Longing, the love that will not be reined in
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
न संगतां तुह्मां कळों येतें अंतर । विश्वीं विश्वंभर परिहार चि न लगे ॥1॥
परि हे अनावर आवरितां आवडी । अवसान ते घडी पुरों देत नाहीं ॥ध्रु.॥
काय उणें मज येथें ठेविलिये ठायीं । पोटा आलों तईपासूनिया समर्थ ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे अवघी आवरिली वासना । आतां नारायणा दुसरियापासूनि ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Without my telling You, You know my inner state. Before the one who pervades the universe, no defense is needed. Yet this love-longing is uncontrollable. Even as I try to restrain it, it will not let a single moment of composure hold. What do I lack in the place where You have kept me? I have been strong since the day I was born. Says Tuka, I have reined in all desires from everything else. Now, O Narayana, from all others.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Without my telling You, You already know my inner state. Before the one who fills the whole universe, no defense is needed. Yet this love-longing will not be held back. Even as I try to restrain it, it will not let one moment of calm hold. What do I lack in the place where You have kept me? I have been strong from the day I was born. Tuka says: I have reined in every desire toward all other things. Now, O Narayana, I turn from everything else.
What it means
Tukaram begins by admitting there is no point pretending before Vishvambhara, who pervades all things and already knows his heart. But the very love he feels is the one thing he cannot govern: it allows him no moment of composure. He examines himself and finds he lacks nothing in the station God has placed him in, and that his strength was given from birth. So he closes by gathering up every desire that scatters toward other things and turning it, single-pointed, toward Narayana alone.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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