Prayer, leaving the choice to God
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
साच मज काय कळों नये देवा । काय तुझी सेवा काहे नव्हे ॥1॥
करावें तें बरें जेणें समाधान । सेवावें हें वन न बोलावें ॥ध्रु.॥
शुद्ध माझा भाव होइल तुझे पायीं । तरि च हें देई निवडूनि ॥2॥
उचित अनुचित कळों आली गोष्टी । तुझे कृपादृष्टी पांडुरंगा ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे मज पायांसवे चाड । सांगसी तें गोड आहे मज ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Truly, why can I not come to know, O God? Why does Your service not come about for me? Do what brings contentment. Serve this forest, and speak not. If my bhava at Your feet becomes pure, then grant it, having discerned. What is proper and what is not has become clear by Your gracious glance, O Panduranga. Says Tuka, I care only for Your feet. Whatever You tell me is sweet to me.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Truly, why can I not understand, O God? Why does Your service not come about for me? Do whatever brings peace; let me serve in this forest and not speak. If my love at Your feet becomes pure, then grant it, having sorted it out. What is right and what is wrong has become clear by Your gracious glance, O Panduranga. Tuka says: I care only for Your feet. Whatever You tell me is sweet to me.
What it means
Tukaram begins baffled, asking why understanding and true service keep eluding him, then stops pushing and hands the matter over. He tells God to do whatever brings real peace, even if that means quiet service in the forest with no words of his own. He asks only that, if his love at the feet is genuine, God himself sort it out and grant it. He credits whatever discernment he has of right and wrong to God's gracious glance, not his own wisdom. The ending settles the whole prayer: he wants nothing but the feet, and so whatever God tells him he receives as sweet.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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