मागां जाले निरूपण । परमात्मा तो तूंचि जाण । तया परमात्मयाचें लक्षण । तें हें ऐसें असे ॥ १ ॥

In the previous section it was explained: know that you yourself are the Supreme Self. The marks of that Supreme Self are now described as follows.

जन्म नाही मृत्यु नाहीं । येणें नाहीं जाणें नाहीं । बद्ध मोक्ष दोनी नाहीं । परमात्मयासी ॥ २ ॥

The Supreme Self has no birth, no death, no coming, no going, and neither bondage nor liberation.

परमात्मा निर्गुण निराकार । परमात्मा अनंत अपार । पर्मात्मा नित्य निरंतर । जैसा तैसा ॥ ३ ॥

The Supreme Self is attributeless and formless; it is infinite and boundless. The Supreme Self is eternal, unceasing, ever remaining just as it is.

परमात्मा सर्वांस व्यापक । परमात्मा अनेकीं येक । परमात्मयाचा विवेक । अतर्क्य आहे ॥ ४ ॥

The Supreme Self pervades all things; though present in many, it remains one. A true understanding of the Supreme Self is beyond the reach of reasoning.

ऐसी परमात्मयाची स्थिती । बोलताती वेद श्रुती । परमात्मा पाविजे भक्तीं । येथें संशय नाही ॥ ५ ॥

Such is the nature of the Supreme Self, as declared by the Vedas and the scriptures. Through devotion alone is the Supreme Self attained — of this there is no doubt at all.

तये भक्तीचें लक्षण । भक्ती नवविधा भजन । नवविधा भजनें पावन । बहु भक्त जाले ॥ ६ ॥

The nature of that devotion is this: devotion is practiced through nine forms of worship. Through these nine forms of worship, countless devotees have been sanctified.

तया नवविधामध्यें सार । आत्मनिवेदन थोर । तयेचा करावा विचार । स्वानुभवें स्वयें ॥ ७ ॥

The very essence, the highest among these nine forms, is self-surrender. This should be reflected upon oneself, through one's own direct experience.

आपुलिया स्वानुभवें । आपणास निवेदावें । आत्मनिवेदन जाणावें । ऐसें असे ॥ ८ ॥

Through one's own direct experience, to offer oneself completely to oneself, to God — this is to be understood as self-surrender.

महत्पूजेचा अंतीं । देवास मस्तक वाहाती । तैसी आहे निकट भक्ती । आत्मनिवेदनाची ॥ ९ ॥

At the culmination of grand worship, devotees offer their very head to God — self-surrender is devotion of that same intimate, ultimate kind.

आपणांस निवेदिती । ऐसे भक्त थोडे असती । तयांस परमात्मा मुक्ती । तत्काळ देतो ॥ १० ॥

There are very few devotees who truly offer themselves in this way. To such devotees, the Supreme Self grants liberation instantly.

आपणांस कैसें निवेदावें । कोठें जाऊन पडावें । किंवा मस्तक तोडावें । देवापुढें ॥ ११ ॥

But how is one to offer oneself? Where should one go and surrender? Or should one cut off one's own head before God?

ऐसें ऐकोन बोलणें । वक्ता वदे सर्वज्ञपणें । श्रोतां सावधान होणें । येकाग्र चित्तें ॥ १२ ॥

Hearing this, the teacher, speaking from his all-knowing wisdom, replies. Let the listeners now attend with a one-pointed mind.

आत्मनिवेदनाचें लक्षण । आधीं पाहावें मी कोण । मग परमात्मा निर्गुण । तो वोळखावा ॥ १३ ॥

The true mark of self-surrender is this: first inquire, "Who am I?" Then come to recognize the attributeless Supreme Self.

देवभक्ताचें शोधन । करितां होतें आत्मनिवेदन । देव आहे पुरातन । भक्त पाहे ॥ १४ ॥

Self-surrender comes about through the inquiry into both God and the devotee. The devotee comes to see that God is eternal, from time immemorial.

देवास वोळखों जातां । तेथें जाली तद्रूपता । देवभक्तविभक्तता । मुळींच नाहीं ॥ १५ ॥

When one sets out to recognize God, one comes to identity with Him. Between God and the devotee, there is, from the very start, no real separation.

