Prayer, carry the dull soul's burden
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
केला तैसा अंगीकार । माझा भार चालवीं ॥1॥
होऊं अंतराय बुद्धी । कृपानिधी नेदावी ॥ध्रु.॥
आह्मी तरी जड जीव। कैंचा भाव पुरता ॥2॥
अनन्यभावें घ्यावी सेवा । आह्मां देवा घडेसी ॥3॥
तुह्मीं आह्मी शरणागतें । कृपावंतें रक्षीजे ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे भाकुं कींव । असों जीव जड आह्मी ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Accept me as I am and carry my burden. Do not allow my intellect to become an obstacle, O treasury of mercy. I am indeed a dull jiva; how can my devotion ever be adequate? Accept my service as offered with undivided surrender, O God; that is all I can give. We are Your refugees, O gracious one; please protect us. Says Tuka, I appeal to Your compassion, for we are heavy and dull.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
You have taken me as Your own, so now carry my load. Do not let my own intellect become the obstacle, O treasury of mercy. I am a heavy, dull creature. Where would I find devotion that is enough? Take the service I offer with undivided surrender, O God; let that be counted from me. We have come to You for refuge; gracious one, protect us. Tuka says: I beg for Your pity. We are heavy, dull souls.
What it means
Tukaram prays from the position of someone who has already been accepted and now asks God to make good on it by carrying the burden himself. He confesses his own intellect as the likely obstacle and asks that it not be allowed to get in the way. The honesty is the heart of the poem: he claims no adequate devotion, only a dull, heavy soul whose single offering is undivided surrender. Everything is thrown on God's mercy, the one who took him in being asked to be the one who protects and pities, because the refugee has nothing else to bring.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
More in this theme →