The Name, sanctified into God
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कृष्ण गातां गीतीं कृष्ण ध्यातां चित्तीं । ते ही कृष्ण होती कृष्णध्यानें ॥1॥
आसनीं शयनीं भोजनीं जेवितां । ह्मणारे भोगिता नारायण ॥ध्रु.॥
ओविये दळणीं गावा नारायण । कांडितां कांडण करितां काम ॥2॥
नर नारी याति हो कोणी भलतीं । भावें एका प्रीती नारायणा ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे एका भावें भजा हरी । कांति ते दुसरी रूप एक ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Those who sing of Krishna in their songs and hold Krishna in their chitta become Krishna themselves through constant meditation. While sitting, sleeping, or eating, let every act be offered to Narayana. While grinding grain or pounding rice, sing of Narayana; while doing any work, remember Him. Man or woman, of any caste or station: with single-pointed love, adore Narayana. Says Tuka, worship Hari with undivided devotion; though the skins may differ, the form within is one.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Those who sing of Krishna and hold Krishna in the mind become Krishna through meditation on Krishna. Sitting, lying down, eating: say that Narayana is the one who enjoys it all. While grinding grain at the millstone, sing of Narayana; while pounding rice, while doing any work, remember Him. Man or woman, of any caste or birth, anyone at all: with one feeling, love Narayana. Tuka says: worship Hari with one undivided love. The skin may be different, but the form within is one.
What it means
Tukaram opens the path of the Name to everyone and shows how wide it reaches. Whoever keeps Krishna in the mouth and the mind, he says, becomes Krishna; remembrance is not preparation for God but God himself arriving. He then folds devotion into ordinary life: sitting, eating, grinding grain, pounding rice, every act becomes worship if Narayana is the one held in it. The last verse drops the barrier outright. Man or woman, high caste or low, the outer skin differs but the form within is one, and so the love owed to Hari is owed by all alike.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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