Tambe’s Brand of Spirituality : Part 3

Tambe’s Brand of Spirituality : Part 3: Jana Palbhar Mhantil

27th October marks the birth anniversary of great Marathi poet Mr Bha Ra Tambe. He was born in 1873 in a small town called Mugawali near Gwalior. His poetry has always drawn me towards it since an age when I didn’t even fully understand the meaning of its words like I do now. At this age the beauty of that poetry shines with a new radiance. There is a simplicity in his words. Besides accurate depictions of human emotions, beautiful imagery of nature along with pure devotion are infused in those word, with a rare and amazing subtlety that reaches straight into the heart. Whenever such exquisite poetry is presented in the ethereal voice of Lata Didi it gains even more divine power. One such precious jewel is the following poem:

 जन पळभर म्हणतिल हाय हाय

It is really remarkable how the interior mileu of our thinking interprets literature and dictates our reactions to it. For several years I looked at this song with more than a tinge of sadness and tasted even a bit of sourness in its essence. My mind responded like an average human being invested into this life would respond when confronted with the awareness that their death is going to be quickly forgotten and the world would waste no time to move on. This realization can be quite painful for any average person who quite naturally expects to be loved by another person or persons. We need to not just love another person, we also desire for love to be reciprocated. And that may not always happen. Nor can it be forced upon. Under such circumstances the natural tendency is to experience sadness and loneliness. In more serious cases, even despair. These emotions when they linger for long can drown the person into further darkness with feelings of inadequacy, hopelessness, purposelessness, and futility of living. Living in that situation is utterly painful. 

I am reminded of an old Hindi song from the movie Chhoti Behen. The lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri pens:

जाऊँ कहाँ बता ऐ दिल दुनिया बड़ी है संगदिल

चाँदनी आई घर जलाने सूझे ना कोई मंज़िल

Tell me, o my lonely heart, where do I go from here? The world is heartless, unfeeling. The starlit night, instead of lighting up my home, is burning it down. My mind is in a state of confusion and can’t think of where it wants to go. 

बन के टूटे यहाँ आरज़ू के महल

ये ज़मीं आसमाँ भी गए हैं बदल

कहती है जिंदगी इस जहाँ से निकल

This is a place where palaces of desires are built, only to collapse. Even earth and sky are impermanent, and ever changing. Life is urging me to leave this world.

हाय इस पार तो आँसुओं की डगर

जाने उस पार क्या हो किसे है ख़बर

ठोकरें खा रही हर क़दम पर नज़र

Alas, on this shore, is a road bathed in tears. Nobody knows what is on the other shore. Wherever I set my sight  there is hurt and disappointment.

Jaipuri’s poem here speaks of a directionless mess, disillusionment with the world and life’s despair. Human beings from various age groups can relate with such situations fraught with loneliness at one point or another in their lives. 

Several things set Tambe apart from other poets who talk about the hollowness of the world. One is his remarkable sensitivity . Here is a poet who understands the pain of seeing oneself distanced from the only world he has known. Without directly mentioning the pain he paints the picture so vividly that the listener or reader does not merely understand but can feel the emotions that come into play when you are face to face with the truth that you are not indispensable for anyone. You could have poured your heart and entire lifetime into making other lives better but that doesn’t mean those lives will be paralyzed without you. 

His words combine matter-of-fact realities of the world with a right amount of softness towards the human mind. He attempts to soften the blow by gently counseling the hurt mind like a true friend. 

His ability to understand pain is accompanied by a surprising optimism in the face of disillusionment. Between the lines is the comforting reassurance that I know how hard this is for you to accept but if you trust me, you don’t have to suffer through this painful reality. Although he writes it in the form of a soliloquy, any reader can effortlessly find themselves as the first person in the monologue. Such is the universality and relatability of his expression. 

जन पळभर म्हणतिल हाय हाय

जन पळभर म्हणतिल हाय हाय

मी जाता राहिल कार्य काय?

People will lament for a short time after I am gone. But would any work be shutdown or suffer ?

सूर्य तळपतिल चंद्र झळकतिल

तारे अपुला क्रम आचरतिल

असेच वारे पुढे वाहतिल

होईल काहि का अंतराय?

