The Name, the only crossing
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
भेदाभेदताळा न घडे घालितां । आठवा रे आतां नारायण ॥1॥
येणें एक केलें अवघें होय सांग । अच्युताच्या योगें नामें छंदें ॥ध्रु.॥
भोंवरे खळाळ चोर वाटा घेती । पावल मारिती सिवेपाशीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे येथें भावेंविण पार । न पविजे सार हें चि आहे ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
The lock of discrimination and non-discrimination cannot be opened by force. Remember Narayana now. By this one practice, everything falls into place, through devotion and the name of the Imperishable One. Whirlpools, raging currents, and thieves lurk along the path, ambushing travelers near the border. Says Tuka, without sincere devotion there is no crossing over; this is the essential truth.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The lock of difference and no-difference will not open by forcing it. Remember Narayana now. By this one thing everything is set right, through the name and the love of Achyuta, the One who does not fall. Whirlpools, rushing waters, and thieves wait along the path and strike travelers near the border. Tuka says: here there is no crossing without true devotion; this is the heart of it.
What it means
Tukaram sets aside the philosophical quarrel over whether the soul is the same as or different from God; he says that lock cannot be forced open by argument and tells you instead to remember Narayana right now. He claims that this single practice, the name and love of the imperishable Achyuta, quietly puts everything in order. He pictures the spiritual path as a dangerous river crossing, full of whirlpools, currents, and bandits who ambush travelers just at the boundary. The settled conclusion is that no one crosses this river by cleverness; only sincere devotion gets you over, and that is the essential point.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
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