विभक्त नाहीं म्हणोन भक्त । बद्ध नाहीं म्हणोन मुक्त । अयुक्त नाहीं बोलणें युक्त । शास्त्राधारें ॥ १६ ॥

Because there is no true separation, one is truly a devotee; because there is no bondage, one is truly liberated. This statement is not baseless — it is fully justified by the scriptures.

देवाभक्ताचें पाहातां मूळ । होये भेदाचें निर्मूळ । येक परमात्मा सकळ । दृश्यावेगळा ॥ १७ ॥

When one traces God and devotee back to their root, all distinction is uprooted. One Supreme Self alone pervades everything, and it stands apart from this entire visible world.

तयासि होतां मिळणी । उरी नाहीं दुजेपणीं । देवभक्त हे कडसणी । निरसोन गेली ॥ १८ ॥

Once union with that Supreme Self occurs, nothing whatsoever remains of duality. The distinction of God and devotee is entirely dissolved.

आत्मनिवेदनाचे अंतीं । जे कां घडली अभेदभक्ती । तये नाव सायोज्यमुक्ती । सत्य जाणावी ॥ १९ ॥

The non-dual devotion that arises at the culmination of self-surrender is truly to be known as sayujya-mukti, the liberation of complete union.

जो संतांस शरण गेला । अद्वैतनिरूपणें बोधला । मग जरी वेगळा केला । तरी होणार नाहीं ॥ २० ॥

Whoever surrenders to the saints and gains understanding through their teaching of non-duality can never again be made separate, even if one tried.

नदीं मिळाली सागरीं । ते निवडावी कोणेपरी । लोहो सोनें होतां माघारी । काळिमा न ये ॥ २१ ॥

Once a river has merged into the ocean, how could it ever be separated out again? And once iron has become gold, blackness never returns to it again.

तैसा भगवंतीं मिळाला । तो नवचे वेगळा केला । देव भक्त आपण जाला । विभक्त नव्हे ॥ २२ ॥

In the same way, whoever has merged with God can never again be made separate. He himself becomes both God and devotee at once; no separateness remains.

देव भक्त दोनी येक । ज्यासी कळला विवेक । साधुजनीं मोक्षदायेक । तोचि जाणावा ॥ २३ ॥

Whoever has grasped this discernment — that God and devotee are one and the same — should be recognized, among the saints, as the very one who grants liberation.

आतां असो हें बोलणें । देव पाहावा भक्तपणें । तेणें त्यांचें ऐश्वर्य बाणे । तत्काळ आंगीं ॥ २४ ॥

Enough of this discussion for now — let this much be said: one should look upon God with the eye of devotion. Through this, His very majesty becomes instantly one's own.

देहचि होऊन राहिजे । तेणें देहदुःख साहिजे । देहातीत होतां पाविजे । परब्रह्म तें ॥ २५ ॥

As long as one remains identified with the body, one must endure the sufferings of the body. But once one transcends the body, one attains that very Supreme Reality.

देहातीत कैसें होणें । कैसें परब्रह्म पावणें । ऐश्वर्याची लक्षणें । कवण सांगिजे ॥ २६ ॥

How is one to transcend the body? How is the Supreme Reality to be attained? Who will describe the marks of this majesty?

ऐसें श्रोतां आक्षेपिलें । याचे उत्तर काये बोलिलें । तेंचि आतां निरोपिलें । सावध ऐका ॥ २७ ॥

This is the question the listeners raised. What answer was given to it will now be explained — listen attentively.

देहातीत वस्तु आहे । तें तूं परब्रह्म पाहें । देहसंग हा न साहे । तुज विदेहासी ॥ २८ ॥

The Reality that lies beyond the body — that is what you yourself, as the Supreme Reality, truly are. This attachment to the body simply does not befit you, who are essentially bodiless.

ज्याची बुद्धी होये ऐसी । वेद वर्णिती तयासी । शोधितां नाना शास्त्रांसी । न पडे ठांई ॥ २९ ॥

The one whose understanding becomes fixed in this way is the very one the Vedas praise. Search through countless scriptures as one might, this mark is found nowhere else.

