Longing, when will grace dawn
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कई देखतां होईन डोळीं । सकळां भूतीं मूतिन सांवळी। जीवा नांव भूमंडळीं । जळीं स्थळीं काष्ठीं पाषाणीं ॥1॥
ऐसा कृपा करील नारायण । जीव जगाचा होईन । प्रेमसागरीं बुडईन । होईल स्नान अनुतापीं ॥ध्रु.॥
ऐसा कई येईन दैवास । दृश्य नासोनि जाईल आस । सदा संतचरणीं देहाचा वास । सेवीन शेष धणीवरी ॥2॥
कई नवसा येतील अंकुर । सुखा नाहींसा होईल पार । अमृत तें पृथ्वीजळ सागर । वाहाती पूर आनंदाचे ॥3॥
प्रसन्न दया क्षमा शांति । कई नवविधा होईल भक्ति । भोगीन वैराग्यसंपित्त । मनोरथ कळती तई पुरले ॥4॥
तुकयाबंधु ह्मणे सांग । नव्हे तुजविण निरसेना पांग । ह्मणोनि घातलें साष्टांग । पांडुरंगा वरी चरणा ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
When will I see with these eyes the dark-hued form in all beings, the one who bears the name "soul" throughout the earth, in water, on land, in wood and stone? When will Narayana show such mercy that I become the very life of the world? When will I be drowned in an ocean of love and bathed in the waters of repentance? When will such fortune dawn upon me that all appearance of the visible world dissolves along with all desire? May I dwell always at the feet of saints, partaking of their sacred remnants until fully satisfied. When will the seeds of my vows sprout, and happiness overflow beyond all measure? When the nectar of earth, water, and ocean will flow in floods of bliss. When will grace, forgiveness, patience, and peace manifest? When will ninefold devotion arise? When will I enjoy the wealth of detachment? Then alone will I know my longings have been fulfilled. Says Tukayabandhu, tell me, for without You this restlessness will not be quieted. Therefore I fall prostrate before the feet of Panduranga.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
When will I see with these eyes the dark-hued form in all beings, the one who bears the name "soul" across the earth, in water, on land, in wood and stone? When will Narayana show such mercy that I become the very life of the world? When will I be drowned in an ocean of love and bathed in the waters of repentance? When will such fortune dawn on me that all the visible world dissolves along with every desire? Let me dwell always at the feet of the saints, taking their sacred leavings until I am full. When will the seeds of my vows sprout, and happiness pour out past all measure? When will the nectar of earth, water, and ocean flow in floods of bliss? When will grace, forgiveness, patience, and peace appear? When will ninefold devotion arise? When will I enjoy the wealth of detachment? Only then will I know my longings are fulfilled. Tukayabandhu says: tell me, for without you this restlessness will not be stilled. So I fall flat before the feet of Panduranga.
What it means
The whole abhanga is one long ache of when, a list of graces Tukaram cannot give himself and can only wait for. He wants to see the dark-hued form in every being, in water and stone alike, to be drowned in love and washed clean by repentance, until the visible world and all its desires dissolve. He counts off what he is longing for, a seat at the feet of the saints, ninefold devotion, the wealth of detachment, peace and forgiveness, and recognizes that each is a gift, not an achievement. That is why the question is aimed at God: without him the restlessness will not quiet, so the poem ends face-down before Panduranga's feet, the question turned into surrender.
Longing and Separation
Cries from the dark night of the soul: remonstrances, complaints, and desperate yearning.
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