Devotion, the unskilled latecomer's plea
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मिळे हरिदासांची दाटी । रीग न होय शेवटी ॥1॥
तेथें म्या काय करावें । माझें कोणें आइकावें ॥ध्रु.॥
कैसें तुज लाजवावें । भक्त ह्मणोनियां भावें ॥2॥
नाचतां नये ताळीं । मज वाजवितां टाळी ॥3॥
अंतीं मांडिती भुषणें भूषणे । शरीर माझें दैन्य वाणें ॥4॥
तुका ह्मणे कमळापति । मज न द्यावें त्या हातीं॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
When the crowd of Hari's devotees gathers thick, there is no room left for me at the end of the line. What should I do then? Who will hear my plea? How shall I make You look at me with feeling, when so many devotees call upon You? I cannot keep rhythm in the dance, nor clap properly when playing the cymbals. In the end, others wear ornaments, while my body stands in poor rags. Says Tuka, O Lord of Kamala, do not hand me over to their judgment.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
When the crowd of Hari's devotees gathers thick, there is no room left for me at the end of the line. What should I do then? Who will hear my plea? How can I make You look at me, calling myself Your devotee, when so many call on You with feeling? I cannot keep the rhythm in the dance, nor clap right when I play the cymbals. In the end others put on ornaments, while my body stands in poor rags. Tuka says: O Lord of Kamala, do not hand me over to their judgment.
What it means
Tukaram pictures himself as the small, awkward devotee lost at the back of a vast, skilled crowd, sure he will be overlooked. He confesses he cannot dance in time or clap the cymbals properly, and that while others appear adorned and accomplished, he stands plain and poor. The fear underneath is that he will be measured against the polished devotees and found wanting. His prayer is that God judge him directly and not leave his worth to be decided by others; love, not skill, should be the measure.
Devotion to Vitthal
Poems of praise, invocation, and intimate address to Lord Vitthal at Pandharpur.
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