Plea, do not cast me off
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
निजसेजेची अंतुरी । पादलिया कोण मारी ॥1॥
तैसा आह्मासी उबगतां । तुका विनवितो संतां ॥ध्रु.॥
मूल मांडीवरी हागलें । तें बा कोणे रें त्यागिलें ॥2॥
दासी कामासी चुकली । ते बा कोणें रें विकली ॥3॥
पांडुरंगाचा तुका पापी । संतसाहें काळासि दापी ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Who beats the bedsheet for soiling the master's bed? In the same way, Says Tuka, I appeal to the saints not to grow weary of us. Does any mother abandon a child that has soiled her lap? Does anyone sell a servant woman for one mistake? Tuka, sinful though he is, belongs to Panduranga, and with the saints' support he can frighten even Death.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Who beats the bedsheet for soiling the master's bed? In the same way, when you grow tired of us, Tuka begs the saints. The child messes on its mother's lap. Does any mother throw it away for that? A servant woman fails at her work. Does anyone sell her off for one mistake? Tuka is a sinner, but he belongs to Panduranga; with the saints behind him, he frightens even Death.
What it means
Tukaram pleads with the saints not to give up on him, and he argues his case with homely examples. You do not throw out the bedsheet because the bed was soiled; no mother abandons a baby for messing her lap; no one sells a maidservant for a single mistake. He is asking the saints to bear with his faults the same way, since the fault is small against the bond. He admits he is a sinner, but insists the decisive fact is whose he is: he belongs to Panduranga, and standing inside the saints' protection he can even stare down Death.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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