Longing, arms held open
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पसरूनि राहिलों बाहो । सोयी अहो तुमचिये ॥1॥
आतां यावें लागवेगें । पांडुरंगे धांवत ॥ध्रु.॥
बैसायाची इच्छा कडे। चाली खडे रुपताती ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे कृपाळुवा । करीन सेवा लागली ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I have spread my arms wide, facing Your direction. Now come quickly, O Panduranga, come running. I long to sit on Your lap; my feet stumble upon the rough stones of the path. Says Tuka, O Merciful One, the longing for Your service has taken hold of me.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I stand with my arms spread wide, turned toward you. Now come quickly, Panduranga, come running. I long to sit upon your lap; the path's sharp stones cut into my feet. Tuka says: O Merciful One, the longing for your service has taken hold of me.
What it means
Tukaram paints himself as a child standing with arms flung open, facing God's direction and begging Panduranga to come at a run. The wish to be lifted onto God's lap is set against the pain of the road, the rough stones cutting his feet, which gives the longing its urgency. He is not asking for ease alone but for nearness and for the chance to serve. The closing line names the force driving the whole poem: a longing for God's service has gripped him, and he can only call the Merciful One to come.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
More in this theme →