Prayer, the boat of stone
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आतां काढाकाढी करीं बा पंढरिराया । नाहीं तरी वांयां गेलों दास ॥1॥
जाणतां बैसलों दगडाचे नावे । तिचा धर्म घ्यावे प्राण हा चि ॥ध्रु.॥
मनाचा स्वभाव इंिद्रयांचे ओढी । पतनाचे जोडी वरी हांव ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे जाली अंधळ्याची परी । आतां मज हरी वाट दावीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Now pull me out, O King of Pandhari, or else Your servant will have perished in vain. Knowingly I boarded a boat of stone; its nature is to sink and take my life. The mind's habit drags the senses downward, heaping craving upon the threat of a fall. Says Tuka, darkness has closed in like blindness; now, O Hari, show me the way.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Now pull me out, King of Pandhari, or your servant is lost for nothing. Knowing what I did, I climbed into a boat of stone; its nature is to sink and take my life with it. The mind by habit drags the senses downward, piling craving on top of the danger of falling. Tuka says: darkness has closed in like blindness; now, Hari, show me the way.
What it means
Tukaram cries for rescue and does not spare himself in the asking. He admits the wreck is his own doing: he boarded a boat of stone with open eyes, and stone can only sink. The image of his own nature is harsh, a mind that habitually drags the senses down, heaping fresh craving onto the already present danger of falling. He confesses he is as good as blind, surrounded by darkness, with no power of his own to find the path. So the whole weight falls on the last line: only Vitthal can pull him out and show him the way.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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