Prayer, the unceasing spring
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
तरि म्यां आळवावे कोणा । कोण हे पुरवील वासना। तुजवांचूनि नारायणा । लावी स्तना कृपावंते ॥1॥
आपुला न विचारी सिण । न धरीं अंगसंगें भिन्न । अंगीकारिलें राखें दीन । देई जीवदान आवडीचें ॥ध्रु.॥
माझिये मनासिहे आस । नित्य सेवावा ब्रह्मरस । अखंड चरणींचा वास । पुरवीं आस याचकाची ॥2॥
माझिया संचिताचा ठेवा । तेणें हे वाट दाविली देवा । एवढएा आदराचा हेवा । मागें सेवादान आवडीनें ॥3॥
आळवीन करुणावचनीं। आणीक गोड न लगे मनीं । निद्रा जागृती आणि स्वप्नीं । धरिलें ध्यानीं मनीं रूप ॥4॥
आतां भेट न भेटतां आहे । किंवा नाहीं ऐसें विचारूनि पाहें । लागला झरा अखंड आहे । तुका ह्मणे साहे केलें अंतरीं ॥5॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
Then whom shall I call upon? Who will fulfill this longing? Without You, O Narayana, who will nurse me at the breast of mercy? Do not consider Your own weariness; do not hold Yourself apart from me. Having accepted me, protect this helpless one; grant me the gift of life through Your love. This is the hope of my heart: to drink the nectar of Brahman constantly, to dwell forever at Your feet. Fulfill the desire of this beggar. My accumulated destiny is my true treasure; it showed me the way to You, O God. Behind this is the yearning for devoted service, given with love. I will call upon You with words of tenderness; nothing else appeals to my mind. In sleep, waking, and dream, I hold Your form in contemplation. Now, whether we meet or do not, let me examine this: the spring that has begun to flow is unceasing. Says Tuka, endurance has been established within.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
Then whom shall I call on? Who will fill this longing? Without you, Narayana, who will hold me to the breast of mercy? Do not count your own weariness. Do not hold yourself apart from me. You have taken me up; now keep this helpless one. Give me the gift of life out of love. This is the hope of my heart: to drink the nectar of Brahman always, to live forever at your feet. Fill this beggar's hope. My store of destiny is my real treasure; it showed me the way to you, God. Behind it is the longing to serve you with love. I will call you with tender words. Nothing else tastes sweet to my mind. Asleep, awake, and dreaming, I hold your form in my thought. Now, whether we meet or do not meet, let me look and see. The spring has begun to flow, and it does not stop. Tuka says: endurance has been set firm within me.
What it means
The poem opens in need: with no other refuge, Tukaram turns to Narayana as a child turns to the breast, asking to be held and not held at arm's length. He names his one desire, to drink the nectar of Brahman and dwell at God's feet, and counts his very destiny as treasure because it led him here. Then it shifts. Waking, sleeping, and dreaming, the Lord's form is steadily before his mind, so that whether or not the longed-for meeting comes no longer rattles him. The image of the unceasing spring says it plainly: love has become continuous, self-sustaining, no longer dependent on an answer. The closing word, endurance set firm within, is the fruit. The longing has turned into a settled steadiness.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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