Bold pleading, holding the rope of the Name
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आह्मी नरका जातां काय येइल तुझ्या हाता । ऐसा तूं अनंता विचारीं पां ॥1॥
तुज शरण आलियाचें काय हें चि फळ। विचारा दयाळ कृपानिधी ॥ध्रु.॥
तुझें पावनपण न चले आह्मांसीं । ऐसें हृषीकेशी कळों आलें ॥2॥
आह्मी दुःख पावों जन्ममरण वेथा । काय तुझ्या हाता येत असे ॥3॥
तुका ह्मणे तुह्मी खादली हो रडी । आह्मी धरली सेंडी नाम तुझें ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
If I go to hell, what comes into Your hands, O Infinite Lord? Consider this. Is this the fruit of having surrendered to You? Think on it, O Compassionate One, O Treasure of mercy. Has Your power of purification no effect upon us? So it seems, O Hrishikesha. If we suffer and endure the agonies of birth and death, what good does it do You? Says Tuka, You have been defeated, O Lord. We have held onto the end of the rope of Your name.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
If I go to hell, what comes into Your hands, O Infinite One? Think about that. Is this the fruit of having come to You for refuge? Consider it, O merciful One, O treasure of mercy. Your power to make the impure clean does not work on us. That much I have come to see, O Hrishikesha. We suffer; we bear the pain of birth and death. What good does that bring You? Tuka says: You have eaten dirt; You are shamed. We have grabbed hold of the tuft of Your name and we will not let go.
What it means
Tukaram argues with God like a debtor who knows his creditor's reputation is on the line. He took refuge in the Lord; if he is still dragged through hell and through birth and death, then it is not only his loss but God's, because God is the one called the purifier of the fallen. So he asks bluntly: what do You gain by letting me suffer? The mood is daring, almost teasing, but the ground under it is total dependence: he has nothing to bargain with except his grip on the Name, and he announces he will not loosen that grip whatever happens.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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