Lovers' quarrel, the devotee's complaint
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तरी कां वंचनुक सुमनासि वो । नट नाट्य बरें संपादूं जाणतोसि वो ॥१॥
सर हो परता परता हो आतां हरी । म्हणे सत्राजिताची कुमरी ।
जाणतें मी या शब्दाच्या कुसरी । ऐसें च करून ठकविलें आजिवरी ॥ध्रु.॥
भावें गेलें म्हुण न व्हावा वियोग । मनिचे आर्त जन्मांतरीं व्हावा संग ।
तों तों केलें हें पाठमोरें जग । ऐसें काय जाणें हे तुझे रंग ॥२॥
काय करूं या नागविलें कामें । लागलें तयास्तव इतुकें सोसावें ।
नाहीं तरी कां नव्हती ठावीं वर्में । परद्वारीं ऐसा हाकलिती प्रसिद्ध नांवें ॥३॥
काय किती सांगावे तुझे गुण । न फुटे वाणी निष्ठ ऐसा निर्गुण ।
आप पर न म्हणसी माय बहीण । सासूसुनास लावुनि पाहासी भांडण ॥४॥
इतुकियावरी म्हणे वैकुंठिंचा राणा । होऊन गेलें तें नये आणूं मना ।
आतां न करीं तैसें करी क्रिया आणा । भक्तवत्सल म्हणे तुकयाबंधु कान्हा ॥५॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Then why did you deceive the good-hearted one? You are a fine actor who knows how to play every part. Step back, step back now, O Hari, says the daughter of Satrajit. I know the craft of these words. This is how you have tricked everyone until now. Because I came to you with devotion, there should have been no separation. From life to life, my deepest wish was to be with you. Yet you turned the whole world against me. How was I to know these are your ways? What can I do? Love trapped me, and for its sake I endured all this. Otherwise, would I not have known your tricks? At another man's door you would be chased away by your own famous name. How long shall I list your qualities? My tongue cannot finish; you are truly without attributes. You make no distinction between your own and another's, between mother and sister. You set mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law fighting and watch the spectacle. To all this, the King of Vaikuntha replies: what is past cannot be brought back to mind. I will not do so again; take this as my solemn vow. Says Tuka, the lover of devotees, Krishna, speaks these words.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Then why did you deceive the good-hearted one? You are a fine actor; you know how to play every part. Step back, step back now, Hari, says the daughter of Satrajit. I know the craft of your words. This is how you have tricked everyone until now. Because I came to you with love, there should have been no parting. From birth to birth my heart's longing was to be with you. Yet you turned the whole world against me. How was I to know these are your ways? What can I do? Love trapped me, and for its sake I bore all this. Otherwise, would I not have known your tricks? At another man's door you would be chased away by your own famous name. How long shall I count your qualities? My tongue cannot finish. You are truly without attributes. You make no difference between your own and another's, between mother and sister. You set mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law fighting and watch the show. To all this the King of Vaikuntha says: what is past cannot be brought back to mind. I will not do it again; take this as my vow. Tuka says: the lover of devotees, Krishna, speaks these words.
What it means
Satyabhama, daughter of Satrajit, scolds Krishna as a smooth-talking actor who has tricked everyone, and her complaint doubles as the soul's complaint to a God who seems to play games with it. She names the wound: she came in love and still suffered separation, life after life. Her listing of his faults turns into praise in spite of itself, since calling him nirguna, beyond all attributes, is the highest word she can reach. Krishna answers simply that the past is past and vows not to repeat it. The exchange dramatizes how the devotee's grievance against the Lord dissolves into the recognition that he is the very thing she cannot stop loving.
Krishna Leela
Poems celebrating Krishna's birth, childhood, and divine play.
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