Longing, holding God to His own promise
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तुज जाणें तानें नाहीं पांडुरंगा । कां जी मज सांगा उपेिक्षलें ॥1॥
तुज ठावें होतें मी पातकी थोर । आधीं च कां थार दिधली पायीं ॥ध्रु.॥
अंक तो पडिला हरिचा मी दास । भेद पंगतीस करूं नये ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आह्मी जिंतिलें तें खरें । आतां उणें पुरें तुह्मां अंगीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
You know neither hunger nor thirst, O Panduranga; then why have You forsaken me? You knew all along that I was a great wrongdoer; why then did You first grant me a place at Your feet? The mark has been stamped that I am Hari's servant; there should be no distinction at the feast. Says Tuka, we have won our claim fairly; now any shortcoming belongs to You.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
You know neither hunger nor thirst, O Panduranga. So tell me: why have You forsaken me? You knew all along I was a great sinner. Why then did You first give me a place at Your feet? The mark is stamped: I am Hari's servant. At the feast there should be no separating one from another. Tuka says: we have won our claim fairly. Now any shortfall is on You.
What it means
Tukaram argues with God like a man holding Him to a signed agreement. God lacks nothing, He feels neither hunger nor thirst, so neglect cannot be from need; why then the silence and the distance? The clinching point is that God Himself granted the place at His feet knowing full well the man was a great sinner, so He cannot withdraw it now on that account. The mark of servanthood is already stamped, and at God's own feast no one seated may be set apart from another. So the closing turn is bold but lawful: the devotee has made good his claim, and whatever is still lacking is now God's debt to settle, not his.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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