The Name, Vaikuntha on earth
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पंढरी पंढरी । ह्मणतां पापाची बोहोरी ॥1॥
धन्य धन्य जगीं ठाव । होतो नामाचा उत्साव ॥ध्रु.॥
रििद्धसिद्धी लोटांगणीं। प्रेमसुखाचिया खाणी ॥2॥
अधिक अक्षरानें एका । भूवैकुंठ ह्मणे तुका ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Simply by saying 'Pandhari, Pandhari,' all sin is washed away. Blessed, blessed is this place in the world where the festival of the Name resounds. Spiritual powers and perfections bow down here, for this is the mine of the joy of love. Says Tuka, by one syllable more it surpasses even heaven; this is Vaikuntha on earth.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Just saying 'Pandhari, Pandhari' sweeps sin away. Blessed, blessed is this place in the world, where the festival of the Name goes on. Powers and perfections lie face down here; this is the mine of love's joy. Tuka says: by one syllable more it passes even heaven. This is Vaikuntha on earth.
What it means
Tukaram is praising the very name of the place, Pandhari, saying that to utter it is already to be washed of sin. He calls the town blessed because the Name of God is kept up there like a constant festival. The spiritual powers that elsewhere are prized lie prostrate here, because what this place holds is greater: it is the mine where the joy of love is dug up. His final claim is bold. Pandhari does not merely equal Vaikuntha, the heaven of Vishnu; by a hair it surpasses it, for this is heaven made present on the earth.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
More in this theme →