Longing, the pull to Pandhari
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
पंढरीसी जावें ऐसें माझें मनीं । विठाई जननी भेटे केव्हां ॥1॥
न लगे त्याविण सुखाचा सोहळा । लागे मज ज्वाळा अिग्नचिया ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे त्याचे पाहिलिया पाय । मग दुःख जाय सर्व माझें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
My mind longs to go to Pandhari. When will I meet Vithabai, my mother? Without Him, no celebration brings happiness. The flames of fire scorch me. Says Tuka, once I have seen His feet, all my sorrow will vanish.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
My mind longs to go to Pandhari. When will I meet Vithabai, my mother? Without Him no celebration brings me any joy. The flames of fire scorch me. Tuka says: once I have seen His feet, all my sorrow will go.
What it means
Tukaram's whole mind is leaning toward Pandhari, aching for the moment he meets Vithoba, whom he addresses tenderly as mother. Apart from that, no festival or pleasure touches him; he says he burns as if in fire. He names exactly what would end it: the sight of those feet. The poem makes the cure single and concrete, not relief or distraction but the darshan of God, after which the sorrow simply leaves.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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