Gnan Quote by Dada Bhagwan
““Who is the 'mother' of Gnan (knowledge)? It is understanding. Where can that understanding be acquired from? Understand that from a Gnani Purush (Enlightened One)””
About This Quote
Source Spiritual Teaching: Dada Bhagwan discourses, 1990s
Understanding is the mother of knowledge; it is attained through deep introspection and guidance from enlightened teachers.
In simple terms: Understanding leads to true knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Seek deeper understanding through study and mentorship.
Themes
knowledge
understanding
spirituality
enlightenment
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
hopeful
Type
spiritual
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- meditation retreats
- study circles
- personal reflection
- spiritual counseling
Key Concepts
self‑realization
guru‑disciple relationship
inner wisdom
Questions to Reflect On
- What practices help you cultivate deeper understanding?
- How can you recognize true guidance?
A Different Perspective
Understanding alone may not guarantee wisdom without practice.
![“When someone picks the Gnani Purush’s [the enlightened one’s] ‘pocket’, how does the Gnani Purush’’ look at it? “Very well! This amount is now credited to my account”! Money spent for the home is money down the drain. How can anyone ‘see’ this [fact] with the narrow inner intent of ‘mine and…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ca4/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_when-someone-picks-the-gnani-purush-s-th_1103415.jpg)
![“Because of anger-pride-deceit-greed, selfishness [self-interest] remains and consequently one has no awareness of who dies or who takes birth. It is simply a wrong belief that has arisen. But after a long time, as one progresses, if he meets a Gnani Purush [the enlightened one], he will acquire…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/213/dada-bhagwan-31_anger_because-of-anger-pride-deceit-greed-self_3201431.jpg)
![“One's liberation begins once he does the darshan of kashaya-free (absence of inner anger, pride, deceit and greed) Gnani purush [the enlightened one]. Who is considered kashaya-free? The one whose state is that where there was no kashaya, there is no kashaya, and there never will be any. The one…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e16/dada-bhagwan-31_anger_one-s-liberation-begins-once-he-does-the_2788996.jpg)
![“Unity does not exist in the world. Only when the Gnani Purush [the enlightened one] grants moksha [liberation], does unity arise. Unity cannot prevail without Gnan [knowledge of the self].” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/188/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_unity-does-not-exist-in-the-world-only-w_713827.jpg)
![“Everyone knows how to subtract the gross form of ‘my’ (tangible ‘my’). But how can he know how to subtract the subtle, subtler and the subtlest forms of ‘my’? That is the work of the ‘Gnani Purush’ [the enlightened one].” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/89c/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_everyone-knows-how-to-subtract-the-gross_2863914.jpg)
![“Saints guide people on the path of religion [dharma] and the Gnani Purush [the enlightened one] grants ‘liberation’ (moksha).” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f87/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_saints-guide-people-on-the-path-of-relig_334916.jpg)
![“How can one go from good [auspicious state] to pure (state)? There are no words for it. It will happen when the Gnani Purush (the enlightened one) gives the awareness of the Self; it will happen when He bestows God’s grace upon you.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e9c/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_how-can-one-go-from-good-auspicious-stat_269702.jpg)
![“This [worldly life] is a huge entanglement; every sub-atomic particle of it is an entanglement and it is impossible to break free from it. Which is why the Lord has said, ‘If you encounter a Gnani Purush [the enlightened one], remain with Him’.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/392/dada-bhagwan-31_break-free_this-worldly-life-is-a-huge-entanglement_1240185.jpg)
![“The worldly [spiritual] science is methodic (kramic) in nature; one progresses “step by step”; one has to ascent one step at a time. Whereas this here, is Akram Vignan, a path of step-less spiritual science; it is a science that has arisen after 10 Lac (a million) years. In this path, one travels…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/78b/dada-bhagwan-31_akram-vignan_the-worldly-spiritual-science-is-methodi_1477.jpg)
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
![“Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani [the enlightened one], one can become a Gnani [the enlightened one].” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/102/dada-bhagwan-31_enlightened_through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-bec_4725.jpg)
![“Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari [living a worldly life] regardless of whether one is an ascetic or a family man. And where anger-pride-deceit-greed are absent, one is regarded as being asansaari…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7ec/dada-bhagwan-31_anger_where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-dece_5756.jpg)
![“Skills (learning) or lack of skills is all egoistic knowledge (ego based knowledge). Ego-free Knowledge is called (true) Knowledge [Gnan].” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b36/dada-bhagwan-31_egoism_skills-learning-or-lack-of-skills-is-all_9081.jpg)
![“Gnan (Knowledge) that is realized and experienced is called ‘Gnan’ [(Real) ‘Knowledge’ (Knowledge with experience of the Self, The Pure Soul)]. Gnan (Knowledge) that is not realized is called agnan, (knowledge with ignorance of the Self). Measure of knowledge is that it is realized.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7d3/dada-bhagwan-31_gnan_gnan-knowledge-that-is-realized-and-expe_306834.jpg)
![“It is difficult to know agnan (all other knowledge other than the knowledge of the Self, Worldly Knowledge), and easy to know Gnan [knowledge of the real self, the soul]. There is no end to agnan.” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/97c/dada-bhagwan-31_gnan_it-is-difficult-to-know-agnan-all-other_310466.jpg)