Ecstasy, the garland of the Name
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
गुणांचे आवडी वाचेचा पसरू । पडिला विसरु इतरांचा ॥1॥
आदिमध्यअंतीं नाहीं अवसान । जीवनीं जीवन मिळोनि गेलें ॥ध्रु.॥
रामकृष्णनाममाळा हे साजिरी । ओविली गोजिरी कंठाजोगी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे तनु जालीसे शीतळ । अवघी सकळ ब्रह्मानंदें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Lost in the love of His qualities, my tongue has spread itself wide, and all else has been forgotten. From beginning through middle to end there is no pause; life has merged into life. The garland of the names Rama and Krishna is strung together, beautiful and fitting for the throat. Says Tuka, my entire body has become cool, bathed in the bliss of Brahman.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Out of love for his qualities my tongue has spread itself wide, and everything else is forgotten. From beginning to middle to end there is no pause; life has merged into life. The garland of the names Rama and Krishna is lovely, strung fine and fit for the throat. Tuka says: my whole body has grown cool, soaked through with the bliss of Brahman.
What it means
This describes the state of unbroken Name-chanting. Tukaram's love for God's qualities keeps his tongue at work without rest, and that constant praise has crowded everything else out of his mind. The names of Rama and Krishna become a garland worn at the throat, a beautiful, fitting ornament that is also the act of repeating them. He ends with the felt result: the whole body turns cool, the heat of craving gone, drenched in the bliss of Brahman, where his small life has merged into the larger life of God.
Ecstasy and Joy
Triumphant happiness: poems written from the far side of the struggle.
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