Clinging, refusing to let go
Original Marathi from the Tukaram Gatha · About Sant Tukaram
मराठी मूळ
जडलों अंगाअंगीं । मग ठेवीं प्रसंगीं । कांहीं उरीजोगी। लोकीं आहे पुरती ॥1॥
ठेवीं निवारुनि आधीं । अवकाश तो चि बुद्धी । सांपडली संधी । मग बळ कोणासी ॥ध्रु.॥
गळा बांधेन पायीं । हालों नेदीं ठायिचा ठायीं । निवाड तो तई । अवकळा केलिया ॥2॥
तुका ह्मणे ठावे । तुह्मी असा जी बरवे । बोभाटाची सवे । मुळींहुनी विठोबा ॥3॥
Tukaram Gatha (Marathi Wikisource)
English Translation
I have clung to You, body against body. Now keep me close at hand. There is enough still to manage in this world. First remove the obstacles. Clear a space, and that space itself is buddhi. Once the opportunity is seized, who has the strength to resist? I shall bind myself to Your feet. I will not let You stir from that spot. The reckoning comes after one has been humbled. Says Tuka, I know You well, O Vithoba. Loud crying out is in Your very nature, from the root.
We ask forgiveness for any inaccuracies in rendering Tukaram ji’s original Marathi.
In Plain Words
I have clung to You, body against body. Now keep me close. There is still enough left to manage in this world. First clear away the obstacles. Make me some room, and that room itself is wisdom. Once I have seized the chance, who has the strength to push me off? I will bind myself to Your feet. I will not let You stir from that spot. The reckoning comes after one has been brought low. Tuka says: I know You well, O Vithoba. Crying out loud has been Your nature from the very start.
What it means
Tukaram describes a grip he has no intention of loosening. He has pressed himself against God and now refuses to be set down until the work of his life is done. He asks God to clear his obstacles, then quietly redefines the cleared space as wisdom itself. Having caught hold of God's feet, he says he will pin God in place and not let him move. The final line is knowing and warm: he tells Vithoba that loud crying out has always been part of God's own way, so God can hardly fault him for crying out in turn.
Prayers
Direct appeals to God: for protection, guidance, strength, and mercy.
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