Dnyaneshwar, one of the greatest saints of Maharashtra.
Dnyaneshwar (or Jnandev) was one of the
greatest saints of Maharashtra. Dnyaneshwar (Lord of Jnyana or
knowledge) was the son of a saint turned householder named Vittalpanth
whose father was the village accountant called Govindapanth. Dnyaneshwar
had two brothers and a sister, Nivritti, Sopana and Muktabai.
Vittalpanth was a Sanskrit scholar and
religious minded. He had always yearned to take Sanyas and attain
self-realisation but was obliged to marry Rukmabai, daughter of
Sridharpanth of Alandi. Yet his mind was for Sanyas and getting
disgusted with worldly affairs he renounces the world and takes Sanyas
from Sripad Yati (Ramananda Swami) at Varanasi. Rukmabai was filled with
grief and could do nothing but only pray for his return.
Once Rukmabai had the fortune of meeting
Sripad Yati, the guru of Vittalpanth during his visit to Alandi. She
seeks his blessings and as usual he blesses her to have many children.
To this she weeps bitterly and relates her woes. Seeing her deplorable
condition Yati on his return to Varanasi advises Vittalpanth to go back
to Grihastha Ashram and live with his wife. Vittalpanth resumes his
householder’s life but the orthodox Brahmins outcaste them for they
maintain that it was against the scriptures to return to householder’s
life once having taken up Sanyas.
Nivritti (1273 A.D.), Jnandev (1275
A.D.) Sopan (1277 A.D.) and Muktabai (1279) were born to Vittalpanth and
Rukmabai eventually. But, when the time came for performing the thread
ceremony of the sons, the Brahmins refuse to perform it claiming
children of a Sanyasin were prohibited by the scriptures to have thread
ceremony.
The only Prayaschitta for the parents
was to give up their lives. As it is they were put to great hardships
and humiliation by the Brahmins so they decide to end their lives in the
hope that the Brahmins may out of pity perform the thread ceremony of
their children.
Jnandev now with great hopes approaches
the Brahmins of Alandi to fulfill his father’s wish but though the
Brahmins assented they wanted them to bring an authority letter from
(certificate of Shuddi) from the Brahmins of Paithan. So they go to
Paithan.
All the children of Vittalpanth were
well versed in Vedas and Scriptures. In fact Nivritti was regarded as an
incarnation of Shiva, Jnandev of Hari, Sopan of Brahma and Muktabai of
Saraswati. Nivrittnath had once the fortune to be initiated by Jnaninath
and learn from his Guru the mysteries of Yoga and spiritual knowledge.
On going to Paithan they recite the Vedas before the Brahmins but are
stopped as they were not entitled to recite the sacred Vedas owing to
their father’s wrongdoing.
To prove that anybody could recite the
Vedas, Jnandev makes a buffalo continue to recite the Vedas from the
point where Jnandev was asked to stop! Struck with wonder and
recognizing their spiritual learning and greatness, the Brahmins give
them the required certificate of purification
Jnandev was initiated by Nivrittinath,
Jnandev had attained immense spiritual powers and had performed many
miracles. It is said in the absence of frying pan, Muktabai used to cook
on Jnandev’s back. Again, once when the Brahmin who was to perform the
anniversary of his father did not turn up, Jnandev brought the Pitris
themselves to earth from heaven.
Another remarkable and well-known
miracle Jnandev performed was during his meeting with Saint Chang Dev
who was known to have attained by his Yogic powers control over all
living beings. He was too proud and used to travel on a tiger with
serpent as a whip.
Curious to see Jnandev and as a
challenge goes to meet Jnandev riding a tiger. Jnandev and his brothers
see him coming pompously, so to welcome him respectfully first they ask
the wall on which they were seated to take them to Chang Dev. Seeing
them coming them on an inanimate wall Chan Dev is wonderstruck and pride
humbled. Chang Dev instantly prostrates before Jnandev and accepts him
as his Guru.
Of all his attributes Jnandev or
Dnyaneshwar is famous for his Dnyaneshwari, the commentary on Gita which
he wrote when he was only thirteen. His commentary is considered one of
the best by scholars. On the advice of his Guru Niritti to write a
treatise on his spiritual experiences, Jnandev wrote Amritanubhava which
contains the highest experiences of his in 800 couplets. It seems a
pillar is still shown at Nevase where Jnaneshwari was written.
Jnandev with his brothers and sister did
lot of pilgrimage including Rameswaram and Madurai. It was at
Pandharpur that Jnandev and Namdev became spiritual friends. This
meeting filled Jnandev with inspiration for the Pandhari Sampradaya of
which he became the first apostle. Those who follow this “Wari” system
visit Pandharpur on Ashad Ekadashi (june-July) and Kartik Ekadashi
(October-November) days atleast once annually.
There have been many books with
commentaries of Dnyaneshwar on Gita in Marathi as also translations of
the same in English. Dnyaneshwar had, at a young age, a vision of that
Light and he gave discourses on the Gita, which came to be known as
Bhavartha Dipika or Dnyaneshwari, bringing to light the deeper meaning
and hidden significance of the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna
in Gita.
The commentaries of Jnandev are simple to be understood with beautiful similies and examples.
For example 58th verse in Chapter II
(Sankhya Yoga), we find “Just as a tortoise in joyous mood spreads out
or withdraws his limbs at his will and pleasure, even the Yogi has full
control over his senses and makes them act as he likes; such a one has,
take it for certain, attained the state of Sthitaprajna.”
Again in Chapter III Karmayoga (38)
“Just as a serpent coils round the root of a sandal tree or the foetus
is enveloped by chorion in the womb, or there cannot exist the Sun
without its rays, or the fire without smoke, or a mirror without dust,
in the same way we have never seen the knowledge singly and absolutely
free from lust and anger, just as good seed is ever covered in the
husk.”
Jnandev had a vast following of
disciples but prominent among the followers were Namdev, Jani, Narahari,
Gorakumnhar, Sena and Chokamela. At the young age of twenty-two Jnandev
gave up his physical body at Alandi on the 13th day of the dark half of
the Kartil month.
It is learnt Jnandev sat performing
Kirtan and meditating on God, and passed away in that state.
Nivrittinatha then placed a slab on the Samadhi of Jnandev which, it
seems, is still to be seen before the temple of Siddheshvara in Alandi
POSTED BY : VIPUL KOUL
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