The Name, katha as a holy confluence
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कथा त्रिवेणीसंगम देव भक्त आणि नाम । तेथींचें उत्तम चरणरज वंदितां ॥1॥
जळती दोषांचे डोंगर शुद्ध होती नारी नर । गाती ऐकती सादर जे पवित्र हरिकथा ॥ध्रु.॥
तीथॉ तया ठाया येती पुनीत व्हावया । पर्वकाळ पायां तळीं वसे वैष्णवां॥2॥
अनुपम्य हा महिमा नाहीं द्यावया उपमा । तुका ह्मणे ब्रह्मा नेणे वणूप या सुखा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Katha is the confluence of three sacred rivers: God, the devotee, and the Name. The dust of the feet at that place is supremely holy. Mountains of sin are burned away, and men and women are purified, those who sing and those who listen with reverence to this holy Hari-katha. The sacred places themselves come to that spot to be sanctified. The holiest hours of the calendar rest beneath the feet of the Vaishnavas. Says Tuka, this glory is beyond comparison; there is no metaphor adequate to describe it. Even Brahma cannot fully praise this bliss.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The telling of God's story is the meeting of three sacred rivers: God, the devotee, and the Name. The dust of the feet there is the most holy thing; honor it. Mountains of sin burn away, and women and men are made pure, who sing and who listen with care to the holy Hari-katha. The sacred places themselves come to this spot to be made clean. The holy hours of the calendar rest under the feet of the Vaishnavas. Tuka says: this glory has no equal; there is no image to compare it to. Even Brahma does not know how to praise this joy.
What it means
Tukaram likens Hari-katha to a triveni, the confluence where three rivers meet, the three here being God, the devotee, and the Name. Where those three join, the very dust of the gathered feet is holier than any shrine. Singing and listening with reverence burns mountains of sin and purifies whoever takes part, so completely that the famous holy places and sacred hours come to be cleansed here rather than the other way around. He ends by confessing the limit of all praise: the glory has no comparison, and even Brahma, the creator, cannot find words equal to this bliss.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
More in this theme →