ऐश्वर्य ऐसें तत्वता । बाणें देहबुद्धि सोडितां देह मी ऐसें भावितां । अधोगती ॥ ३० ॥

This true majesty is attained only by giving up the notion that one is the body. But to keep believing "I am the body" leads only to downfall.

याकारणें साधुवचन । मानूं नये अप्रमाण । मिथ्या मानितां दूषण । लागों पाहे ॥ ३१ ॥

Therefore this teaching of the saints should not be taken as unreliable. To dismiss it as false would only bring fault upon oneself.

साधुवचन तें कैसें । काये धरावें विश्वासें । येक वेळ स्वामी ऐसें । मज निरोपावें ॥ ३२ ॥

What exactly is the teaching of the saints? What is it that one should firmly believe? Please, Master, explain this to me clearly, just once.

सोहं आत्मा स्वानंदघन । अजन्मा तो तूंचि जाण । हेंचि साधूचें वचन । सदृढ धरावें ॥ ३३ ॥

"So'ham" — "I am That." Know that the Self, dense with its own bliss and never born, is you yourself. This very teaching of the saints should be held firmly.

महावाक्याचें अंतर । तुंचि ब्रह्म निरंतर । ऐसिया वचनाचा विसर । पडोंचि नये ॥ ३४ ॥

The inner meaning of the Great Saying is precisely this: you yourself are eternally Brahman. This teaching should never be allowed to slip from memory.

देहासि होईल अंत । मग मी पावेन अनंत । ऐसें बोलणें निभ्रांत । मानूंचि नये ॥ ३५ ॥

One should never confidently believe: "Only once the body comes to an end will I attain the Infinite."

येक मुर्ख ऐसें म्हणती । माया नासेल कल्पांतीं । मग आम्हांस ब्रह्मप्राप्ती । येरवीं नाहीं ॥ ३६ ॥

Some foolish people say: "Maya will be destroyed only at the end of the cosmic cycle; only then will we attain Brahman, and not otherwise."

मायेसी होईल कल्पांत । अथवा देहासी येईल अंत । तेव्हां पावेन निवांत । परब्रह्म मी ॥ ३७ ॥

"Only when maya reaches its dissolution, or when the body meets its end, will I then peacefully attain the Supreme Reality" — so they believe.

हें बोलणें अप्रमाण । ऐसें नव्हे समाधान । समाधानाचें लक्षण । वेगळेंचि असे ॥ ३८ ॥

But this belief is mistaken — true contentment is not like this at all. The real mark of true contentment is something altogether different.

शैन्य अवघेंचि मरावें । मग राज्यपद प्राप्त व्हावें । शैन्य अस्तांचि राज्य करावें । हें कळेना ॥ ३९ ॥

How could kingship be attained only after the entire army has perished? That one rules the kingdom precisely while the army is intact — this they fail to understand.

माया असोनिच नाहीं । देह असतांच विदेही । ऐसें समाधान कांहीं । वोळखावें ॥ ४० ॥

Even while maya exists, it should be recognized as though it did not exist at all; and even while the body remains, one should recognize oneself as already bodiless. This alone should be understood as true contentment.

राज्यपद हातासी आलें । मग परिवारें काय केलें । परिवारा देखतां राज्य गेलें । हें तों घडेना ॥ ४१ ॥

Once kingship has come into one's own hands, what does it matter what one's household does about it? And that the kingdom should slip away even while the household looks on — such a thing simply does not happen.

प्राप्त जालियां आत्मज्ञान । तैसें दृश्य देहभान । दृष्टीं पडतां समाधान । जाणार नाही ॥ ४२ ॥

In just the same way, once Self-knowledge has been attained, even if the visible world and body-consciousness continue to appear before one's eyes, the contentment gained does not vanish.

मार्गीं मूळी सर्पाकार । देखतां भये आलें थोर । कळतां तेथील विचार । मग मारणें काये ॥ ४३ ॥

A rope lying in the path, seen as a snake, causes great fear — but once one understands the truth of what it actually is, what need remains to kill it?

तैसी माया भयानक । विचार पाहातां माईक । मग तयेचा धाक । कायसा धरावा ॥ ४४ ॥

In the same way, maya appears terrifying, but on careful reflection it turns out to be a mere illusion. So what need is there to remain in dread of it?

