Abhanga 4473
Calling out God's Name sincerely, even once at the point of crisis, is powerful enough to undo old karma and carry you toward liberation, as it did for Ajāmēḷa and Gajēndra.
The verse
नामांचा डांगोरा फिरवीं घरोघरीं । म्हणा हरीहरी सर्वभावें ॥१॥
नामें हरती कर्में वैकुंठींची पै विस्त । संनिध श्रीपति सदोदित ॥ध्रु.॥
नामाचा महिमा बहुतां कळला । नामें उद्धरिला अजामेळ ॥२॥
गजेंद्राची स्थिति पुराणीं बोलती । नामें चि श्रीपति पावलासे ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे घेतां मुक्ति आहे । नामें सर्व पाहें आकळिलें॥४॥
Literal translation
Name-ḍāngōra-house-to-house — say-Hari-Hari-sarva-bhāva. Names-vanquish-karma — Vaikuṇṭha-vista-Śrīpati-sadōdita. Name-mahima-known-by-many — Ajāmēḷa-uddharila. Gajēndra-stithi-by-Name-Śrīpati-pāvalāsē. Tukā: taking-Name-mukti — all-encompassed.
What it means
A 4-verse canonical Name-proclamation text with 2 bhakta-redemption-examples. Proclaim the drum-announcement of Names house-to-house — say Hari-Hari with every-feeling-of-devotion. Names vanquish your karma — Vaikuṇṭha's settlement is near — Śrīpati is always-present. The greatness of the Name has been known by many — by the Name was Ajāmēḷa lifted-across. Gajēndra's situation, the purāṇas tell — by Name only Śrīpati came-and-reached-him. Tukā says: by taking the Name, liberation is there — by Name, everything is all encompassed. The 2 canonical-redemption-examples: (a) Ajāmēḷa (the sinful Brahmin who called for his son Nārāyaṇa at death-hour, thus inadvertently invoking the Name and being-rescued — from Bhāgavata 6.1-3), (b) Gajēndra (the elephant-king attacked by a crocodile, who called Ādi-mūla — Lord came-and-rescued — from Bhāgavata 8.2-4). Pair with 4297 (7-figure-rescue-precedent-list), 2787 (bhakti-redeems-fallen), 2843 (5-figure-redemption-list).
For someone today
Tukārām calls for the Name to be announced loudly from house to house, urging everyone to say Hari, Hari with complete sincerity. He says the Name has power to undo old karma, and that God's presence stays close and constant once you take it up. He backs this claim with two well known stories: Ajāmēḷa, a deeply sinful man, was saved simply because he cried out a name at the moment of death, and Gajēndra, the elephant caught by a crocodile, was rescued the moment he called out. Tukārām's point is that liberation isn't locked away for the perfect or the deserving, taking up the Name is itself already enough to hold everything you need.
मराठी: तुकाराम प्रत्येक घरात नामाची घोषणा करण्याचे आवाहन करतात, सर्वांना मनापासून हरी हरी म्हणण्याचा आग्रह करतात. ते सांगतात की नामात जुने कर्म पुसून टाकण्याची शक्ती आहे, आणि एकदा नाम घेतले की परमेश्वराची उपस्थिती सतत जवळ राहते. या दाव्याला ते दोन प्रसिद्ध कथांचा आधार देतात, अजामेळ, एक गंभीर पापी माणूस, मृत्यूसमयी एक नाव उच्चारल्यानेच तरला, आणि गजेंद्र, मगरीच्या पकडीत सापडलेला हत्ती, हाक मारताच वाचला. तुकारामांचा मुद्दा असा आहे की मुक्ती फक्त परिपूर्ण किंवा पात्र लोकांसाठी राखीव नाही, नाम घेणे हेच पुरेसे आहे, त्यातच सर्वकाही सामावलेले आहे.
Where this applies
- When you feel too sinful or unworthy to believe you could still be saved or forgiven
- When you're in a moment of crisis, like Gajēndra, and instinctively call out for help
- When you want a spiritual practice you can share openly with everyone around you, not keep private
- When you doubt whether a small, simple act like saying a name can really carry any weight