Surrender of the sinner, no high or low at God's door
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
आतां धर्माधमाअ कांहीं उचित । माझें विचारावें हित । तुज मी ठाउका पतित । शरणागत परि जालों ॥1॥
येथें राया रंका एकी सरी । नाहीं भिन्नाभिन्न तुमच्या घरीं । पावलों पाय भलत्या परी। मग बाहेरी न घालावें ॥ध्रु.॥
ऐसें हें चालत आलें मागें । नाहीं मी बोलत वाउगें । आपुलिया पडिल्या प्रसंगें । कीतिन हे जगे वाणिजेते ॥2॥
घालोनियां माथां बैसलों भार । सांडिला लौकिक वेव्हार । आधीं हे विचारिली थार । अविनाश पर पद ऐसें ॥3॥
येथें एक वर्म पाहिजे धीर । परि म्यां लेखिलें असार । देह हें नाशिवंत जाणार । धरिलें सार नाम तुझें ॥4॥
केली आराणुक सकळां हातीं। धरावें धरिलें तें चित्तीं । तुका ह्मणें सांगितलें संतीं। देई अंतीं ठाव मज देवा ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Now, setting aside questions of right and wrong, consider my welfare. You know me to be a sinner, yet I have still come as one who surrenders. Here the king and the pauper stand on equal ground; there is no distinction in Your house. Having reached Your feet by whatever means, do not cast me out again. This has been the custom from ages past; I do not speak idle words. By the circumstances of my own life, this fame is spoken throughout the world. I have placed the burden on my head and abandoned worldly propriety and conduct. I considered this course beforehand: the imperishable supreme state. Here, one thing is needed: patience. But I have deemed the body to be impermanent and worthless, and I have grasped Your Name as the essence. I have bid farewell to everyone, resolving to hold firm to what I have chosen. Says Tuka, the saints have instructed me. O God, grant me a place at the end.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Now set aside questions of right and wrong, and look to what is good for me. You know me as a sinner, yet I have still come to surrender. Here the king and the pauper are equal; in your house there is no high and no low. By whatever means I have reached your feet, do not throw me out again. This has been the way from old times; I am not speaking idle words. By what happened in my own life, this fame of yours is sung throughout the world. I have set the load on my head and let go of worldly custom and dealings. I thought it through first: this is the imperishable, supreme state. One thing is needed here, patience. But I have judged the body to be perishable and worthless, and I have grasped your Name as the one thing that matters. I have taken leave of everyone, holding firm in my heart to what I have chosen. Tuka says: the saints have told me so. Give me a place at the end, O God.
What it means
Tukaram asks God to suspend the ledger of right and wrong and simply look to his welfare, openly naming himself a sinner who has come anyway. His claim rests on God's own house rule: there king and beggar stand equal, with no distinction, so a soul that has reached the feet by any means at all must not be turned out. He has already paid his side of the bargain, dropping worldly custom and the demands of reputation, judging the body worthless, and clutching the Name as the only thing of substance. The one virtue still required of him is patience. Backed by the instruction of the saints, he asks for the only thing that finally matters, a place with God at the end.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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