Prayer, begging for the leftovers
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तुझा ह्मणविलों दास । केली उिच्छष्टासी आस॥1॥
मुखीं घालावा कवळ । जरी तूं होशील कृपाळ ॥2॥
सीण भाग माझा पुसें । तुका ह्मणे न करीं हांसें ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I call myself Your servant and have set my hope on Your leftovers. Place a morsel in my mouth, if only You will be gracious. Wipe away my weariness and fatigue. Says Tuka, do not laugh at me.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
You let me be called Your servant. I have set my hope on Your leftovers. Put a morsel in my mouth, if You will be kind. Wipe away my weariness and my tiredness. Tuka says: do not laugh at me.
What it means
Tukaram prays from the lowest place he can take, and keeps it there. He does not ask for a place at the table, only for the leftovers, and for a single morsel to be set in his mouth if God chooses to be gracious. He asks that his weariness and exhaustion be wiped away, the tiredness of a servant who has nothing of his own. The closing line is the rawest, do not laugh at me, the plea of someone who knows how small his request is and fears even that might be met with scorn. The prayer makes humility itself the whole of the devotee's claim on God: not merit, only need.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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