — para-brahma-by-one-Name. Prārthanā-to-small-great — dhrḍha-Nārāyaṇa-in-mana. Vinamtī — āṭhavā-Śrīpati. Keśava-Nārāyaṇa-while-āchamana = sandhyā-snāna-karma-kriyā. By-Name-nitya-bhajana-bhōjana — brahma-karma-dhyāna-at-feet. Tukā: nirvāṇa-śastra — smara-everywhere-swiftly.
What it means
★★ THE canonical 5-verse anti-Brahmin-elitism + Name-replaces-rituals text. The brāhmaṇa doesn't know his own essential-secret — para-brahma is found by one Name alone. To small-and-great I make prayer — hold Nārāyaṇa firmly in mind. To all is this my request — remember Śrīpati in your heart. Saying Keśava-Nārāyaṇa while sipping-water — that itself is sandhyā, bathing, ritual-action. Do daily-bhajana and meal-as-bhajana by the Name — brahma-karma and meditation at his feet. Tukā says: this is the final weapon — so remember it everywhere, swiftly. The doctrinal substitution: Keśava-Nārāyaṇa-while-āchamana = sandhyā + snāna + karma + kriyā — Name-recitation substitutes-for the entire-Brahmin-ritual-complex. The opening brāhmaṇa-doesn't-know-own-warma is striking — Tukārām claims the Brahmin-himself is unaware of the essential-secret his caste-tradition guards. Pair with 4275 (caste-democratization saints-list), 4351 (Hari-Nāma-in-mouth = adhikārī-of-all-sukha).
For someone today
Tukārām: say-Keśava-Nārāyaṇa-while-sipping-water — that-is-all-your-ritual-bath-prayer-and-evening-rite.
Where this applies
- ★★ Tukārām's brāhmaṇa-doesn't-know-own-warma + Name-replaces-rituals + nirvāṇa-śastra canonical