Abhanga 4390
Admiring someone's beauty or virtues from a distance is not enough when your heart is aching for real closeness, only the actual meeting brings true rest.
The verse
कटावरी कर कासया ठेविले । जननी विठ्ठले जीवलगे॥१॥
शंखचक्रगदाकमळमंडित । आयुधें मंडित कृष्णाबाईं ॥ध्रु.॥
क्षण एक धीर होत नाहीं चित्ति । केव्हां पंढरिनाथा भेटशील ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे हें चि करीं देई । तई च विश्रामा पावईंन ॥३॥
Literal translation
Why-hand-on-kaṭi — janani-Viṭṭhalē-jīvalagē. Śankha-chakra-gadā-kamaḷa — āyudha-maṇḍita-Krṣṇā-bāī. No-kṣaṇa-dhīra-chitti — when-meet-Paṇḍharī-nāthā. Tukā: do-this — then-attain-rest.
What it means
A 3-verse feminine-Viṭṭhalā-impatience-text. Why do you keep the hand on your waist? — mother-Viṭhṭhal, life-friend. Adorned with conch, discus, mace, lotus — weapon-adorned Krṣṇā-mother. Not even a moment's patience is in my heart — when will you meet me, Paṇḍharī-nāthā? Tukā says: do this very thing — only then will I attain rest. The image: the iconic Viṭṭhal-pose (hands-on-hips standing on brick) is questioned-affectionately — why are you just standing-with-hand-on-waist? Come and embrace me. Pair with 4389 (companion feminized-address), 4371 (Puṇḍalīka-pinned-the-bhūta sama-charaṇa-on-viṭā).
For someone today
Tukaram playfully questions the famous standing image of Vitthal, hands resting on hips, asking why the one he calls mother and dearest friend just stands there like that instead of coming closer. He notices all the beautiful ornaments and emblems, the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, and still cannot stay patient looking at them from a distance. He admits he does not have even a moment's patience left in his heart and asks directly when Panduranga will finally come and meet him. He ends by saying that only the actual meeting, not the waiting or the admiring from afar, will finally give him rest.
मराठी: तुकाराम विठ्ठलाच्या त्या प्रसिद्ध कमरेवर हात ठेवलेल्या उभ्या रूपाला खेळकरपणे प्रश्न विचारतात — आई आणि जिवलग मित्र म्हणवणारा तू असा उभाच का राहतोस, जवळ का येत नाहीस? शंख, चक्र, गदा, कमळ या सुंदर आयुधांनी सजलेले रूप पाहूनही त्यांना दुरूनच पाहत राहणे सहन होत नाही. आपल्या मनात एक क्षणभरही धीर उरलेला नाही असे ते कबूल करतात आणि थेट विचारतात की पंढरीनाथ शेवटी कधी भेटणार. शेवटी ते म्हणतात की केवळ वाट पाहणे किंवा दुरून कौतुक करणे नव्हे, तर प्रत्यक्ष भेटच त्यांना खरी विश्रांती देईल.
Where this applies
- When you admire something beautiful from a distance but really want closeness, not just observation
- When you have run out of patience waiting for someone you love to finally show up
- When appreciating someone's qualities from afar no longer satisfies your longing to actually be with them
- When you realize that only real connection, not more waiting, will bring you peace