Realization, the eye of pure consciousness
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
रक्त श्वेत कृष्ण पीत प्रभा भिन्न । चिन्मय अंजन सुदलें डोळां ॥1॥
तेणें अंजनगुणें दिव्यदृिष्ट जाली । कल्पना निवाली द्वैताद्वैत ॥ध्रु.॥
देशकालवस्तुभेद मावळला । आत्मा निर्वाळला विश्वाकार ॥2॥
न जाला प्रपंच आहे परब्रह्म । अहंसोहं ब्रह्म आकळलें ॥3॥
तत्त्वमसि विद्या ब्रह्मानंद सांग । तें चि जाला अंगें तुका आतां ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Red, white, black, yellow: the lights appear different, yet the collyrium of pure consciousness has been applied to my eyes. By the virtue of that collyrium, divine sight has arisen; the duality of dual and nondual has been extinguished. The distinctions of place, time, and object have dissolved; the Self has been revealed in the form of the universe. The world has not come into being; what exists is the supreme Brahman. The truth of 'I am That' has been grasped. Says Tuka, the wisdom of 'Thou art That,' the bliss of Brahman, has now become his very being.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Red, white, black, yellow: the lights look separate, yet the collyrium of pure consciousness has been laid on my eyes. By the power of that collyrium a divine seeing has risen; the very split of dual and nondual has gone quiet. The differences of place, time, and thing have set like the sun; the Self stands clear as the form of the whole universe. The world has not come into being; what is, is the supreme Brahman. 'I am That' is grasped: aham so'ham, I am Brahman. The knowing of 'Thou art That,' the bliss of Brahman, is whole. Tuka says: that very thing Tuka has now become, in his own being.
What it means
This is Tukaram reporting a state of realization in the plain words of nondual seeing. Once the eye is anointed with pure consciousness, the many colored lights are seen as one; even the quarrel between dual and nondual falls silent, because both were ideas the new sight no longer needs. The ordinary frame of place, time, and separate objects dissolves, and the Self shows itself as the form of everything. He states the radical claim without softening it: the world never truly arose; only the supreme Brahman is, and the great sayings 'I am That' and 'Thou art That' are no longer phrases to learn but his very being now.
The Necessity of Experience
Why direct experience of God, not mere learning, is the only path.
More in this theme →