The suns will continue to blaze, moons will beam their bright lights. Stars will continue their journey( night after night). The winds will keep gusting forward. Will anything change in the universe?

मेघ वर्षतिल शेते पिकतिल

गर्वाने या नद्या वाहतिल

कुणा काळजी की न उमटतिल

पुन्हा तटावर हेच पाय?

The clouds will deliver rain, the fields will ripen with the crop. The rivers will swell with pride and keep flowing. Who would care that these (my) footprints will no longer be seen in the sand?

सखेसोयरे डोळे पुसतिल

पुन्हा आपुल्या कामिं लागतिल

उठतिल बसतिल हसुनि खिदळतिल

Near and dear ones will grieve briefly, then wipe their tears and get back to work. Life will resume like before and they will soon be laughing (forgetful of the loss).

अशा जगास्तव काय कुढावे

मोहिं कुणाच्या का गुंतावे?

हरिदूता का विन्मुख व्हावे?

का जिरवु नये शांतीत काय?

What sense does it make to stay worried about this world? Isn’t it foolish to remain infatuated with anyone? Why should one lose oneself in the love of a fellow human being? 

Jaipuri’s song ended on a note of being lost in the world. It can be taken as a classic example of the outlook of a mind that has never dared to explore beyond its mortal existence. In contrast, Tambe’s poem, in its concluding lines, provides a glimpse into a mind steeped in faith, a mind that is, at the very least, aware of a spiritual realm. These lines provide an intriguing glimpse into the poet’s own spiritual journey. 

From his insights arises a light of optimism which is starkly absent in the Jaipuri lyrics. Through this poem Tambe’s voice offers a direction to the lost soul. With a gentle nudge he suggests: 

हरिदूता का विन्मुख व्हावे?

का जिरवु नये शांतीत काय?

Why not pay heed to the messengers of God? ( Hari doot is a reference to true saints.)

Why not immerse yourself in the experience of lasting peace?

मी जाता राहिल कार्य काय?

जन पळभर म्हणतिल हाय हाय

No worldly business will be affected when I am dead. People will grieve only momentarily.

Saints are people like us who, more often than not, have endured much hardship, suffering and worldly disillusionment and sought after spiritual experience and, through that experience, realized God in His true nature. Rather than take the guidance of short-sighted, fake gurus who lack personal experience and expect all sorts of things from you, why be averse to the words of genuine saints who can show you the path to real peace? Who can teach you to live and contribute in the world without expecting anything from the world. Who can change your experience of disillusionment and loneliness to one of purpose and fulfillment. Take you from emptiness to fullness. It is simply a matter of changing the way we look at ourselves, at things and at the world. Our outlook defines our reality. If and when we are uncomfortable with our reality perhaps a bit of saint literature would do good. 

I have cited the song from the pen of respected lyricist Mr Hasrat Jaipuri simply to serve as a sample of how an ordinary person caught in the midst of loss and loneliness would think and feel. For a lyricist, the words are constructed to serve the storytelling of the particular movie. They are usually not the personal philosophies of the poet. Thus, in no way, I am trying to criticize Mr.Jaipuri. 

Tambe’s poem, however, is a spontaneous expression of his personal feelings and spiritual understanding. It therefore offers us a much different and wider context than any fictional character from a movie script can provide. In contrast to my earlier reaction to this poem (as was discussed in the beginning sections of this tribute), at the present time there is neither sadness nor sourness perceived while acknowledging that the people who I’ve known, my world as I have known, will forget me instantly after I’m gone. Instead the poem serves as a reminder of the peace that lies within and of the knowledge that gives the impetus to rise each morning and do as much good as possible knowing that life is short and the world can do with a little more good.

The greatness of the poet lies in the generations his words continue to inspire. Once you understand the deeper significance of the words in his poetry you will perhaps agree with me that Mr Tambe was a genius. His contributions towards the Marathi language are treasures that are peerless as much as they are priceless. 

My salutations to this great man. 🙏🏼🙏🏼

 I acknowledge that the lyrics of both the poems discussed in this article as well as Mr. Tambe’s photo are copied from sources on the internet and used only for reference. The discussion is entirely original coming through me.

P.S This blog contains discussion on this same poem dated May 7, 2024. Do refer to it for additional thoughts.