Prayer, a small place at the feet
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
करूनी विनवणी पायीं ठेवीं माथा । परिसावी विनवणी माझी पंढरीनाथा ॥१॥
अखंडित असावेंसें वाटतें पायीं । साहोनि संकोच ठाव थोडासा देई ॥ध्रु.॥
असो नमो भाव आलों तुझिया ठाया । पाहें कृपादृष्टी मज पंढरीराया ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे आम्हीं तुझीं वेडीं वांकडीं । नामें भवपाश हातें आपुल्या तोडीं ॥३॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I lay my head at Your feet and beg You, Lord of Pandhari to hear my prayer. I wish to remain forever at these feet. Bear with my shortcomings and grant me even a small place. I have come to your abode with whatever devotion I possess. Look upon me with the eye of grace, O Lord of Pandhari. Says Tuka, we are your crooked, wayward ones; with your own hand, sever the noose of worldly bondage that binds us.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I make my plea and lay my head at your feet. Hear my prayer, Lord of Pandhari. I feel I should stay at these feet always, unbroken. Bear with my smallness and give me even a tiny place. With whatever love I have, I have come to your home. Look upon me with the eye of grace, Lord of Pandhari. Tuka says: we are your crooked, wayward ones. With your own hand, cut the noose of worldly bondage that binds us.
What it means
The whole poem asks for one thing: to stay at God's feet without a break, and to be granted even a small space there. Tukaram does not pretend to be worthy; he asks God to bear with his shortcomings and to look on him with grace anyway. The honesty sharpens at the end. He calls himself and his fellows crooked and wayward, not straight or deserving. The closing request names the real need: only God's own hand can sever the noose of worldly bondage, so the prayer for a place at the feet is finally a prayer for release.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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