Longing, pull me out of the fire
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
नाहीं सुख मज न लगे हा मान । न राहे हें जन काय करूं ॥१॥
देहउपचारें पोळतसे अंग । विषतुल्य चांग मिष्टान्न तें ॥ध्रु.॥
नाइकवे स्तुति वाणितां थोरीव । होतो माझा जीव कासावीस ॥२॥
तुज पावें ऐसी सांग कांहीं कळा । नको मृगजळा गोवूं मज ॥३॥
तुका म्हणे आतां करीं माझें हित । काढावें जळत आगींतूनि ॥४॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I find no pleasure in worldly comforts, I have no use for honor, and people will not leave me alone; what am I to do? Comforts of the body scorch my skin; fine delicacies taste like poison. I cannot bear to hear anyone's praise or have my greatness described; it makes my soul writhe. Tell me some means by which I may reach you; do not entangle me in mirages. Says Tuka, work now for my true welfare and pull me out of this fire.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I find no pleasure in this. I have no use for honor. People will not leave me alone. What am I to do? Comforts of the body scorch my skin. Fine rich food tastes like poison. I cannot bear to hear praise, to have my greatness described. It makes my soul writhe. Tell me some way to reach you. Do not tangle me in mirages. Tuka says: now do what is truly good for me. Pull me, burning, out of the fire.
What it means
Tukaram is begging to be rescued from the very things people chase. Honor, comfort, rich food, praise: each one repels him, scorching his skin, tasting like poison, making his soul twist when he hears it. The only thing he wants is a way to reach God, and he asks not to be deceived by mirages, the false satisfactions that look like fulfillment and are not. The closing cry names the stakes plainly: he is on fire, and he asks God to do what is actually good for him and drag him out.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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