Abhanga 4450
Keeping God's Name on your lips and singing it with reverence, without fail, is what steadies the mind and brings joy, and it is what has lifted even those who had fallen.
The verse
तुझें नाम माझे मुखी असो देवा । विनवितों राघवा दास तुझा ॥१॥
तुझ्या नामबळें तरले पतित । म्हणोनि माझें चत्ति तुझे पायीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे तुझें नाम हें सादर । गातां निरंतर सुख वाटे ॥३॥
Literal translation
Your-Name-on-my-mouth-Deva — Rāghavā-vinavitōm-dāsa-of-yours. By-Name-power-patita-crossed — so-chitta-at-your-feet. Tukā: your-Name-sādara — singing-nirantara-sukha-vāṭē.
What it means
A 3-verse daily-Name-prayer text. Let your Name be on my mouth, O Deva — I am praying, Rāghavā — I am your servant. By the power of your Name, fallen-ones have crossed — therefore my mind is at your feet. Tukā says: your Name with-reverence — singing it continuously, joy is felt. The 3-fold daily-petition: (a) let-Name-stay-on-mouth — (b) patitas-have-crossed-by-Name-so-my-chitta-at-your-feet — (c) continuous-singing-yields-sukha. Companion to many Name-mahima texts.
For someone today
This is a simple three part prayer you can carry into your own day: ask that God's Name stay on your lips, remember that you belong to him as a servant, and trust that even people who have fallen or failed have been lifted up by the power of that Name. Because the Name has saved others, your own mind can settle and rest at his feet instead of staying anxious. Tukārām says the proof is simple: keep singing the Name with reverence and you will feel joy grow the longer you continue.
मराठी: ही एक साधी रोजची प्रार्थना आहे: तुझ्या ओठांवर सतत परमेश्वराचे नाम असावे, तू त्याचा सेवक आहेस याची जाणीव बाळगावी, आणि हे लक्षात ठेवावे की नामाच्या सामर्थ्याने पतितसुद्धा तरून गेले आहेत. यामुळे तुझे मन अस्वस्थ न राहता त्याच्या चरणी स्थिर राहते. तुकाराम म्हणतात, आदराने सतत नाम गात राहिल्यास मनाला अधिकाधिक सुख मिळत जाते.
Where this applies
- When you feel unworthy or like you have failed badly and wonder if you can still be forgiven
- When you want a short prayer to keep repeating through an ordinary busy day
- When you're anxious and need something steady to hold your mind in place
- When you doubt whether simply repeating a sacred name can really change anything