Prayer, lower than the lowest
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
मी तों दीनाहूनि दीन । माझा तूज अभिमान ॥1॥
मी तों आलों शरणागत । माझें करावें स्वहित ॥ध्रु.॥
दिनानाथा कृपाळुवा। सांभाळावें आपुल्या नांवा ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे आतां । भलें नव्हे मोकलितां ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I am lowlier than the lowest; my pride rests in you alone. I have come to you as a supplicant; now see to my true welfare. O Lord of the humble, O Merciful One, uphold the honor of your own name. Says Tuka, it will not be well if you abandon me now.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I am lower than the lowest. My only pride is in you. I have come to you for refuge. Now do what is truly good for me. Lord of the humble, Merciful One, guard the honor of your own name. Tuka says: now it would not be right for you to let me go.
What it means
Tukaram comes empty-handed, claiming nothing of his own worth, only that his single pride is God. As a refugee who has thrown himself on God's protection, he asks not for what he wants but for his true welfare. Then he turns the appeal onto God's own reputation: you are called the Lord of the humble, so uphold that name by sheltering me. The closing line presses the claim home, that abandoning him now would dishonor God himself.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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