Prayer, nowhere else to turn
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आणीक कोणापुढें वासूं मुख सांग । कीं माझें अंतरंग कोण जाणे ॥1॥
पाहें तुजकडे येऊनि जाऊनी । पांडुरंगा मनीं विचारावें ॥ध्रु.॥
भय चिंता अवघे उद्योग सांडिले । आठवुनी पाउलें असें तुझीं ॥2॥
नका विसरूं मज वैकुंठनायका । विनवितो तुका बंदीजन ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Before whom else shall I open my mouth, tell me? Who else knows my innermost mind? I look toward You, coming and going. O Panduranga, consider this in Your mind. I have abandoned all fear, worry, and every undertaking, remembering only Your feet. O Lord of Vaikuntha, do not forget me. Tuka, Your humble servant, beseeches You.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Before whom else shall I open my mouth, tell me? Who else knows my inmost heart? I keep looking toward You, coming and going. Panduranga, weigh this in Your mind. I have thrown down fear, worry, and every undertaking, remembering only Your feet. Do not forget me, Lord of Vaikuntha. Tuka says: I am Your prisoner, and I beg You.
What it means
Tukaram prays out of having no one else: only God knows his innermost heart, so to whom else could he even speak. He describes a soul that keeps turning back toward God, coming and going, and asks God to take that to heart. Then he names what he has staked on this: he has let go of fear, of worry, of every other effort, and holds onto the feet alone. With nothing left in reserve, his one request becomes a plea not to be forgotten, and he signs himself God's bound captive, dependent and unashamed of it.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
More in this theme →