Guru Om
Subject-wise Jnaneshwari

PP Tai's Profound Contributionto Sri Jnaneshwari

For 20 consecutive years, PP Tai immersed herself in the study and lectures of Sri Jnaneshwari, a testament to her unwavering dedication. Siddhayogeshwari lectures are deeply rooted in the principles of Jnaneshwari. They demonstrate that the text is significant in the practice of Siddhayoga.

Inspiring Devotees to Embody the Teachings

Gurudev encouraged devotees to integrate Sri Jnaneshwari into their daily lives. Gurudev often emphasised the importance of reading and reflecting on the text. She suggested that sadhaks (spiritual seekers) read at least two verses from Sri Jnaneshwari before bed. That would allow them to contemplate on the principles and gradually experience their transformative power.

A Comprehensive Approach to Studying Jnaneshwari

PP Tai provided various guidelines for studying Jnaneshwari, including the subject-wise approach. Studying all the verses together on one topic completes the study of that theme, the concepts and the principles therein. This makes it easier to apply them to daily life.

Jnandev says
Now follows the description of Devilish Estate.
All comprehensive types of devilishness will be indicated.
These traits are a warning and must be avoided and must be uprooted and weeded out from our bosom. Then the greater energy will flow out without any obstruction and a well-developed personality will be developed.
(213) The Demoniacal devilish Estate is a creeper plant full of miseries and thorns in the form of demerits, even then I must discourse on it in the course of discourses.

From Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari as Understood by Swami Umanand

214) A thing even though of no use and only fit to be abandoned must be known, in order to avoid and leave it. So even though full of evil and harmful, it is proper to hear about it attentively.
(215) This Asuri Sampatti, the Demonical Estate, is a veritable collection of dreadful demerits collected, lumped and summed together to constitute the great misery of life in hell.

From Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari as Understood by Swami Umanand

(216) Or like all the poisons mixed and blended and mingled together from what is known as the deadly poison, it is the big assemblage of all sins brought together and is named as the Demonical Estate.
(217) Of the demerits and vices of Devilish Estate, the one that is most notorious for its influence and power is *hypocrisy, Dambha*. This ostentation means pretending to be righteous while living unrighteous way of life. It is the cheapest available pose a vicious one can easily assume. It is merely an artificial and superficial glow and appearance of goodness, and purity, of religiosity and sincerity. These are but attractive hoods to coverinner deadly motives and ugly intentions.

From Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari as Understood by Swami Umanand

(218) Though one’s mother is as sacred as holy waters to him yet if she is criticised publicly or her faults and defects are told to others, she becomes the cause of taking one to hell.
(219) Guru’s teaching and preaching though lead to good results are not meant to be proclaimed at public places, otherwise it produces evil consequences. A certain type of sanctity must be maintained.
(220) Just as a boat rescues a drowning person caught in a great flood and quickly carries him safe to the other bank, but the same boat if it is fastened to his head, drowns him also.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(221) Or it is like food which is though known as the means of sustenance and of subsistence of life, becomes poison if is taken in excess, just because it is good and palatable.
(222) Religion no doubt is like one’s friend helpful, but that does not mean it is to be used for tom toming and for blowing one’s own trumpet or for fooling others.For, then the same religion though by itself is protective becomes the cause of sin and brings blemishness.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(223) If the religious acts performed by one, are given wide publicity by means of copious and eloquent words, they become impious, and that is what is called hypocrisy. Now hear about arrogance called Darpa. A man of arrogance has endless pride of learning or of wealth or of social status, or of family connections. Arrogance gives the arrogant person a kind of insufferable uppishness. Arrogance is a misinterpreting and self-deluding medium. The result of living in a world of imagined self-importance is arrogance and that certainly drives away all inward peace. An arrogant person is a lonely creature, and gets exiled from the Kingdom of true love. He is always dreaming his own glories. His only companion is his own imagined selfimportance. He is highly self conceited, irritated and touchy,

