The Name, the easy stairway
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तुटे मायाजाळ विघडे भवसिंधू । जरि लागे छंदु हरिनामें ॥1॥
येर कर्म धर्म करितां ये कळी । माजी तरला बळी कोण सांगा ॥ध्रु.॥
न पढवे वेद नव्हे शास्त्रबोध । नामाचे प्रबंध पाठ करा ॥2॥
न साधवे योग न करवे वैराग्य । साधा भक्तिभाग्य संतसंगें ॥3॥
नव्हे अनुष्ठान न कळे ब्रह्मज्ञान । करावी सोपान कृष्णकथा ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे वर्म दावियेलें संतीं । यापरती विश्रांति आणिक नाहीं ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The web of illusion breaks and the ocean of worldly existence crumbles when one takes up the Name of Hari with passion. Tell me, in this dark age, who has been saved by other rituals and duties alone? The Vedas cannot be studied, the scriptures are too complex; learn instead the compositions of the Name. Yoga is too difficult, renunciation too hard; win the fortune of devotion through the company of saints. Austerities are beyond our reach, the knowledge of Brahman eludes us; make the stories of Krishna your easy stairway. Says Tuka, the saints have revealed this secret, and there is no greater peace than this.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The web of illusion snaps, the ocean of worldly life breaks apart, if you take up the Name of Hari with longing. In this dark age, tell me, who has crossed over by other rites and duties alone? You cannot master the Vedas, the scriptures are beyond you; then learn the songs of the Name. You cannot do yoga, you cannot manage renunciation; win the good fortune of devotion through the company of saints. Ritual is not for you, the knowledge of Brahman escapes you; make the stories of Krishna your easy stairway. Tuka says: the saints have shown this secret; there is no rest greater than this.
What it means
Tukaram is clearing away every harder path so the simplest one stands alone. He names what most people honestly cannot do in this age, master the Vedas, hold to yoga, sustain renunciation, perform ritual, grasp the knowledge of Brahman, and grants that each is out of reach. In place of all of it he sets one accessible thing: take up Hari's Name with longing, sing it, keep the company of saints, make Krishna's stories the stairway. The point is not that the Name is a lesser substitute but that it is the secret the saints themselves revealed, and the only resting place that actually holds.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
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