Prayer, holding God to his promise
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
धरूनियां मनीं बोलिलों संकल्प । होसी तरि बाप सिद्धी पाव ॥1॥
उत्कंठा हे आजी जाली माझे पोटीं । मोकिळली गोष्टी टाळाटाळ ॥ध्रु.॥
माझा मज असे ठाउका निर्धार । उपाधि उत्तर न साहे पैं ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे जरि दिली आठवण । तरि अभिमान धरीं याचा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I have held a resolve in my mind and spoken my intention. If You are truly the Father, bring it to fulfillment. Today this longing has arisen in my mind, and the days of delay and evasion are over. I know my own determination, and I will not tolerate interference and argument. Says Tuka, if I have reminded You, then take pride in that.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I have held a resolve in my mind and spoken my intention. If you are truly the Father, bring it to fulfillment. Today this longing has risen up inside me. The days of putting it off are over. I know my own determination. I will not endure meddling or argument. Tuka says: if I have reminded you, then take this as your own honor to uphold.
What it means
Tukaram presses God to act, almost like a child holding a parent to their word. He has made up his mind and spoken his desire aloud, and now he calls on God's name as Father to make it real, since a true father does not leave a child's longing unmet. The waiting and evasion are finished; he is firm and will not tolerate excuses or argument. Finally he turns it back on God: now that he has reminded him, God's own honor is at stake in answering.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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