Longing for Pandhari, God waits
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
संपदा सोहळा नावडे मनाला । करी तें टकळा पंढरीचा ॥1॥
जावें पंढरिसी आवडी मनासी । कधीं एकादशी आषाढी हे ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे ऐसें आर्त ज्याचे मनीं । त्याची चक्रपाणी वाट पाहे ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Wealth and festivity hold no appeal for my mind; it thinks only of Pandhari. The longing to go to Pandhari fills my mind. When will the Ashadhi Ekadashi come? Says Tuka, Chakrapani Himself watches the road, waiting for the one whose mind carries such yearning.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Wealth does not please my mind. Festivals do not please it. It thinks only of Pandhari. My mind loves to go to Pandhari. When will the Ashadhi Ekadashi come? Tuka says: when this ache is in someone's mind, Chakrapani himself watches the road for that one.
What it means
Tukaram measures his longing against the things people usually crave. Riches and celebrations leave him cold; his whole mind leans toward Pandhari and counts the days to the Ashadhi Ekadashi. Then he turns the longing around. The one who aches like this is not chasing an absent God; God is the one who waits. Chakrapani, Vishnu of the discus, stands watching the road for the devotee whose heart carries that yearning, so the wanting itself is already answered from the other side.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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