The Name, grace lifts the lowest
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
अंगीकार ज्याचा केला नारायणें । निंद्य तें हि तेणें वंद्य केलें ॥1॥
अजामेळ भिल्ली तारीली कुंटणी । प्रत्यक्ष पुराणीं वंद्य केली ॥ध्रु.॥
ब्रह्महत्याराशी पातकें अपार । वाल्मीक किंकर वंद्य केला ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे येथें भजन प्रमाण । काय थोरपण जाळावें तें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Whomever Narayana has accepted, even what was despised becomes worthy of reverence. Ajamila, the tribal woman, and the courtesan were all saved; the Puranas themselves have made them honored. Valmiki, who bore the weight of countless sins including brahma-hatya, was made worthy of worship. Says Tuka, here devotion alone is the measure. What use is burning one's worldly greatness?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Whomever Narayana has taken up, even what was despised, he has made worthy of honor. Ajamila, the tribal woman, the courtesan: all were carried across. The Puranas themselves have made them honored. Valmiki bore a heap of sins, even the killing of a brahmin, beyond counting. Him too God made worthy of worship. Tuka says: here devotion is the only measure. What is the use of greatness? Burn it.
What it means
Tukaram is showing that grace, not status, decides who is honored. Once God accepts a person, the very things that made them despised are turned around into reasons for reverence. He lists people the world wrote off: Ajamila, a tribal woman, a courtesan, and Valmiki, who carried sins as grave as killing a brahmin, and points out that the same scriptures now hold them up for worship. The lesson is that devotion alone is the standard here, and worldly greatness counts for nothing; the sharp closing line tells you to burn that greatness rather than prize it.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
More in this theme →