Longing, union or annihilation
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नाहीं जों वेचलों जिवाचिया त्यागें । तोंवरी वाउगें काय बोलों ॥1॥
जाणिवलें आतां करीं ये उदेश । जोडी किंवा नाश तुमची जीवें ॥ध्रु.॥
ठायींचे चि आलें होतें ऐसें मना । जावें ऐसें वना दृढ जालें ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे मग वेचीन उत्तरें । उद्धेसिलें खरें जाल्यावरी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Until I have truly spent myself in the sacrifice of my life, why speak empty words? Now, with full awareness, I make this resolve: either union with You or annihilation in the attempt. This intention had been in my mind from the very beginning; the determination to go to the forest has grown firm. Says Tuka, then I shall spend my words, once what is true has been proven.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Until I have truly spent myself, giving up my very life, why should I speak empty words? Now, with full awareness, I make my resolve: either union with You, or my ruin in the attempt. This was in my mind from the very start. The will to go to the forest has grown firm. Tuka says: then I shall spend my words, once what is true has been proven.
What it means
Tukaram sets a final term to his seeking. He refuses to keep talking until he has staked his whole life on it, and he names the only two outcomes he will accept: union with God or destruction in the trying. He says this was his intention from the beginning, and now the resolve to withdraw to the forest has hardened into something settled. The verse lands the stakes of bhakti at their sharpest, where words are worthless until the life behind them has been laid down, and Tukaram promises to speak again only after the truth is proven.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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