Prayer, a child asking to be carried
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
चित्तीं तुझे पाय डोळां रूपाचें ध्यान । अखंड मुखीं नाम वर्णावे गुण ॥1॥
हें चि एक तुह्मां देवा मागणें दातारा । उचित तें करा माझा भाव जाणूनि ॥ध्रु.॥
खुंटली जाणींव माझें बोलणें आतां । करूं यावी तैसी करावी बाळकाची चिंता ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां नको देऊं अंतर । न कळे पुढें काय बोलों विचार॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Your feet in my chitta, the vision of Your form in my eyes, Your name unbroken on my tongue, singing Your virtues always. This is my only prayer to You, O generous Lord. Grant what is fitting, knowing my devotion. My knowledge has reached its limit; I cannot say more now. Care for me as one cares for a child. Says Tuka, do not withdraw from me now. I do not know what I may say next, O Lord.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Your feet in my mind. The vision of your form in my eyes. Your name unbroken on my tongue, your virtues always sung. This is the one thing I ask of you, generous Lord. Do what is fitting; you know my heart. My knowing has run out. I have nothing more to say. Care for me the way one cares for a child. Tuka says: do not withdraw from me now. I do not know what I will say next, Lord.
What it means
Tukaram is praying for a single condition of life and then handing over the rest. He asks only that his mind, his eyes, and his tongue stay fixed on God; that one request replaces every other want. Then he admits the limit of his own understanding and stops choosing for himself, telling God to do whatever is fitting because God already knows his devotion. The closing image is the heart of it: he asks to be tended like a small child who cannot manage on its own, and begs God not to pull away, since he no longer trusts even his own next words.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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