Prayer, the refugee at the feet
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आतां पहाशील काय माझा अंत । आलों शरणागत तुज देवा ॥1॥
करीं अंगीकार राखें पायांपाशीं । झणीं दिसों देसी कऴिवलवाणें ॥ध्रु.॥
नाहीं आइकिली मागें ऐसी मात । जे त्वां शरणागत उपेिक्षले ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां धरीं अभिमान । आहेसी तूं दानशूर दाता ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
How much longer will You test me? I have come to You as a refugee, O God. Accept me and keep me near Your feet. Do not let me appear lowly and pitiable. Never has it been heard that You abandoned one who sought Your shelter. Says Tuka, now uphold Your pride, for You are known as the most generous of givers.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
How long will you keep testing me? I have come to you for refuge, O God. Take me in; keep me near your feet. Do not let me be seen looking wretched and pitiable. It has never been heard, in all the past, that you cast off one who came to you for shelter. Tuka says: now guard your own honor, for you are known as the most open-handed of givers.
What it means
Tukaram prays as one who has already thrown himself on God's mercy and is now waiting, asking how much longer the delay will last. His whole argument rests on God's reputation: no one has ever heard of the Lord abandoning a person who took refuge in him, so to abandon Tukaram now would stain that record. He even tells God to guard his own pride, since God is famed as the most generous of givers. The prayer makes the stakes God's, not just his own: the refugee's rescue is now a matter of the protector's honor.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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