धांव घालीं पांडुरंगा - संत तुकाराम

आळस आला अंगा । धांव घालीं पांडुरंगा ॥1॥

सोसूं शरीराचे भाव । पडती अवगुणाचे घाव ॥ध्रु.॥

करावीं व्यसनें। दुरी येउनि नारायणें ॥2॥

जवळील दुरी । जालों देवा धरीं करीं॥3॥

ह्मणउनि देवा । वेळोवेळां करीं धावा ॥4॥

तुका ह्मणे पांडुरंगा । दुरी धरूं नका अंगा ॥5॥

 

When a devotee is progressing on the spiritual path, when his knowledge and understanding improves, he starts seeing how bad and lowly he is. When this happens, I feel it is nothing but the grace of God on the devotee. Understanding and acknowledging that there are so many bad habits (अवगुण) in us is the first step in improving ourselves.

Sant Tukaram has sung this abhang, in the same mood, for our benefit!

He says to Lord Pandurang, 

आळस आला अंगा । धांव घालीं पांडुरंगा ॥1॥

सोसूं शरीराचे भाव । पडती अवगुणाचे घाव ॥ध्रु.॥

day by day I'm becoming lazy, please hurry up Lord! Hurry up and help me. As I attend to my body's needs I find that all the bad habits/defects (अवगुण) are attacking me. I cannot defeat them on my own. Please help.

करावीं व्यसनें। दुरी येउनि नारायणें ॥2॥

जवळील दुरी । जालों देवा धरीं करीं॥3॥

Oh Lord Narayan, please come and please rid me of my bad habits. Due to them, I'm going away from you. Please hold my hand and take me closer to you.

ह्मणउनि देवा । वेळोवेळां करीं धावा ॥4॥

तुका ह्मणे पांडुरंगा । दुरी धरूं नका अंगा ॥5॥

Tuka says, that is the reason, I'm beseeching you repeatedly to hurry up. Please do not keep me so far away from yourself.

This abhang has another important feature, it shows eagerness and the earnestness of the devotee, with the phrases like "धांव घालीं" and "वेळोवेळां करीं धावा". If we too, with such earnestness, beseech our Lord God, His heart will surely melt and He will surely help us get rid of our defects and guide us in the spiritual path. And with the times like these (Corona pandemic), we are further shown, how fickle our life is. We do not know for sure if we'll be alive, for next few days/weeks or not. It is very appropriate now that we become earnest for spiritual progress and say "धांव घालीं पांडुरंगा".