Dnyaneshwari
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The Dnyaaneshwari (or Jñaneshwari) is the commentary on Bhagavad Gita written by Marathi saint poet Dnyaneshwar. This is not only a scholarly work, but also has great aesthetic value. It gave a philosophical base for the movement of Bhagawata Dharma, a Bhakti sect which created a lasting effect on the history of Maharashtra. The Dnyaaneshwari became one of the sacred books i.e. Prasthanatrai of Bhagawata Dharma, along with Ekanathi Bhagawata and Tukaram Gaathaa. It is one of the great foundations of the Marathi language and literature, and is widely read in Maharashtra even to this date. The Pasayadan or the nine ending verses of the Dnyaaneshwari are also popular with the masses.
The "Bhagvat Gita" is the ultimate spiritual knowledge since it was professed by none other than Lord Krishna who was an Avtar (direct manifestation of the Absolute universal energy or God himself). The "Dnyaneshwari" is more than a commentary on the Bhagvat Gita because it was professed again by an Avtar Lord-Saint Dnyaneshwar (Original name DnyanDev, Dnyan = Knowledge, Dev = God). Born on the same date (Hindu calendar) as Lord Krishna (Janmashtami) and under the same star constellation as Lord Krishna, he had taken this form to revive the same spiritual path which was again facing extinction. Lord Dnyaneshwar took the opportunity to expand the "Gita" which consisted of 700 shlokas (Sanskrit verses) into around 9999 verses ([ovis]) in Marathi (local language of the state of Maharashtra, India).
The Dnyaaneshwari is an awe-inspiring work since it reflects sheer brilliance and wisdom especially since Dnyaaneshwar professed it at the age of 16. Stylistically, the Dnyaneshwari is a masterpiece since the first line of each ovi rhymes with the next two, rendering a lyrical quality to the entire work.
[edit] Great Quotes
The very first ovi of the Dnyaneshwari follows this rhyme scheme, where the all the first three lines of the ovi end in "ā." This particular ovi is the famous invocation to OM, and is followed by elaborate explanation of Lord Ganesha's form as the embodiment of the Vedas and Puranas, and the complete representation of OM:
Om Namojee Ādyā |
Vedapratipādyā |
Jaya Jaya Swasaṃvedyā |
Ātmarūpā ||1||
ॐ नमोजी आद्या | वेद प्रतिपाद्या | जय जय स्वसंवेद्या | आत्मरुपा
Likewise, the second ovi and all the ovis after it follow the same rhyme scheme:
Devā Tūchi Gaṇeshū |
Sakalārthamatiprakāshū |
Mhaṇe Nivṛtti Dāsū |
Avadhārijojē ||2||
देवा तूंचि गणेशु | सकलमति प्रकाशु | म्हणे निवृत्ति दासु | अवधारिजो जी
The "Dnyaneshwari" has deep spiritual knowledge, detailed knowledge of Kundalini, shows that Saint Dnyaneshwar had knowledge of Metaphysics, Astrology, and more. The "Dnyaneshwari" lays importance on God as energy and emphasises that even though there may be many different living forms they all breathe oxygen( even fishes under water and reptiles deep inside the earth) and have the same life force within them and this life force is nothing but a part of God who is energy and intelligence. And so we too have a part of energy and intelligence and can use the same to connect with the supreme. It teaches us to realise that this evolution is not by chance but by design and even though it is difficult to see energy the "Dnyaneshwari" has in it the methodologies to achieve the same.
[edit] Dnyaneshwar
Sant Dnyāneshwar / Sant Jñāneshwar (1275-1296) (ज्ञानेश्वर in Marathi) (also known as Jñanadeva - ज्ञानदेव ) was a 13th century saint-poet born in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state, west India. He was a yogi born in a socially outcast high-caste family. He was the first noteworthy proponent of Bhagawat sampradaya, a sect of bhakti (devotional worship) tradition in Hinduism. Dnyaneshwar composed Bhavarthadeepika or Dnyaneshwari (ज्ञानेश्वरी), to explain sacred knowledge of the holy book Bhagavad Gita to the masses. He took sanjeevan Samadhi, a yogic path to salvation by giving up life at the young age of 21.
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