देखतां मृगजळाचे पूर । म्हणे कैसा पावों पैलपार । कळतां तेथीचा विचार । सांकडें कैंचें ॥ ४५ ॥

Seeing a flood of mirage-water, a person thinks, "How shall I ever cross to the other side?" But once the truth of it is understood, what difficulty remains at all?

देखतां स्वप्न भयानक । स्वप्नीं वाटे परम धाक । जागृती आलीयां साशंक । कासया व्हावें ॥ ४६ ॥

Seeing a terrifying dream, one feels overwhelming fear within the dream itself, but upon waking, why should one remain troubled by it at all?

तथापी माया कल्पनेसी दिसे । आपण कल्पनेतीत असे । तेथें उद्वेग काईसे । निर्विकल्पासी ॥ ४७ ॥

Even so, maya appears only to the imagining mind, while one's own true nature lies beyond all imagination itself. So what anguish, then, could there be for one who is beyond all thought-constructs?

अंतीं मतीं तेचि गती । ऐसें सर्वत्र बोलती । तुझा अंतीं तुझी प्राप्ती । सहजचि जाली ॥ ४८ ॥

It is commonly said everywhere that one's final state of mind determines one's destiny after death. But your own end simply means attaining your own true Self — and that has already come about quite naturally.

चौंदेहाचा अंत । आणी जन्म मुळाचा प्रांत । अंतांप्रांतासी अलिप्त । तो तुं आत्मा ॥ ४९ ॥

The end of the four bodies, and the boundary at the very root of birth — beyond all such ends and beginnings, untouched by them, you yourself are the Self.

जयासी ऐसी आहे मती । तयास ज्ञानें आत्मगती । गती आणी अवगती । वेगळाचि तो ॥ ५० ॥

Whoever attains such understanding reaches, through knowledge, the state of the Self itself. He stands entirely apart from both good and bad destinies alike.

मति खुंटली वेदांची । तेथें गती आणी अवगती कैंची । आत्मशास्त्रगुरुप्रचिती । ऐक्यता आली ॥ ५१ ॥

Where even the understanding of the Vedas comes to a halt, how could there be any good or bad destiny there at all? Through direct realization, the Self, the scripture, and the Guru's teaching are found to be in perfect agreement.

जीवपणाची फिटली भ्रांती । वस्तु आली आत्मप्रचिती । प्राणी पावला उत्तमगती । सद्गुफरुबोधें ॥ ५२ ॥

Once the illusion of being a separate individual self is dispelled, the Reality is realized through direct experience of the Self. Through the true Guru's teaching, the being attains the highest state.

सद्गुीरुबोध जेव्हां जाला । चौंदेहांस अंत आला । तेणें निजध्यास लागला । सस्वरूपीं ॥ ५३ ॥

Once the true Guru's teaching is received, the end comes for all four bodies alike. Through this, one's constant absorption becomes fixed in one's own true nature.

तेणें निजध्यासें प्राणी । धेयंचि जाला निर्वाणीं । सायोज्यमुक्तीचा धनी । होऊन बैसला ॥ ५४ ॥

Through this constant absorption, the being finally becomes one with the very goal itself. He becomes established as the true master of sayujya-mukti, complete union.

दृश्य पदार्थ वोसरतां । आवघा आत्माचि तत्वता । नेहटून विचारें पहातां । दृश्य मुळींच नाहीं ॥ ५५ ॥

When all visible objects recede, in truth nothing remains but the Self alone. Examined with firm and resolute reasoning, the visible world is found to have no real existence at all.

मिथ्या मिथ्यत्वें पाहिलें । मिथ्यापणें अनुभवा आलें । श्रोतीं पाहिजे ऐकिलें । या नाव मोक्ष ॥ ५६ ॥

Whatever is illusory has been seen precisely as illusory, and has been experienced precisely as such. Let the listeners understand this well — this itself is called liberation.

सद्गुारुवचन हृदईं धरी । तोचि मोक्षाचा अधिकारी । श्रवण मनन केलेंचि करी । अत्यादरें ॥ ५७ ॥

Whoever holds the true Guru's teaching firmly in the heart is the rightful claimant to liberation. Such a one continually engages in hearing and reflection with the deepest reverence.

