Prayer, lay the head at the feet
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
असो खटपट । आतां वाउगे बोभाट ॥1॥
परिसा हे विनवणी । असो मस्तक चरणीं ॥ध्रु.॥
अपराध करा । क्षमा घडले दातारा ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे वेथा । तुह्मा कळे पंढरिनाथा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Let all strife and needless commotion be done with now. Hear this my humble plea; let my head rest at Your feet. Forgive, O generous Lord, whatever offenses have occurred. Says Tuka, You know my pain, O Lord of Pandhari.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Let the struggle stop. Let the useless noise be over now. Hear this plea of mine: let my head rest at Your feet. Whatever wrongs I have done, forgive them, O generous Lord. Tuka says: You know my pain, O Lord of Pandhari.
What it means
Tukaram asks for an end to striving and to his own clamor. He is done with effort and empty outcry and wants only to lay his head at God's feet, the posture of complete surrender. He asks for forgiveness for whatever offenses he has committed, leaning on God's generosity rather than on his own merit. His final word rests everything on God's knowing: the Lord of Pandhari already sees his pain, so the prayer is less a report than a handing over of a hurt that is already understood.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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