Prayer, the cow and her calf
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
धेनु चरे वनांतरीं । चित्त बाळकापें घरीं ॥1॥
तैसें करीं वो माझे आई । ठाव देऊनि राखें पायीं ॥ध्रु.॥
न काढितां तळमळी । जिवनाबाहेर मासोळी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे कुडी । जीवाप्राणांची आवडी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
A cow grazes in the distant forest, yet her mind remains with her calf at home. In the same way, O my Mother, keep me sheltered at your feet. A fish pulled from water thrashes in torment even before it is lifted out. Says Tuka, such is this body's longing; the jiva clings to the breath within it.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
The cow grazes far off in the forest. All the while her mind is at home with her calf. Do that for me, O my Mother. Give me a place at your feet and keep me there. A fish out of water thrashes in pain; it suffers even before it is lifted out. Tuka says: such is this poor body's longing; the jiva clings to the breath inside it.
What it means
Tukaram is asking for one thing: that wherever he goes, his attention stay fixed on God. He gives two homely pictures to name the kind of attachment he means. The cow can wander far to graze, yet her heart never leaves the calf at home, so he asks the Mother to hold him at her feet that way. The fish shows the other side: torn from its element, it thrashes in agony, because the creature cannot live apart from what keeps it alive. He is saying that the soul clings to God the way breath clings to a living body, and prays that the bond never be broken.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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