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Coins on Sant (Saint) Dnyaneshwar |
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The spread of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra inculcated the spirit of oneness among the Marathas. The main teachings of the leaders were Bhakti or devotion to God and equality of all believers before God without any distinction of class or birth. The Bhakti movement united the people of Maharashtra in a common love of man and faith in one God. Saints like Chakradhar, Namdeo, Dnyaneshwar and Eknath lived in Maharashtra before Shivaji was born. They preached the virtue of service, sacrifice, generosity, equality and brotherhood. |
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Dnyaneshwar was five years younger than Namdeo. His family belonged to Apegaon and he was born in 1275 A.D. He had two brothers Nivruttinath and Sopandeo and a sister called Muktabai. Bigoted men of the time used to look down on these children because they were the offspring of a 'Sanyasi'. The story goes like this. Their father took 'Sanyas' and retired from worldly life. As a sanyasi he left home, but later, obeying the advice of his guru, returned home and started living with his wife. Four children were born to them and the narrow minded religious leaders did not think it right that a 'Sanyasi' should have children. They persecuted these children and banished them from their community. |
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Once Dnyandeo went around the town begging for alms, but no one would give him alms. He was faced with abusive language everywhere he went. Young Dnyandeo was deeply pained by this incident. |
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He entered his hut and locked the door from inside to grieve over his lot. His sister Mukatabai came and knocked at the door "Open the door, Dnyaneshwar". How can we remain drowned in our own sorrow ? Who will then look to the welfare of the world ; she said. His sister's words gave new hope to Dnyandeo. Personal sorrow was soon forgotten and he started work. Everywhere, the poor and backward people were being oppresssed in the name of religion. Dnyaneshwar went among the people and taught them to have faith in God. Give equal treatment to all. Help those in trouble and allay their misery This was his message to the people. Dnyaneshwar's words are hear in every nook and corner of Maharashtra for the past seven hundred years. Sant Dnyaneshwar translated the BhagavadGeeta in Marathi, and explained it in a way that the lay people could understand. |
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In those days, all religious teaching was confined to Sanskrit books. Ordinary people did not understand Sanskrit. The language in everyday use was Marathi. Dnyaneshwar wrote his outstanding book 'Dnyaneshwari' in Marathi. He thus opened wide for his people the doors of knowlesge, where he preached the ideal of brotherhood among all men. At a very early age, at Alandi near Pune, Dnyandeo took 'Samadhi', that is put himself into a trance from which he never came out. On the eleventh day of Ashadh and Kartik, thousands of pilgrims go to Alandi to visit the samadhi. |
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Stamp on Sant Dnyaneshwar |
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Coins on Dnyaneshwar |
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100 Rupees Coin on Sant Dnyaneshwar |
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In 1999, Government of India issued commemorative coins of Rs 100 & Re 1 in the memory of Sant Dnyaneshwar. |
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Proof Set |
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Main Page |
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Former Prime-Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee releasing the coins on Sant Dnyaneshawar |
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