Fourth post

In our last session, we saw the first ovi of the first adhyaya. Like it, there are more than 9000 ovis in Dnyaneshwari spread over 18 adhyayas. If we try to discuss one ovi per day also, it will take more than 24 years to complete one review of Dnyaneshwari. We are, therefore required to find some alternative to shorten this period of study. In Bhagwad Geeta there are 701 shlokas (verses). However, Dnyaneshwar Mauli says in 18^th adhyaya that all these shlokas are of equal importance and no distinction should be made in them on the basis of their sequential appearance as earlier or later. Let us apply the same theory to the ovis of Dnyaneshwari and take at least one ovi from each of the adhyayas per week to understand its true import. It would not be out of place here to mention that Namdeva, another great Marathi Sant and contemporary of Dnyaneshwar, has stated in one of his Abhangas that Dnyaneshwari is the greatest composition in spiritual science and every devotee should endeavour to experience at least one of its ovis during his life time. In fact, Dnyaneshwari and for that purpose Bhagwad Geeta, both are practical subjects of spiritual science to be experienced by an aspirant of liberation. These are not  subjects only of dry logical discussion or debate. At the same time, we cannot forget that gaining the experiences described in Dnyaneshwari would depend on  guidance of a competent Guru (master), besides the Aspirant’s eligibility for such gain. For those, who do not achieve any such experience, Dnyaneshwari remains only a subject of literary interest and poetic beauty that can be discussed till end of the world. (Most of the readers come under this category, but who knows; some day such reading can also kindle the path of liberation for them.)  

          Enough of this deviation. I was told by some readers of the last post  that the Marathi ovi written in it was not readable. I am therefore adding transliteration of that ovi with its meaning as under: First part of the number is that of ovi and second is the number of adhyaya.

          (1-1):  “Om namoji Aadya, Veda-pratipadya, jay jay Swasavendya, Aatmaroopa”

1-1. O Aum-Pranava, I bow to you, I hail and adore you as prime originator and source of the Cosmos. You are subject of all the Vedas and Upanishads. Victory to you, in the form of Atman; you make yourself known to and experienced by self-realized souls by way of constant pulsation and resonance in their mind, intellect and body.

          Unless some expressions in this ovi are discussed, its meaning cannot be unravelled and fully understood.  

Aum is the name assigned to the Brahman by Rushis and Munis thousands of years ago, based on their experiences and research while realizing that Supreme Self. The adjective Aadya indicates that Brahman was in existence as the first and prime principle and energy before anything else had come into existence. It also shows that all the three worlds are originated from Brahman. Veda-pratipadya explains that all the Vedas praise and propound knowledge of and ways to attain this Brahman. The expression Swasavendya points towards spiritual experience of the continuous surge and resonance of the Aatmic energy being played in the mind body and intellect of an accomplished devotee after he realizes the self and merges into the form and being of the Atman i.e. becomes Atma-sakshatkari.

Verily, this original and eternal Brahman in the name and form of Aum has been invoked by Dnyaneshwar Mauli at the commencement of his Marathi commentary on Bhagwad Geeta. Prior to Dnyaneshwari and even after its coming into being, normal traditional practice of all the authors in Sanskrit and Marathi has been to invoke blessings of Lord Ganesha in the opening verse of their book and then dwell upon their subject. However in the first ovi of his compendium, Mauli has deviated a little from this practice and paid obeisance to the Supreme Self in the form of Aum. In the subsequent ovi itself, he has imposed personality traits of Lord Ganesha on the Aum and characterized it as Ganesha. In this way, primordial status of the Brahman has been maintained by Shri Dnyaneshwar. Here, I cannot stop myself from making an interesting observation. While seeking blessings from the Lord of universe by way of Pasayadaana towards end of Dnyaneshwari in Ovi No. 1799 of 18th adhyaya, Mauli has prayed that  let all the beings in all three worlds always worship the Primeval Lord and let them be endowed with perfect happiness eternally. In other words, commencement and end of Dnyaneshwari is on the same note of respect paid to the Supreme person. This shows continuity of thoughts in the mind of Mauli from start to finish. 

          This first adhyaya does not contain any philosophical or spiritual discussion. It only depicts the despondency and depression of Arjuna caused due to disturbing thought of fighting war against his own kith and kins and the teachers. The real teaching of Lord Shrikrishna in Bhagwad Geeta starts from the second adhyaya. We will start following the same from our next session. Thanks for patiently reading this much. I would indeed be happy if the readers start following this blog with their views and contribution please.