The Name, the boat across the ocean
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ऐसा दुस्तर भवसागर । नेणों कैसा उतरूं पार ॥1॥
कामक्रोधादि सावजें थोर । दिसताती भयंकर ॥ध्रु.॥
मायाममतेचे भोवरे । घेती भयानक फेरे ॥2॥
वासनेच्या लहरा येती । उद्योगहेलकावे बसती ॥3॥
तरावया एक युक्ति असे । तुका नामनावेमधीं बैसे॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
How fearsome is this ocean of worldly existence; I do not know how I shall cross to the other shore. The wild beasts of lust and anger loom terribly. The whirlpools of illusion and attachment spin with frightening force. Waves of desire surge, and the storms of restless striving toss one about. Says Tuka, there is one means to cross: sit in the boat of the Name.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
This ocean of worldly existence is so hard to cross. I do not know how I will reach the far shore. The wild beasts of lust and anger loom, and they look terrible. The whirlpools of illusion and attachment turn in frightening circles. Waves of desire come; the storms of restless striving toss me about. Tuka says: there is one way to cross. Sit in the boat of the Name.
What it means
Tukaram maps the spiritual crossing as a sea voyage and fills the water with every hazard. Lust and anger are predatory beasts, illusion and attachment are whirlpools, desire and restless effort are the waves and squalls that capsize a swimmer. The point of the catalogue is that no one can fight all this by their own strength. The single answer he offers is to stop swimming and climb aboard the Name of God, the one vessel that carries the soul over a sea it could never cross alone.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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