Longing for solitude with God
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
दुखवलें चित्त आजिच्या प्रसंगें । बहु पीडा जगें केली देवा ॥1॥
कधीं हा संबंध तोडिसी तें नेणें । आठवूनि मनें पाय असें ॥ध्रु.॥
आणिकांची येती अंतरा अंतरें । सुखदुःख बरेंवाइट तीं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे घडे एकांताचा वास । तरिच या नास संबंधाचा॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
My chitta has been hurt by today's events; the world has caused me great pain, O God. I do not know when You will sever this bond, but I keep my mind fixed on Your feet. The feelings of others come and go, mixed with joy and sorrow, good and bad. Says Tuka, only if I can dwell in solitude will this web of worldly ties be destroyed.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
My mind is hurt by what happened today; the world has given me much pain, God. I do not know when You will cut this bond, but I remember it and keep Your feet before me. Other people's feelings keep coming and going inside me, mixed good and bad, joy and sorrow. Tuka says: only if I can live in solitude will this web of ties be destroyed.
What it means
Tukaram is speaking out of a wounded day and turning the wound into a prayer. The world's dealings have hurt him, and he confesses he does not know when God will sever the bond that keeps tying him to it; meanwhile he holds Vitthal's feet in mind as his anchor. He names the source of the disturbance: other people's moods and affairs keep entering him, dragging in their mixture of pleasure and pain. The conclusion he reaches is that the only thing that will finally break this web of worldly attachment is dwelling in solitude with God.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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