Prayer, only the feet, nothing else
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
एक मागणें हृषीकेशी । चित्त द्यावें सांगतों वचनासी । मज अंतर तुझ्या चरणासी । न पडे ऐसी कृपा करीं ॥1॥
नको दुजी बुिद्ध आणीक । रििद्धसिद्धी परलोक । तूं स्वामी मी सेवक । खंडणा नको करूं ऐसी ॥ध्रु.॥
मना येईल तो जन्म देई । भलते कुळीं भलते ठायीं । तें मी सांकडें घालीत नाहीं । हृदयींहुनीं तूं न वजें ॥2॥
इतुलें करीं भलत्या परी । भलत्या भावें तुझें द्वारीं । राहेन दास होऊनि कामारी । वदो वैखरी नित्य नाम ॥3॥
नको विचारूं दुसरें आतां । शरण आलों जी पंढरीनाथा । तुकयाबंधु ह्मणे रे अच्युता । आहेसि तूं दाता दानशूर ॥4॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I have one request, O Hrishikesha. Give Your chitta to my words. Grant me such grace that I am never separated from Your feet. I do not want any other attainment, no miraculous powers, no other world. You are the master and I am the servant; do not sever this bond. Give me whatever birth pleases You, in any family, in any place. I do not make demands about that. But do not leave my heart. Grant me this much, in any manner. By whatever form of devotion, let me remain at Your door as a servant, a laborer. Let my voice utter Your Name constantly. Consider nothing else now. Says Tukayabandhu, I have come to You for refuge, O Lord of Pandhari. O Achyuta, You are indeed the most generous giver.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I have one request, O Hrishikesha. Give your attention to my words. Grant me such grace that I am never parted from your feet. I want no other gain, no powers, no other world. You are the master and I am the servant; do not break this bond. Give me whatever birth pleases you, in any family, in any place. I make no demands about that. Only do not leave my heart. Grant me this much, in any way at all. By whatever kind of devotion, let me stay at your door as a servant, a laborer. Let my voice say your Name without stopping. Think of nothing else now. Tukayabandhu says: I have come to you for refuge, O Lord of Pandhari. O Achyuta, you are the most generous giver of all.
What it means
Tukaram brings God a single petition and guards it against being mistaken for greed. He waves away every prize a devotee might be expected to ask for, miraculous powers, a higher world, a better birth, and keeps only one thing: never to be parted from the feet. He hands God complete freedom over his next life, any family, any place, on one condition, that God not vacate his heart. The role he asks for is the lowest, servant or day-laborer at the door, with the Name always on his lips, and he closes by reminding the most generous of givers that a refugee has arrived.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
More in this theme →