जेथें आटती दोन्ही पक्ष । तेथें लक्ष ना अलक्ष । या नाव जाणिजे मोक्ष । नेमस्त आत्मा ॥ ५८ ॥

Where both opposing sides dissolve away entirely, there remains neither an object of focus nor its absence. This alone should be known as liberation, the very certain nature of the Self.

जेथें ध्यान धारणा सरे । कल्पना निर्विकल्पीं मुरे । केवळ ज्ञेप्तिमात्र उरे । सूक्ष्म ब्रह्म ॥ ५९ ॥

Where meditation and concentration come to an end, where all thought-constructs dissolve into the thought-free state, and only pure awareness itself remains — that alone is the subtle Brahman.

भवमृगजळ आटलें । लटिकें बंधन सुटलें । अजन्म्यास मुक्त केलें । जन्मदुःखापासुनी ॥ ६० ॥

The mirage of worldly existence has dried up, and its false bondage has been broken. The one who was, from the beginning, never born has been freed from the suffering of birth.

निःसंगाची संगव्याधी । विदेहाची देहबुद्धी । विवेकें तोडिली उपाधी । निःप्रपंचाची ॥ ६१ ॥

The disease of attachment clinging to the one who is essentially unattached, and the body-consciousness clinging to the one who is essentially bodiless — this limiting adjunct of the one truly free of all worldliness has been severed through discernment.

अद्वैताचें तोडिलें द्वैत । येकांतास दिला एकांत । अनंतास दिला अंत । अनंताचा ॥ ६२ ॥

The duality clinging to the non-dual has been severed; true solitude has been restored to the one who was solitary; and the infinite has been brought to its own fulfillment, the ending of its own infinitude.

जागृतीस चेवविलें । चेईयास सावध केलें । निजबोधास प्रबोधिलें । आत्मज्ञान ॥ ६३ ॥

Self-knowledge has truly awakened wakefulness itself; it has made the already-awake one fully alert; it enlightens one's own inherent awareness even further.

अमृतास केलें अमर । मोक्षास मुक्तीचें घर । संयोगास निरंतर । योग केला ॥ ६४॥

That which can never die has, in truth, been made truly immortal. Liberation itself has been given the very home of freedom. And that union which can never be parted has been joined into a union that endures forever.

निर्गुणास निर्गुण केलें । सार्थकाचें सार्थक जालें । बहुतां दिवसां भेटलें । आपणासि आपण ॥ ६५॥

That which was, from the beginning, attributeless has now been made truly attributeless. The very fulfillment of one's life's purpose has itself been fulfilled. After so very long, the self has finally met itself.

तुटला द्वैताचा पडदा । अभेदें तोडिलें भेदा । भूतपंचकाची बाधा । निरसोन गेली ॥ ६६ ॥

The veil of duality has been torn away; non-duality has dissolved all distinction. The affliction caused by the five elements has been completely removed.

जालें साधनाचें फळ । निश्चळास केलें निश्चळ । निर्मळाचा गेला मळ । विवबळें ॥ ६७ ॥

The true fruit of spiritual practice has been gained: that which was already unmoving has been made truly unmoving. Through the power of discernment, even the seeming stain upon the pure Self has been removed.

होतें सन्निध चुकलें । ज्याचें त्यास प्राप्त जालें । आपण देखतां फिटलें । जन्मदुःख ॥ ६८ ॥

What was close at hand but had been missed has now been attained by its rightful owner. Simply by seeing one's own true self, the suffering of birth has been dispelled.

दुष्टस्वप्नें जाजावला । ब्रह्मण नीच याती पावला । आपणांसी आपण सांपडला । जागेपणें ॥ ६९ ॥

Just as a Brahmin, tormented by a bad dream, comes to believe himself born into a low caste, so too was this being deluded. But upon awakening, he found his own true self once again.

ऐसें जयास जालें ज्ञान । तया पुरुषाचें लक्षण । पुढिले समासीं निरूपण । बोलिलें असे ॥ ७० ॥

The marks of the person who has attained such knowledge are described in the following section.