Prayer, love that asks for nothing else
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जेणें माझें चित्त राहे तुझ्या पायीं । अखंड तें देई प्रेमसुख ॥1॥
देहभाव राख दीन करूनियां । जनाचारी वायां जाय तैसा ॥ध्रु.॥
द्रव्य दारा नको मानाची आवडी । कवणेविशीं गोडी प्रपंचाची ॥2॥
तुझें नाम माझें धरूनियां चित्त । एकांत लोकांत सदा राहो ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे तुझे जडोनियां पायीं । जालों उतराई पांडुरंगा ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Grant me that love which keeps my mind anchored at Your feet, an unbroken stream of devotion. Keep this body humble and lowly, so that worldly convention passes over me without effect. Let me have no desire for wealth, for women, or for honor; let no aspect of worldly life taste sweet. Let my chitta, grasping Your name, remain absorbed whether in solitude or in the crowd. Says Tuka, rooted at Your feet, I am freed of all debt, O Panduranga.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Grant me that by which my mind stays at your feet, and give me that loving joy unbroken. Keep this body humble and lowly, so that the ways of the world pass me by in vain. I want no wealth, no wife, no taste for honor; let nothing in worldly life taste sweet to me. Let my mind hold your name and stay always absorbed, alone or in the crowd. Tuka says: fixed at your feet, I have paid off my debt, Panduranga.
What it means
This is a prayer that asks only for the means to keep loving God. Tukaram wants his mind anchored at Vitthal's feet and an unbroken stream of loving joy. He asks to be kept humble so that worldly custom slides past him without taking hold. Then he renounces the usual cravings by name: wealth, wife, honor, any sweetness in worldly life. What he wants instead is to carry God's name in his mind whether he is alone or in a crowd. The final line settles the account: rooted at the feet, he counts himself free of all debt, owing nothing more.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
More in this theme →