My early memories of Pasayadan goes back to school when I was in 4th or 5th grade. Around 8 or 10 years old. At that age of course I couldn’t read such big words of Marathi. This is not how I learnt Pasayadan. I learnt it thru oral recitation in my school. I am grateful to my music teacher ‘Mr. Mandar Parkhi’ for selecting such songs to teach we students in the Music period of the school. This was my second or third encounter with the works of saints of India. My very first one is Smarnanjali, that we used to play everyday at home. It consists of all Sanskrit prayers written by Sant Vallabhacharya. Then songs of saints like Mirabai, Sant Kabir and many more. And this journey is still going on. There’s no end to it. There are infinite works to explore.
Today, I am just going to write about Pasayadan.
Pasayadan, a beautiful prayer written by Sant Dnyaneshwar, a young saint from Maharashtra, India. This prayer is like a gentle song from the heart, asking for love, peace, and happiness for everyone in the world. It’s part of his famous book, the Dnyaneshwari, which explains the Bhagavad Gita in simple Marathi so everyone could understand it. The Pasayadan is its closing prayer, a gift of hope and kindness.
What is the Pasayadan?
The Pasayadan (or Pasaaydaan) is a nine-verse prayer at the end of the Dnyaneshwari. The word “Pasayadan” comes from “Pasa” (open palms, like when you receive a gift) and “Dan” (gift). It’s a humble request to God for blessings, not just for the poet but for all humanity. It’s like holding out your hands and asking for love, goodness, and joy to fill the world. You can say its a “Gift of Divine Grace”
When and Why Did Sant Dnyaneshwar Write It?
Sant Dnyaneshwar wrote the Dnyaneshwari, including the Pasayadan, in 1290 CE. He was only 16 years old—imagine a teenager creating something so wise and beautiful! He wrote it in Nevasa, a village in Maharashtra, under the guidance of his guru (teacher), Nivruttinath. The Dnyaneshwari was his way of sharing the Bhagavad Gita’s teachings with ordinary people in their own language, Marathi. The Pasayadan was his final prayer, asking God to bless the world with peace, wisdom, and kindness. He wrote it because he cared deeply about everyone’s happiness and wanted to spread love, not hate, in a world that sometimes felt divided.
Let’s understand all 9 verses.
Verse 1
Original (Marathi):
आतां विश्वात्मकें देवें । येणें वाग्यज्ञें तोषावें । तोषोनि मज द्यावें । पसायदान हें ॥ १ ॥
English Translation:
O God, who holds the universe in Your heart,
Be pleased with these words, my humble art.
In Your joy, grant me this sacred gift,
A blessing of grace to heal and uplift.
Simple Explanation:
Dnyaneshwar says, “Dear God, who is in everything, I hope You like my words. Please be happy and give me a special gift—a blessing to share with the world.”
It’s like asking God to smile at his poem and give him a present to help everyone.
Verse 2
Original (Marathi):
जे खळांची व्यंकटी सांडो । तयां सत्कर्मीं रती वाढो । भूतां परस्परें जडो। मैत्र जीवांचें ॥ २ ॥
English Translation:
Let the wicked shed their harmful ways,
And find joy in good deeds all their days.
May all beings share a bond so sweet,
Friendship’s warmth in every heart they meet.
Simple Explanation:
Dnyaneshwar prays, “Please make bad people stop doing bad things. Help them love doing good things instead. Let everyone—people, animals—be friends with each other.”
It’s like wishing for bullies to become kind and for everyone to get along like best friends.
Verse 3
Original (Marathi):
दुरिताचें तिमिर जावो । विश्व स्वधर्म सूर्यें पाहो । जो जें वांच्छील तो तें लाहो । प्राणिज५at ॥ ३ ॥
English Translation:
Let the darkness of sin fade away,
And truth’s bright sun light the world’s new day.
May every creature’s wish, pure and true,
Find its way to bloom and come true.
Simple Explanation:
He says, “Take away the darkness of bad actions. Let the light of goodness shine everywhere. Please make everyone’s good wishes come true.”
It’s like asking for a sunny day where bad stuff disappears and everyone’s dreams happen.
Verse 4
Original (Marathi):
वर्षत सकळमंगळीं । ईश्वर निष्ठांची मांदियाळी । अनवरत भूमंडळीं । भेटतु या भूतां ॥ ४ ॥
English Translation:
Let saints, devoted to God’s pure light,
Rain blessings like stars in the endless night.
On this earth, may their love always flow,
Meeting all beings with grace to bestow.
Simple Explanation:
Dnyaneshwar prays, “Send holy people who love God to earth. Let them share happiness and kindness with everyone, all the time.”
