The Name, Brahman descends to carry us across
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
धरियेलें रूप कृष्ण नाम बुंथी । परब्रह्म िक्षती उतरलें॥1॥
उत्तम हें नाम राम कृष्ण जगीं । तरावयालागीं भवनदी॥2॥
दिनानाथिब्रदें रुळती चरणी । वंदितील मुनि देव ॠषि ॥3॥
ॠषीं मुनीं भेटी दिली नारायणें । आणीक कारणें बहु केलीं ॥4॥
बहु कासावीस जाला भक्तांसाटीं । तुका ह्मणे आटी सोसियेली ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
He assumed a form and took the Name of Krishna, and the supreme Brahman descended to earth. This glorious Name, Rama Krishna, exists in the world for the sake of crossing the river of existence. The pledges of the Friend of the Lowly trail at His feet. Sages, gods, and seers bow before them. God gave audience to sages and seers and performed countless other deeds. Says Tuka, He endured great hardship for the sake of His devotees.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
He took on a form and put on the name of Krishna as a cloak. The supreme Brahman came down to earth. This is the best of names in the world, Rama, Krishna, for crossing the river of becoming. The vows of the Friend of the Lowly hang at his feet. Sages, gods, and seers will bow to them. Narayana gave his meeting to the sages and the seers. He did many other things besides. He was greatly troubled for the sake of his devotees. Tuka says: he took the hardship on himself.
What it means
Tukaram says the form and the name of Krishna are a covering that the formless supreme Brahman puts on to come within our reach. The name itself, Rama, Krishna, is the boat for crossing the river of birth and death, and it carries the standing promise of the Friend of the Lowly. He recalls that God gave himself in audience to the sages and did countless deeds for others. The verse ends on what such a descent costs: the Infinite let himself be troubled and bore real hardship for the sake of his devotees. The Name we are given so cheaply was paid for by God's own willingness to suffer for us.
The Power of the Name
The supremacy of nama-smarana: God's name as the highest practice.
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