The quarrel comes to a head, settle it now
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
वेरझारीं जाला सीण । बहु केलें क्षीदक्षीण । भांडणासी दिन । आजी येथें फावला ॥1॥
आतां काय भीड भार । धरूनियां लोकचार । बुडवूनि वेव्हार । सरोबरी करावी ॥ध्रु.॥
आलें बहुतांच्या मना । कां रे न ोसी ााहाणा । मुळींच्या वचना । आह्मी जागों आपुल्या ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे चौघांमधीं । तुज नेलें होतें आधीं । आतां नामधीं । उरी कांहीं राहिली ॥3॥ ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Going back and forth has brought exhaustion; much energy has been wasted. Today is the day the quarrel comes to a head. Now why should I hold back out of social propriety? Let me drown all conventions and settle this once and for all. Many have thought the same: why do You not listen, You stubborn One? We are awake to the original promise. Says Tuka, I had taken You before the assembly once before; now do You still have anything left to withhold?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
All this going back and forth has worn me out. So much strength has drained away. Today is the day the quarrel comes to a head, right here. Now why should I hold back for the sake of appearances? Let me drown all the niceties and settle this once and for all. Many others have thought the same: why do you not listen, you stubborn one? We hold you to your first promise. Tuka says: I had once dragged you before the assembly already. Do you still have anything left to keep back?
What it means
Tukaram, exhausted by endless fruitless approaches to God, decides to stop being polite and force the matter to a conclusion today. He refuses to let social propriety hold him back any longer and calls God stubborn for not answering, insisting on the original promise of grace that he says is owed. He reminds God that he has confronted him publicly before, and demands to know what could possibly be left to withhold. The whole abhanga is the devotee's bold ultimatum: the long, draining wait ends in a refusal to leave until the debt of grace is paid.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
More in this theme →