Surrender, holding God to his own promise
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जैसीं तैसीं तरी । शरणागतें तुझीं हरी ॥1॥
आतां न पाहिजे केलें । ब्रीद लटिकें आपुलें ॥ध्रु.॥
शुद्ध नाहीं चित्त । परी ह्मणवितों भक्त ॥2॥
मज कोण पुसे रंका । नाम सांगे तुझें तुका ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
However imperfect we may be, we are still Yours, O Hari, surrendered at Your feet. Now do not let Your own promise be proved false. My chitta is not pure, yet I call myself Your devotee. Who would pay attention to a poor wretch like me? Says Tuka, I simply repeat Your Name.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
However we are, good or bad, we are still Yours, Hari, fallen at Your feet for refuge. Now do not let it happen; do not let Your own pledge be proved false. My mind is not pure, yet I call myself Your devotee. Who would even ask after a beggar like me? Tuka says: I only speak Your Name.
What it means
Tukaram comes with empty hands and turns that emptiness into his claim. He admits he is not pure and not worthy, then makes the worthlessness itself the ground of his appeal: he has surrendered, so by Hari's own standing reputation as the saver of the fallen, the Lord cannot now abandon him. The poem holds God to his promise; to refuse this beggar would make that famous pledge a lie. Tukaram has nothing to offer except that he speaks the Name and calls himself a devotee, and he stakes everything on God's character rather than his own merit. It is the prayer of one who knows that no one else would bother with him, and that this is exactly why God must.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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