Prayer, show me what You showed the saints
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
उद्धवअक्रूरासी । आणीक व्यासआंबॠषी । रुक्मांगदाप्रल्हादासी । दाविलें तें दाखवीं ॥1॥
तरि मी पाहेन पाहेन। तुझे श्रीमुखचरण । उताविळ मन । तयाकारणें तेथें ॥ध्रु.॥
जनकश्रुतदेवा करीं । कैसा शोभलासी हरी । विदुराच्या घरीं । कण्या धरी कवतुकें ॥2॥
पांडवा अकांतीं । तेथें पावसी स्मरती । घातलें द्रौपदी । यागीं बिरडें चोळीचें ॥3॥
करी गोपीचें कवतुक । गाईगोपाळांसी सुख । दावीं तें चि मुख । दृष्टी माझ्या आपुलें ॥4॥
तरि तूं अनाथाचा दाता । मागतियां शरणागतां । तुका ह्मणें आतां। कोड पुरवीं हें माझें ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
What You showed to Uddhava and Akrura, to Vyasa and Ambarisha, to Rukhmangada and Prahlada: show that same vision to me. Then I shall gaze and gaze upon Your blessed face and feet; my mind is restless with longing to be there. How splendid You appeared in Janaka's court and at Shrutadeva's home, O Hari. At Vidura's house You playfully picked up vegetable peels with delight. When the Pandavas were in distress, You rushed at their mere remembrance; You supplied Draupadi with endless cloth at the assembly. You played lovingly with the gopis and gave joy to the cowherds and their cattle; show that very face to my eyes. You are the benefactor of the helpless and the giver to those who seek refuge. Says Tuka, now fulfill this longing of mine.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
What You showed to Uddhava and Akrura, to Vyasa and Ambarisha, to Rukhmangada and Prahlada: show that same vision to me. Then I will gaze and gaze upon Your blessed face and feet; my mind is restless with longing to be there. How splendid You stood in Janaka's court, and at Shrutadeva's home, O Hari. At Vidura's house You picked up vegetable peels with delight. When the Pandavas were in distress, You came at the mere thought of You; You gave Draupadi endless cloth in the assembly. You played with the gopis and gave joy to the cowherds and the cattle: show that very face to my eyes. You are the giver to the helpless, the refuge of those who seek shelter. Tuka says: now fulfill this longing of mine.
What it means
Tukaram piles up God's past favors to the saints and devotees and asks for nothing less than the same. By naming Uddhava, Prahlada, Vidura, Draupadi, and the gopis, he is reminding Vitthal of a pattern: God has always shown Himself to those who simply loved Him. The point of the list is that the helpless and the lowly, not the great or learned, are the ones He runs to, so Tukaram has standing to ask. His prayer is concrete and physical, the sight of the face and feet, because his restless longing wants presence, not doctrine. The closing claim, You are the giver to the helpless, turns the whole catalogue into a quiet argument: be now to me what You have always been.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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