Prayer, the debtor of my love
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
घ्यावी तरी घ्यावी उदंड चि सेवा । द्यावें तरी देवा उदंड चि ॥1॥
ऐसीं कैंचीं आह्मी पुरतीं भांडवलें । आल्या करीं बोलें समाधान ॥ध्रु.॥
व्हावें तरीं व्हावें बहुत चि दुरी । आलिया अंतरीं वसवावें ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे तुझें सख्यत्व आपणीं । अससील ॠणी आवडीचा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
If You are to accept service, then accept it in abundance. If You are to give, then give abundantly, O God. Where would we find such ample resources? Let us make peace with whatever comes. If You must be distant, then be very distant; but when You enter the chitta, make Your home there fully. Says Tuka, Your friendship with me endures; perhaps You are indebted to my devotion.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
If you will accept service, then accept a great deal of it. If you will give, O God, then give without measure. Where would we get resources enough for this? We will make our peace with whatever comes. If you must stay far, then stay very far; but once you enter the heart, make your full home there. Tuka says: your friendship with me holds. Perhaps you are the one in debt to my love.
What it means
Tukaram bargains with God in the language of the heart. He asks God, if he is going to take service or give gifts, to do it lavishly, all the way. Then he admits he himself has no great wealth to bring, and resolves simply to be content with whatever God grants. He sets a condition only on closeness: distance is bearable, but if God enters the heart at all, he must settle in completely and not visit halfway. The poem ends in tender boldness: their friendship endures, and Tukaram dares to say God may actually owe him something, indebted to the love freely given.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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