Longing, what gift did Vitthal send
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
काय पाठविलें । सांगा भातुकें विठ्ठलें ॥1॥
आसे लागलासे जीव । काय केली माझी कींव ॥ध्रु.॥
फेडिलें मुडतर । किंवा कांहीं जरजर ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे सांगा । कैसें आर्त पांडुरंगा॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Tell me, what gift has Vitthal sent? My jiva is on edge; did He show any compassion for me? Has the old debt been settled, or is there still some lingering concern? Says Tuka, tell me how Panduranga feels.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Tell me, what gift has Vitthal sent? My jiva is on edge. Did he show me any pity? Has the old debt been cleared, or is something still wearing me down? Tuka says: tell me, how does Panduranga feel toward me?
What it means
Still questioning the pilgrim-messengers, Tukaram asks what token Vitthal sent back, the way one waits for a sign of love from far off. His soul is strung tight, and the real questions are about the heart, not the gift: did God show him compassion? He asks whether the old debt, his account of failings and longing, has finally been settled, or whether some unfinished thing still grinds at him. The plea ends where it began, wanting only to know how Panduranga truly feels toward him.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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