Longing, the touchstone of grace
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जालिया दर्शन करीन मी सेवा । आणीक ही देवा न लगे दुजें ॥1॥
प्रारब्धा अंगीं अन्न आच्छादन । िस्थर करोनि मन ठेवीं पायीं ॥ध्रु.॥
ये गा ये गा ये गा कृपाळुवा हरी । निववीं अभ्यंतरीं देउनि भेटी ॥2॥
आसावलें मन जीवनाचे ओढी । नामरूपें गोडी लावियेली ॥3॥
काय तुह्मांपाशीं नाहीं भांडवल । माझे मिथ्या बोल जाती ऐसे ॥4॥
काय लोखंडाचे पाहे गुण दोष । सिवोनि परिस सोनें करी ॥5॥
तुका ह्मणे माझें अवघें असों द्यावें। आपुलें करावें ब्रीद साच ॥6॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Once I behold You, I shall serve You; I need nothing else, O God. Let destiny provide what the body needs for food and clothing; I will keep my mind steady at Your feet. Come, O come, O come, compassionate Hari; soothe my inner being with the gift of Your presence. My mind thirsts for You as for life-giving water; You have made me love Your Name and form. Have You no capital at Your disposal? Do my words then go to waste? Does the touchstone examine the virtues and faults of iron? It touches and turns it to gold. Says Tuka, let all of mine remain as it is; just make Your own promise come true.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Once I see You, I will serve You. I want nothing else, O God. Let my destiny bring the food and clothing this body needs; I will keep my mind still at Your feet. Come, come, come, merciful Hari. Cool me within by giving me Your meeting. My mind thirsts for You as for water. You have made Your Name and form sweet to me. Have You no wealth of Your own? Then are my words for nothing? Does the touchstone weigh the iron's faults and virtues? It touches the iron and turns it to gold. Tuka says: let all that is mine stay as it is. Make Your own promise come true.
What it means
Tukaram asks for only one thing, a sight of God, and offers his whole service in return; everything else, the body's food and clothing, he leaves to destiny. He calls and calls, thirsting, and then he presses God with an argument. The touchstone does not examine the iron before transforming it; it simply touches and turns it to gold. So Tukaram refuses to let his own worthlessness be the test. He asks God to act on God's own nature and keep God's standing promise to lift the fallen, rather than wait for the devotee to qualify.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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