The Name, intention and essence
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जेंजें होआवें संकल्पें । तें चि पुण्य होय पाप ॥1॥
कारण तें मनापासीं । मेळविल्या मिळे रसीं ॥ध्रु.॥
सांडी मांडी हाली चाली । राहे तरि भली बोली ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे सार । नांव जीवनाचे सागर ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Whatever arises by intention becomes either virtue or sin. The cause lies with the mind; when it is aligned, the essence is tasted. Whether you start or stop, move or stay still, speak well while you remain. Says Tuka, the essence of this is the name, which is the ocean of true life.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Whatever arises by intention becomes either merit or sin. The cause lies with the mind; align it, and the essence is tasted. Whether you put down or take up, move or stay, speak well while you remain. Tuka says: the heart of it is the Name, the ocean of true living.
What it means
Tukaram is locating the root of merit and sin in intention rather than in the act alone. The same deed turns to virtue or to fault depending on the mind behind it, so the work is to align the mind, and then the real taste is given. Whatever the body does, start or stop, move or rest, he asks that speech stay good while life lasts. The single thing he calls the essence is the Name, which he names the ocean that holds all true life. The point is that practice need not be elaborate when the Name is held and the intention is clean.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
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