Longing, home of the homeless
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
ये गा महाविष्णु अनंतभुजाच्या । आह्मां अनाथांच्या माहेरा ये ॥1॥
भेटावया तुज ओढे माझा जीव । एकवेळा पाय दावीं डोळां ॥ध्रु.॥
आणीक हे आर्त नाहीं नारायणा । ओढे हे वासना भेटावया ॥2॥
वाटे चित्तीं काय करावा विचार । चरण सुंदर पहावया ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे माझे पुरवीं मनोरथ । येई गा न संवरीत पांडुरंगा ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Come, O great Vishnu of infinite arms, come to us, the home of the homeless. My jiva strains to meet You. Show me Your feet just once before my eyes. I have no other longing, O Narayana. This desire, this yearning, is only to meet You. I keep wondering in my chitta what to do, how to behold those beautiful feet. Says Tuka, fulfill my chitta's desire. Come without restraint, O Panduranga.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Come, great Vishnu of countless arms, come to us, the home of the homeless. My life strains toward meeting You. Show me Your feet just once before my eyes. I have no other longing, Narayana. This desire, this yearning, is only to meet You. I keep wondering in my mind what I should do to see those beautiful feet. Tuka says: fulfill my heart's desire. Come without holding back, Panduranga.
What it means
Tukaram calls on the vast cosmic Vishnu and asks Him to become something small and intimate: a home for those who have none. His whole life pulls toward one encounter, and he keeps the request modest, just one sight of the feet. He is careful to say there is no second wish hidden behind it; this single yearning has no rival. The restless turning of his mind, wondering what act could earn the vision, is part of the ache. The final plea asks God to drop all reserve and come fully, without measuring what He gives.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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