ಸಂತ ಜ್ಞಾನೇಶ್ವರ (೧೨೭೫- ೧೨೯೬) - (ಜ್ಞಾನದೇವ ಎಂದೂ ಕರೆಯುವುದುಂಟು) ಹದಿಮೂರನೆಯ ಶತಮಾನದಲ್ಲಿ [[ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ]]ದ ಅಹಮದ್ ನಗರ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಟ್ಟಿ ಬಾಳಿದ ಸಂತ ಕವಿ. He was a yogi born in a socially outcast high-caste family. He was the first noteworthy proponent of Bhagawat sampradaya, a sect of bhakti (devotional worship) tradition in Hinduism. Dnyaneshwar composed Bhavarthadeepika or Dnyaneshwari (ज्ञानेश्वरी), to explain sacred knowledge of the holy book Bhagavad Gita to the masses. He took sanjeevan Samadhi, a yogic path to salvation by giving up life at the young age of 21.
Translation: I will bring great knowledge of Vedas,Upanishads,Shastras and Bhagvadgita from Sanskrit in my mother tongue Marathi. Thus, provide status to common poor people who know Marathi but don’t know Sanskrit. He regarded uplifment of all sectors of society and stressed that caste should be decided based on Qualities not by birth.
Pasaydan is considered to be a Vaishwik Pratharna ( Prayer for entire world). In this prayer Saint Dnyaneshwar asks for the well-being of all human beings. He prays to God and wishes criminals to give up their bad qualities and develop interest in noble things. He wants all living things to be tied in the relation of Maitri ( Friendship). He prays to God to remove the darkness from minds of ill-minded people. He asks for the rise of sun of true Vishwa Swadharma ( the Dharma of entire world). ( Vishwa swadharma does not mean any organized religion but indicates rise of noble powers in entire world.)
Pasaydaan is considered to be the prayer without any reference to any religion for entire mankind and entire world. It is possibly one of the greatest prayers in Indian heritage.
ವಿಠ್ಠಲಪಂತ ಮತ್ತು ರುಕ್ಮಿಣಿಬಾಯಿ ಕುಲಕರ್ಣಿ ಎಂಬ ಧರ್ಮಭೀರು ದಂಪತಿಗಳ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಮಕ್ಕಳಲ್ಲಿ ಎರಡನೆಯವನಾಗಿ ಜ್ಞಾನದೇವ ಪೈಠಣದ ಹತ್ತಿರದ . [[ಗೋದಾವರಿ ನದಿ]] ತೀರದ , ಅಪೆಗಾಂವ್ ಎಂಬ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜನಿಸಿದ.
