Bridal mysticism, the union with Govinda
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
एकली राणागोविंदा सवें । गेलें ठावें तें जालें ॥१॥
मज न म्हणा न म्हणा शिंदळी । नाहीं विषम जवळीं आतळलें ॥ध्रु.॥
नव्हती देखिली म्यां वाट । म्हणोनि हा धीट संग केला ॥२॥
भेणें मिठी दिधली गळां । सेजे जवळ दडालें ॥३॥
सलगी धरी पयोधर । साहाती करमुर सवें ॥४॥
आहेव मी गर्भीणपणें । हें सांगणें कां लागे ॥५॥
तुका म्हणे सेवटा नेलें । संपादिलें उभयतां ॥६॥
होतें बहुत हें दिवस मानसीं । आजि नवस हे फळले नवसीं ।
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Alone in the wild, I went with Govinda, and what was hidden became known. Do not call me fallen; nothing impure came near me. I had never seen this path before, and that is why I fearlessly kept his company. Out of fright I threw my arms around his neck and hid myself close beside him. With tender boldness he held me. I am a married woman, and my condition speaks for itself; why should I need to explain? Says Tuka, he brought it all to completion, and both of us were fulfilled. This longing had dwelt in my heart for many, many days, and today all my prayers have borne fruit.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Alone in the wild, I went with Govinda, and what was hidden became known. Do not call me, do not call me a fallen woman; nothing impure came near me. I had never seen this path before, so I boldly kept his company. Out of fright I threw my arms around his neck and hid close beside him. With tender boldness he held me. I am a married woman, and now I am with child; why must this even be told? Tuka says: he brought it all to completion, and both of us were fulfilled. This longing had been in my heart for many days, and today my prayer has borne fruit.
What it means
Tukaram sings in the voice of a woman to speak of the soul's secret union with God. She goes off alone with Govinda, and in that solitude what was hidden is finally known. She heads off the scandal at once: do not call her fallen, nothing impure touched her, because this love is not what the gossips imagine. The fright, the clinging to his neck, the hiding close beside him are the soul's first terror and surrender on an unknown path. The pregnancy is the sign that the union truly bore fruit, a thing too plain to need explaining; a longing carried for many days has at last been answered, and both lover and Beloved are fulfilled.
The Necessity of Experience
Why direct experience of God, not mere learning, is the only path.
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