Tati Ugda Dnyaneshwara

Making of a Yogi

Part XII

(Additional Verses)

12. अहंकारें भलीं रणीं

अहंकारें भलीं रणीं । सांडिलीं आपुली करणी ॥१॥
दुसऱ्याचें वर्म पाहे । आपुलें तें नेणें लवलाहे ॥२॥
तैसे वर्ते जगीं । कांहीं नाठवे वेगीं ॥३॥
ऐसा शिरोमणी सुखसारा । ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा ॥४॥

Ahaṃkāreṃ bhalīṃ raṇīṃ । sāṇḍilīṃ āpulī karaṇī ॥1॥
Dusarhyāceṃ varma pāhe । āpuleṃ teṃ neṇe lavalāhe ॥2॥
Taise varte jagīṃ । kāhīṃ nāṭhave vegīṃ ॥3॥
Aisā śiromaṇī sukhasārā । tāṭī ughaḍā Jñāneśvarā ॥4॥

Seeing Brahman Everywhere

The lowly and the lofty both suffer the wound of blame;
The cruel word can scorch them both, though different be their name.

Yet body, speech and mind—whatever they may be—
Are filled completely with Brahman; all is That Reality.

At pilgrimage we may find but stone and flowing water;
But in the noble heart, the Lord stands revealed before us.

Set aside the sense of two, and behold the One behind it all—
O Jnaneshwara, open the door!

१. अहंकारें भलीं रणीं । सांडिलीं आपुली करणी ॥१॥

Meaning: Driven by ego, even great warriors on the battlefield lose sight of their true purpose and abandon their own noble duty.
Spiritual Depth: Muktabai compares the worldly life of dualities (Samsara) to a battlefield (Rana). When ego (Ahankara) dominates, a person gets caught in reacting to external conflicts and forgets their essential spiritual duty (Apuli Karani)—which, for a saint, is remaining established in non-dual consciousness and guiding humanity.

The ego makes us lose sight of our own conduct.

२. दुसऱ्याचें वर्म पाहे । आपुलें तें नेणें लवलाहे ॥२॥

Meaning: One constantly scrutinises the vulnerabilities, flaws, or secrets (Varma) of others, yet remains completely blind to one’s own true identity.
Spiritual Depth: This line highlights the outward projection of the mind. Varma refers to a vulnerable point or hidden flaw. Muktabai points out that the ego naturally focuses outward to evaluate, judge, or feel hurt by others (Dusriyache Varma), while neglecting immediate self-inquiry (Aapule te Nene) and the awareness of the Atman

This is one of the most subtle forms of ego.

३. तैसे वर्ते जगीं । कांहीं नाठवे वेगीं ॥३॥

Meaning: People conduct themselves in the world in this forgetful manner, rapidly losing all recollection of their real nature.
Spiritual Depth: When consciousness becomes reactive to external behaviour, it slips into spiritual amnesia (Kahi Nathave Vegi). The world functions on this cycle of action and reaction, but a Jnani (wise soul) should not let the ignorance of the world drag their awareness down into this forgetfulness.

The pattern repeats because there is no inner observation.

४. ऐसा शिरोमणी सुखसारा । ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा ॥४॥

Meaning: You are the crest-jewel among sages, the very essence of spiritual bliss! Open the door, O Dnyaneshwar!
Spiritual Depth: Muktabai concludes by reminding Dnyaneshwar who he truly is—not a warrior caught in worldly ego or grievances, but Shiromani Sukhasara (the crown jewel of supreme bliss). Since his true nature is pure, untainted joy, he must rise above the worldly ignorance around him, open the wooden door, and bless the world.

The central word: अहंकार

This verse is really asking: Who is looking at whom? The ego has a remarkable habit. It looks outward:

“He did this.”
“She should not have said that.”
“They are selfish.”
“He has so much anger.”
“She does not understand.”

But the same consciousness rarely turns inward and asks: “What is happening in me?” That turning from दुसऱ्याचें वर्म to आपुलें is one of the most important movements in spiritual life.

This is exactly where Sudha Bhavana becomes practical.

“दुसऱ्याचें वर्म पाहे”

दुसऱ्याचें वर्म पाहे । आपुलें तें नेणें…

What is वर्म?

It can mean a vulnerable point, weakness, secret, defect or sensitive spot. Muktabai is saying something psychologically very profound:

The ego is an expert at discovering others’ weaknesses while remaining remarkably insensitive to its own.

This is not merely a moral failing, It is a spiritual blindness.

Why?

Because whenever I see a fault in another, the ego quietly assumes the role of judge.

I become: the observer → the evaluator → the superior one.

And the very act of judging can strengthen the sense of “I.”

So even something that appears to be discrimination can secretly become अहंकार.

Sudha Bhavana begins with this honesty

This gives us another dimension of शुद्ध भाव.

A pure Bhava does not mean: “I am a good person.”

That thought itself can become ego.

Rather:

“Let me see myself exactly as I am.”

If anger is there, see it. If jealousy is there, see it. If pride is there, see it. If hurt is there, see it. If the desire to be recognised is there, see it. If I am judging another person, see that too.