It’s like asking for kind, wise teachers to come and spread love everywhere.
Verse 5
Original (Marathi):
चलां कल्पतरूंचे आरव । चेतना चिंतामणीचें गाव । बोलते जे अर्णव । पीयूषाचे ॥ ५ ॥
English Translation:
These saints are trees that grant every wish,
Gems of wisdom in a village of bliss.
Their words, like nectar, flow soft and sweet,
An ocean of love where all hearts meet.
Simple Explanation:
He says, “These holy people are like magic trees that give you anything you want. They’re like shiny jewels full of wisdom. Their words are sweet, like honey.”
It’s like describing kind people as super special, giving gifts and saying beautiful things.
Verse 6
Original (Marathi):
चंद्रमे जे अलांछन । मार्तंड जे तापहीन । ते सर्वांही सदा सज्जन । सोयरे होतु ॥ ६ ॥
English Translation:
Like the moon, pure without a single stain,
Like the sun, warm yet free of pain,
May these good souls, forever kind,
Be friends to all, with love entwined.
Simple Explanation:
Dnyaneshwar prays, “Let good people be like the moon, clean and bright, or the sun, warm but not too hot. May they always be friends with everyone.”
It’s like wishing for nice people to shine gently and be everyone’s buddy.
Verse 7
Original (Marathi):
किंबहुना सर्वसुखीं । पूर्ण होऊनि तिहीं लोकीं । भजिजो आदिपुरुखीं । अखंडित ॥ ७ ॥
English Translation:
In all the worlds, let joy overflow,
Every heart complete, with love aglow.
May all sing praises to the One above,
United in devotion, bound by love.
Simple Explanation:
He says, “Let everyone be super happy in all the worlds. May they all love and pray to God without ever stopping.”
It’s like wishing for everyone to be joyful and always sing songs to God together.
Verse 8
Original (Marathi):
आणि ग्रंथोपजीविये । विशेषीं लोकीं इयें । दृष्टादृष्ट विजयें । होआवें जी ॥ ८ ॥
English Translation:
May those who live by this book’s sweet grace,
Find victory in every time and place.
In seen and unseen worlds, may they rise,
With wisdom’s light shining in their eyes.
Simple Explanation:
Dnyaneshwar prays, “People who read and follow this book, please help them win in everything—things we see and things we don’t see.”
It’s like asking for readers of his book to do great things and be successful.
Verse 9
Original (Marathi):
येथ म्हणे श्रीविश्वेश्वरावो । हा होईल दानपसावो । येणें वरें ज्ञानदेवो । सुखिया झाला ॥ ९ ॥
English Translation:
Lord Nivruttinath, my guide, does say,
“This gift of grace shall come your way.”
With this boon, Jnanadev’s heart does sing,
Filled with joy, like a bird on wing.
Simple Explanation:
His teacher, Nivruttinath, says, “You’ll get this special gift.” Dnyaneshwar is so happy, his heart feels full of joy.
It’s like his teacher giving him a big thumbs-up, making him smile big.
The Pasayadan is like a warm blanket of love for the world. Dnyaneshwar, at just 16, didn’t ask for fame or riches. He asked for everyone to be kind, happy, and close to God. It’s a prayer that feels like a gentle breeze, touching hearts across centuries. In Maharashtra, people sing it, chant it, and hold it dear, especially during the Wari pilgrimage to Pandharpur. Its message—love, peace, and goodness for all—is like a light that never goes out.
The Pasayadan’s Connection to the Dnyaneshwari
The Pasayadan is the beating heart of the Dnyaneshwari, Dnyaneshwar’s loving gift of the Bhagavad Gita’s wisdom in Marathi. Like a lotus blooming at dawn, it rises from the Gita’s teachings of love, duty, and devotion to God. The Dnyaneshwari guides souls to live with kindness and truth, and the Pasayadan is its divine seal, a prayer that all may walk this path. It’s as if Dnyaneshwar, after sharing Krishna’s words, opens his hands to God, asking for the world to be wrapped in the Gita’s embrace—full of peace, love, and unity. This prayer is the Dnyaneshwari’s final breath, a celestial song blessing every heart with the Gita’s eternal light.
Imagine a young boy, sitting under a tree, writing these words with a heart full of love. OR, picture a young saint, his eyes alight with love, penning these words under a starry sky. The Pasayadan is his offering, a garland of hope for all. It’s a seed of kindness, blooming across time, inviting us to dream of a world where every heart shines. In its verses, we hear the divine, feel the sacred, and know we’re never alone. Let’s carry this prayer like a lantern, lighting the way for all.
