Complaint, lust and anger on my trail
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
कामक्रोध माझे लावियेले पाठीं । बहुत हिंपुटीं जालों देवा ॥1॥
आवरितां तुझे तुज नावरती । थोर वाटे चित्तीं आश्चर्य हें ॥ध्रु.॥
तुझिया विनोदें आह्मां प्राणसाटी । भयभीत पोटीं सदा दुःखी ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे माझ्या कपाळाचा गुण । तुला हांसे कोण समर्थासी ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Lust and anger have been set upon my trail, O Lord, and I am sorely harassed. Even You cannot rein them in, which fills my chitta with wonder. Your sport puts my very life at stake; I remain fearful within and always sorrowful. Says Tuka, it is the mark of my own fate; who can laugh at You, the Capable One?.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Lust and anger have been set loose on my trail, O Lord; I have been worn down again and again. When I try to hold them back, they will not be held; this fills my mind with great astonishment, for they are yours. By your sport my very life is the stake; I am afraid within and always in pain. Tuka says: it is the mark written on my forehead. Who can laugh at you, the all-capable one?
What it means
Tukaram is hounded by lust and anger and admits he cannot rein them in himself. His astonishment turns into a kind of accusation: these forces belong to God, so the chase is finally God's own doing, a game in which the devotee's life is what is wagered. He does not pretend to be unafraid; he is frightened and in constant pain. Yet he stops short of blaming God outright, blaming his own fate instead, because to mock the all-capable Lord would be absurd. The honesty here is in naming how it feels to be the toy and still refuse to let go of the player.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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