Without condemnation. Without justification.

This is extremely important. Because self-condemnation is also ego.

The ego can say:

“I am terrible. I am unworthy. I am a great sinner.”

It is still talking about “I.”

Sudha Bhavana is not self-hatred. It is clarity.

This connects beautifully with Bhagavan Nityananda

Bhagavan’s emphasis on purification of the Antahkarana becomes especially meaningful here.

Purification does not mean polishing the personality so that it looks spiritual. It means becoming capable of seeing what is actually taking place within.

The Sadguru’s light makes the inner tendencies visible. And once they are seen, we don’t have to fight them violently.

We understand them. This is where Buddhi becomes important in our earlier study.

Manas says:

“He is wrong.”

Buddhi asks:

“What is happening in me right now?”

That is a tremendous shift. The Buddhi turns the light inward.

A very subtle point: अहंकार can even enter Sadhana

This is where the verse becomes particularly relevant to serious seekers. The ego does not disappear merely because we become spiritual. It can actually acquire spiritual clothing.

For example:

“I have understood Advaita.” “I have studied the scriptures.” “I meditate regularly.” “I know what Sudha Bhavana means.” “I understand Bhagavan better than others.”

The subject has changed. But the underlying structure remains:

“I am superior.”

That is why Muktabai’s teaching is so uncompromising.

Even spiritual knowledge can become material for अहंकार if it is not accompanied by inner purification.

The previous three verses now form a remarkable sequence

Let’s place the three together.

Verse 6

शुद्ध ज्याचा भाव झाला ।
दुरी नाही देव त्याला ॥

Purify the Bhava → God is not distant.

Verse 7

सांडूनियां आठा भ्रांती ।
धरिली आठा कामक्रोधीं ॥

Do not merely exchange one form of delusion for another → watch desire and anger.

Verse 8

दुसऱ्याचें वर्म पाहे ।
आपुलें तें नेणें…

And above all → turn the same awareness upon yourself.

There is a beautiful deepening:

शुद्ध भाव → purification of desire → purification of perception → weakening of अहंकार.

“तैसे वर्ते जगीं”

This line is important for another reason.

Muktabai does not say:

“Leave the world.”

She says:

तैसे वर्ते जगीं

“Such a person behaves in the world…”

Again, this resonates with Bhagavan’s teaching and our understanding of Prapancha and Parmarth.

The test of purification is not necessarily what happens when we sit alone in meditation. The real test comes in relationship.

Someone criticises us. Someone ignores us. Someone disagrees with us. Someone takes credit for our work. Someone behaves unfairly.

Then we discover:

Has the Bhava actually become pure? Or does the old काम–क्रोध–अहंकार immediately arise?

The world becomes our mirror.

The deepest practice here: स्वपरीक्षण

Perhaps we can call this: स्वपरीक्षण — honest inner examination

Whenever the mind strongly reacts to another person, instead of immediately asking:

“Why is he behaving like this?”

we can first ask:

“Why has this disturbed me?”

That does not mean the other person is necessarily right.

It means: I am taking responsibility for my inner state.

This is very different from passivity. We can still act firmly. We can still correct injustice. We can still set boundaries. But we do so without allowing the disturbance to poison the Bhava. That is a much more mature understanding of Sudha Bhavana.

And then: “सुखसारा”

The final phrase again brings us back to the same destination: शिरोमणी सुखसारा

The supreme essence of happiness. Why does Muktabai connect ego-transcendence with happiness?

Because the ego is constantly demanding:

“Recognise me.”
“Respect me.”
“Listen to me.”
“Agree with me.”
“Give me what I want.”

Therefore, its happiness is always conditional. But when the grip of “I” becomes lighter, something remarkable happens. There is less to defend. Less to prove. Less to compare. Less to possess. Less to resent.

And consequently, there is greater inner freedom.

That freedom is the beginning of the Sukhasara Muktabai speaks about.

One profound connection with Bhagavan

Bhagavan does not ask us merely to become “better” people. He points us toward becoming free from the false centre that continually says, “I am the doer, I am the enjoyer, I am the judge.”

And Muktabai’s verse gives us a practical diagnostic: When I see another’s fault, can I also see my own?

If I cannot, the अहंकार is still active.

If I can see my own without hatred or justification, Sudha Bhavana has begun to work.

If I can see both my own and another’s imperfections without losing compassion, the Bhava is becoming purer.

And if ultimately the distinction between “myself” and “the other” loses its egoic rigidity, we begin approaching the profound statement from the earlier verse:

दुरी नाही देव त्याला ।

There is no distance from the Divine.

So the three verses give us a beautiful inner discipline:

Do not count your sadhanas.
Examine your Bhava.
Do not merely renounce outwardly.
Watch काम and क्रोध.
Do not merely see another’s faults.
Turn the light upon yourself.

And then perhaps “ताटी उघडा ज्ञानेश्वरा” becomes the prayer:

“Jnaneshwara, open the door—not merely the door of the world, but the door within me that अहंकार has kept closed.”

This verse is a significant deepening of the previous one. Muktabai now moves from अहंकार and finding fault with others to the question: What is our vision of another person?