Das Bodh

Dasbodh is a classic spiritual text by the Saint, Shri Samartha Ramdas in the Marathi. Dasbodh is truly a manual for life, in the highest sense. It provides detailed instruction on how to function and excel in society from a place of deep spiritual understanding.

Ramdas Swami narrates about social activities and social aspects of life. It lists what the qualities of a teacher should be, what the quality of a shishya should be, who is a fool and how to determine if one is educated.

Ramdas clearly outlines and makes easy the path of liberation through Devotion and Knowledge. Through knowledge, Ramdas clears away all doubts and gives the understanding of one's "True Self." Ramdas also reveals the true meaning and significance of "Discrimination" and "Detachment." 

Changdev Pashahti

 To diminish Changedev’s pride in purely his Siddhi’s accumulated over 1400 years, Sant dnyaneshwar decided to display the power of knowledge.

Dnyaneshwar wrote 65 verses which were the quintessence of Vedanta on it. When the paper reached Changdev Maharaj, he had difficulty understanding what was written, and decided to meet the siblings to show them his yogic powers in person. For this visit he chose to ride on back of a tiger, wielding a poisonous cobra as a whip. When the siblings, then sitting on a masonry wall, saw the procession of Changdev Maharaj and thousands of his devotees walking toward their house, they decided to break his pride by humiliating him. They patted on the wall and it rose up to fly in the air. This use of an inanimate wall as a vehicle amazed everyone present. Changdev realized the greatness of these children. He became one of their disciples and overcame his pride and ego. These verses sent by Dnyaneshwar later became known as Changdev Pasashti (Pasast means 65 in Marathi) and are one of the Holy Scriptures amongst followers of Dnyaneshwar.

Through this episode, Changdev realised one should contemplate on what the essence of Life is.