Longing, holding God to his word
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तरि कां मागें वांयां कीर्ती वाढविली । जनांत आपुली िब्रदावळी ॥1॥
साच करितां आतां फिरसी माघारा । ठायींचें दातारा नेणवेचि ॥ध्रु.॥
संतांसी श्रीमुख कैसें दाखविसी । पुढें मात त्यांसी सांगईन ॥2॥
घेईन डांगोरा तुझिया नामाचा । नव्हे अनाथांचा नाथ ऐसा ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे आधीं राहिलों मरोनि । तूं कां होसी धनी निमित्याचा ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Then why did You spread Your fame throughout the world for nothing? Why did You trumpet Your own pledges among the people? When it comes to making good on Your word, You turn away, O benefactor; one cannot fathom Your true nature. How will You face the saints? I will speak of this matter to them. I will proclaim abroad that You are no true protector of the helpless. Says Tuka, I would rather have died before all this; why do You take ownership of causes You will not fulfill?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Then why did you spread your fame through the world for nothing? Why did you proclaim your own pledges among the people? When it is time to make them good, you turn back, O giver; your true nature cannot be known. How will you show your face to the saints? I will tell them of this. I will beat the drum and announce your Name abroad: this one is no true Lord of the helpless. Tuka says: I would sooner have died first; why do you take ownership of a cause you will not carry out?
What it means
Tukaram is doing something daring: holding God to his own advertised promises. If God let his fame as rescuer of the helpless spread everywhere, then turning away now makes that fame a lie. The threat to expose this to the saints and to proclaim it abroad is the language of a devotee who feels his trust was solicited and then betrayed. Underneath the bold accusation is a plea: by warning that he will publish God's failure, he is really begging God to keep faith and not let the relationship end in shame.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
More in this theme →