Prayer, the fallen leave it to you
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
श्रीपंढरीशा पतितपावना । एक विज्ञापना पायांपाशीं॥1॥
अनाथां जीवांचा तूं काजकैवारी । ऐसी चराचरीं िब्रदावळी ॥ध्रु.॥
न संगतां कळे अंतरीचें गुज । आतां तुझी लाज तुज देवा ॥2॥
आिळकर ज्याचें करिसी समाधान । अभयाचें दान देऊनियां ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे तूं चि खेळें दोहीं ठायीं । नसेल तो देई धीर मना ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
O Lord of Pandhari, Savior of the fallen, I make one petition at Your feet. You are the Champion of the helpless; this is Your renown throughout creation. You know the secret of every being without being told; now, O God, the responsibility is Yours. You give comfort and the gift of fearlessness to whoever makes a heartfelt plea. Says Tuka, You are the player on both sides; if faith falters, then give courage to the mind.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Lord of Pandhari, purifier of the fallen, I lay one petition at your feet. You are the helper and champion of helpless souls; this is your renown through all that moves and does not move. You know the secret of the heart without being told; now, God, your honor is your own concern. To anyone who pleads from the heart you give peace and the gift of fearlessness. Tuka says: you are the one playing on both sides. If faith fails, then give my mind its courage.
What it means
Tukaram brings a single request and then quietly hands the whole burden back to God. He addresses Vitthal of Pandhari by his known title, savior of the fallen, and reminds him that his fame across all creation rests on rescuing the helpless. So, he reasons, since God already knows every secret of the heart, keeping that promise is now God's own affair, a matter of God's honor. The striking turn is at the end: he says God is the player on both sides, the one who gives the prayer and the one who answers it, so even his faltering faith is God's to repair. The prayer becomes total dependence: if I cannot hold steady, you steady me.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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