Abhanga 3576
The deepest longing is not for things or answers but simply to see the face of someone you love, and the aching wait itself can be its own form of prayer.
The verse
भेटीलागीं पंढरिनाथा । जीवीं लागली तळमळ व्यथा ॥१॥
कैं कृपा करिसी नेणें । मज दीनाचें धांवणें ॥ध्रु.॥
सीणलें माझें मन । वाट पाहातां लोचन ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे भूक । तुझें पाहावया मुख ॥३॥
Literal translation
Bhēṭīlāgīm pamḍharināthā — for meeting Pamḍharī-nātha; jīvīm lāgalī taḷamaḷa vyathā — taḷamaḷa-vyathā has attached in my jīva. Kaīm krpā karisī neṇe — when (you) will do krpā, (I) don't know; maja dīnāche dhāmvaṇe — (this is) this poor-one's running. Sīṇale māze mana — my mind is exhausted; vāṭa pāhātām lōchana — eyes watching the path. Tukā mhaṇe bhūkha — Tukā says: hunger; tujhe pāhāvayā mukha — to see your mukha.
What it means
A 3-verse canonical yearning prayer. To-meet-Pandhari-nātha, restless-distress has-fastened-on-my-jīva; I-don't-know-when-you'll-give-krpā; this-poor-one keeps-running-after-you; mind-tired, eyes-watching-path — the-hunger is to-see-your-mukha. Taḷamaḷa is the body-soul's restless-distress; the watching-path-with-eyes is a stock-image of bhakti.
For someone today
The deepest bhūkha is not for things but for a face you love. The path-watching itself is the prayer.
मराठी: पंढरीनाथाला भेटण्यासाठी तुकारामांच्या जिवाला तळमळ लागली आहे; कधी कृपा होईल हे माहीत नाही, तरी हा दीन जीव धावतच राहतो. मन शिणले आहे, डोळे वाट पाहत आहेत — खरी भूक वस्तूंची नाही, तर तुझे मुख पाहण्याची आहे. ती वाट पाहणेच खरी प्रार्थना आहे.
Where this applies
- When you miss someone so much that the longing feels like a physical ache rather than just a thought
- When you keep watching for a sign that help or reunion is coming, even without knowing when
- When you realize that what you actually want is not an answer or a solution, just to see a beloved face again
- When waiting itself feels exhausting but you cannot stop hoping