Complaint, the Lord who turns away
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आह्मां बोल लावा । तुह्मां अनुचित हें देवा ॥1॥
ऐसें सांगा कां व्यालेती । काय नाहीं तुह्मां हातीं ॥ध्रु.॥
आतां धरा दुरी । वांयां दवडाया थोरी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे ठायीं । ऐसें विचारावें पायीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
To make us speak and then ignore us is unbecoming of You, O Lord. Tell me then, why did You bring this into being? Is there nothing in Your power? Now set aside the habit of squandering Your glory at a distance. Says Tuka, reflect upon this at Your feet.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
You made us speak, and now You ignore us. That is not right of You, Lord. Tell me then: why did You give us birth? Is there nothing in Your power? Now You hold Yourself far away. You waste Your own greatness for nothing. Tuka says: think this over carefully, there at Your own feet.
What it means
Tukaram presses a grievance straight at God, with the boldness of someone who knows he is owed an answer. He says God called these creatures into being, gave them a voice, and then walked away; that is unworthy of a Lord who can do anything. The sting is in the question, why bring us into existence at all if You mean to neglect us. By staying distant, God squanders the very greatness that being a savior would show. Tukaram asks Him to sit with this and weigh it, since the fault, if there is one, is His own.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
More in this theme →