Confession, the mind that will not listen
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
सांगतों या मना तें माझें नाइके । घातावरी टेंके चांडाळ हें ॥1॥
ह्मणऊनि पाहे तरतें बुडतें । न ल्हाये पुरतें बळ करूं ॥ध्रु.॥
काय तें संचित न कळे पाहातां । मतिमंद चित्ता उपजतें॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे ऐसें बळ नाहीं अंगी । पाहोनियां वेगीं पार टाकीं ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I counsel this mind of mine, but it does not listen; the wretch keeps rushing toward ruin. Therefore I watch whether it sinks or floats, for I cannot muster enough strength to prevail over it. What destiny lies in store I cannot tell; only dull thoughts arise in this chitta. Says Tuka, I do not have the strength in my own body for this; look upon me swiftly and carry me across, O Lord.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I counsel this mind of mine, but it does not listen. The wretch keeps rushing toward its own ruin. So I just watch whether it sinks or floats. I cannot find the strength to master it. What lies stored up for me, I cannot tell; only dull thoughts rise in this chitta. Tuka says: my own body holds no such strength. Look on me quickly and carry me across.
What it means
Tukaram confesses that he has lost the contest with his own mind. He reasons with it, but it ignores him and runs headlong toward harm, and he admits he has no power to stop it, so he can only watch it struggle. He does not know what his past has stored up for him; his thinking feels dull and clouded. The point is the end of self-reliance: when his own strength runs out, the only move left is to hand the whole thing to God and ask to be carried across the water he cannot cross alone.
Confession and Sin
Raw, unflinching accounts of personal failure, weakness, and the weight of sin.
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