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(224) A fool whose tongue has hardly learnt the very ABC of general education, treats with contempt the conference of persons knowing the Brahmic love.
(225) The horse of an expert horseman scoffs at the very Airavata, Indra’s elephant, or the chameleon over the thorny hedge considers the very Heaven as too low in height.
(226) Even if fire gets a fuel of grass, its flames reach the sky, or fish in a small pond looks down upon sea and does not consider much of it.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(227) Or as poor one thinks himself very great if he possesses surplus food given by others as alms, that would suffice for one day, so an arrogant one gets intoxicated with the momentary possession of women, riches, education, praise and great honour.
(228) It is as if an unfortunate one should dismantle his own house just because there is a cool shade of clouds above or a fool should destroy a well of water after looking at and depending upon the water of a mirage.
(229) In short, to be stiff and to be overweened by the acquisition of riches is arrogance and nothing else.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(230) Now hear about excessive Self-conceit. The world has got full faith in the Vedas and in this faith God is held in high reverence, and that God is the Sun who alone gives light to the entire Universe.
(231) The world aspires for the sovereignty over the entire universe. It also likes that it should not meet death.
(232) Then what wonder is there if the world with these motives begins to sing zealously the praises of God and worship Him? But even the hearing of such praise creates jealousy in one of the demoniacal tendencies and this feeling of jealousy goes on increasing.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(233) He says that he would swallow and digest God and poison the Vedas; he tries to annihilate His protection that people secure through laudation, praise and applaudation.
(234) The way the moth dislikes the lamp flame or a glow worm hates the Sun or the bird sparrow called Titavi bears enmity towards the sea.
(235) He does not tolerate to hear even the name of God through illusion and conceit. He considers Veda as Savat.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(236) Thus one with self-conceit and excessive selfpride should be known as the trodden royal road leading to Hell. Now hear about--anger. Such self-conceited, arrogant, hypocrite is bound to get angry with world around when he finds to be estimated totally different from his own estimate of himself. He revolts within, gets angry and shows wrath, Krodha at everything and everybody. He expresses his anger in his speech and action.
(237) Even if he just happens to see others enjoying happiness he gets saturated with the fiery poison of anger.
(238) As adding a drop of water to boiling oil, makes the oil burst into flames or as the jackal suffers from heartburning at seeing the Moon,
(239) or the sinful owl loses its vision at the rise of the Sun, who in fact lights and delights the life of the whole world,
(240) or the morning time which is so very cool and refreshing to the ordinary world, is more painful than death to a thief, or the milk is turned into subtle poison when is given to a serpent,

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

(241) or the submarine fire in Sea called Vadavanal, gets more wild by drinking the sea-water and cools not at all.
(242) In all these ways, when one’s anger starts burning inwardly is greatly increased at seeing the learning, good honour and prosperity and happiness of others and becomes wrath, Krodha. Now hear about insolence or harshness, Parushya. Such individual who is under the sway of anger and wrath is bound to be harsh in his behaviour.

From Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari as Understood by Swami Umanand

(243) His mind is just like the hidden hole of serpents; his vision is piercing as sharp pointed arrows, his speech is fiery like a shower of live coals.
(244) While all his other actions are like a rugged saw possessing sharp teeth; in a word he has such harsh and fierce temperament,
(245) he is the most heinous of all human beings and harshness personified.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

Now hear the signs of Ignorance.

(246) Ignorance arises from one’s own self-delusions and ego-centric nature. Ignorant one knows not himself even; then naturally and consequently he fails to keep and maintain right relationship with the world around him. And this ignorance is the secret cause that forces and compels one to revolt against environments and act strangely and queerly. He is like a rock that knows no sense of touch such as hot and cold or like a person that is born blind knows no distinction between the day and the night.
(247) He is like the fire that when rages wild discriminates not what is worth to be consumed and what is otherwise, or he is like the Paris, the touch of which converts iron into gold, makes no distinction between iron and gold.
(248) He is like a ladle which although is immersed into dishes of diverse tastes, itself knows not their different tastes,
(249) or as the wind when starts blowing, does not and cannot distinguish between a fine road or a crooked one, so he is blind and ignorant about right and wrong behaviour,

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

Now hear the signs of Ignorance.

(250) or he is like a child that puts into its mouth, anything it sees or lays its hands on, without knowing if the thing is clean or unclean.
(251) Ignorance is thus, the state of the mind in which it cannot while consuming and experiencing life, taste the sweetness or the bitterness of the mixture of merits and sins.
(252) Such a state is undoubtedly called ignorance. Thus I have explained to you the signs of all the six vices.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand

Now hear the signs of Ignorance.

(253) Even though only six in number, they add great strength to the devilish mentality, as cobra has a small body, has very subtle poison in it, or a beautiful woman though lean and thin, possesses more power to attract and tempt sensuous persons,
(254) or as the three kinds of fire, the one at the time of world dissolution called Pralayagni, the thunderous lightning, named Vidyutagni and the fabulous submarine fire in Sea, Vadavagni, although less in number, would not find the whole universe enough even as a tiny morsel to satisfy their hunger when they get fully active.

Chapter 16
Sri Jnaneshwari As Understood
Swami Umanand