मागां श्रोतयांचा पक्ष । कितां दिवसां होतो मोक्ष । तेचि कथा श्रोते दक्ष । होऊन ऐका ॥ १ ॥

The listeners had earlier asked how long it takes to attain liberation. Let the listeners now hear that very account with full attention.

मोक्षास कैसें जाणावें । मोक्ष कोणास म्हणावें । संतसंगें पावावें । मोक्षास कैसें ॥ २ ॥

How is liberation to be understood? Who should truly be called liberated? And how is liberation attained through the company of the saints?

तरी बद्ध म्हणिजे बांधला । आणि मोक्ष म्हणिजे मोकळा जाला । तो संतसंगें कैसा लाधला । तेंचि ऐका ॥ ३ ॥

"Bound" means one who is tied up, and "liberated" means one who has been set free from that bondage. Now hear how that freedom is gained through the company of the saints.

प्राणी संकल्पें बांधला । जीवपणें बद्ध जाला । तो विवेकें मुक्त केला । साधुजनीं ॥ ४ ॥

A being is bound by his own thought-constructs, tied down by the sense of being a separate individual self. It is this very being whom the saints free through discernment.

मी जीव ऐसा संकल्प । दृढ धरितां गेले कल्प । तेणें प्राणी जाला अल्प । देहबुद्धीचा ॥ ५ ॥

Holding firmly to the thought "I am a mere individual soul," countless ages have passed. Because of this, the being has become small, confined within body-consciousness.

मी जीव मज बंधन । मज आहे जन्ममरण । केल्या कर्माचें फळ आपण । भोगीन आतां ॥ ६ ॥

He believes: "I am a soul, I am bound, I am subject to birth and death, and now I alone must suffer the fruits of the deeds I have done."

पापाचें फळ तें दुःख । आणी पुण्याचें फळ तें सुख । पापपुण्य अवश्यक । भोगणें लागे ॥ ७ ॥

The fruit of sin is sorrow, and the fruit of merit is happiness; one is bound, he believes, to inevitably experience the fruits of both sin and merit.

पापपुण्य भोग सुटेना । आणी गर्भवासहि तुटेना । ऐसी जयाची कल्पना । दृढ जाली ॥ ८ ॥

One whose firm conviction is that the experiencing of sin and merit never ends, and that rebirth in the womb can never be escaped —

तया नाव बांधला। जीवपणें बद्ध जाला । जैसा स्वयें बांधोन कोसला । मृत्यु पावे ॥ ९ ॥

— such a person is called "bound," tied down by the sense of individual selfhood. He is like the silkworm that spins its own cocoon around itself and dies trapped within it.

तैसा प्राणी तो अज्ञान । नेणें भगवंताचें ज्ञान । म्हणे माझें जन्ममरण । सुटेचिना ॥ १० ॥

Such an ignorant being remains unaware of the knowledge of God, and keeps saying: "My cycle of birth and death simply cannot be escaped."

आतां कांहीं दान करूं । पुढिलया जन्मास आधारु । तेणें सुखरूप संसारु । होईल माझा ॥ ११ ॥

He thinks: "Let me perform some charity now, so it will support me in my next life, and then my worldly life will become happy."

पूर्वीं दान नाहीं केलें । म्हणोन दरिद्र प्राप्त जालें । आतां तरी कांहीं केलें । पाहिजे कीं ॥ १२ ॥

"Because I gave no charity in the past, I have fallen into poverty," he thinks. "So now, at least, I ought to do something."

म्हणौनी दिलें वस्त्र जुनें । आणी येक तांब्र नाणें । म्हणे आतां कोटिगुणें । पावेन पुढें ॥ १३ ॥

So he gives away an old garment and a single copper coin, telling himself: "Now, in my next life, I shall receive this back a millionfold."

कुशावर्तीं कुरुक्षेत्रीं । महिमा ऐकोन दान करी । आशा धरिली अभ्यांतरीं । कोटिगुणांची ॥ १४ ॥

Hearing of the sanctity of places like Kushavarta and Kurukshetra, he gives charity there, secretly nursing the hope of a millionfold return.

रुका आडका दान केला । अतितास टुक्डा घातला । म्हणे माझा ढीग जाला । कोटि टुकड्यांचा ॥ १५ ॥

He gives away a couple of small coins, offers a scrap of bread to a beggar, and tells himself: "Now I have piled up a mountain of a million such scraps."

तो मी खाईन पुढिलिये जन्मीं । ऐसें कल्पीं अंतर्यामीं । वासना गुंतली जन्मकर्मीं । प्राणीयांची ॥ १६ ॥

"I shall enjoy all of it in my next birth," he imagines within himself. In this way a person's desire remains entangled in birth and deed alike.

आतां मी जें देईन । तें पुढिले जन्मीं पावेन । ऐसें कल्पी तो अज्ञान । बद्ध जाणावा ॥ १७ ॥

Whoever imagines, "Whatever I give now, I shall receive back in my next life" is to be known as ignorant and bound.

बहुतां जन्माचे अंतीं । होये नरदेहाची प्राप्ती । येथें न होतां ज्ञानें सद्गेती । गर्भवस चुकेना ॥ १८ ॥

Only after countless births does one attain a human body. If in this very birth one does not attain the highest state through knowledge, one cannot escape rebirth in the womb.

गर्भवास नरदेहीं घडे । ऐसें हें सर्वथा न घडे । अकस्मात भोगणें पडे । पुन्हा नीच योनी ॥ १९ ॥

It is by no means certain that the next womb-birth will again be in a human body; one may suddenly be made to suffer birth in some lower form of life instead.

ऐसा निश्चयो शास्त्रांतरीं । बहुतीं केला बहुतांपरीं । नरदेह संसारीं । परम दुल्लभ असे ॥ २० ॥

This has been firmly established in many scriptures, in many ways: the human body is exceedingly rare and precious in this worldly existence.

पापपुण्य समता घडे । तरीच नरदेह जोडे । येरवीं हा जन्म न घडे । हें व्यासवचन भागवतीं ॥ २१ ॥

Only when one's sins and merits become balanced does one attain a human body — otherwise this birth is not obtained at all; so says Vyasa's own statement in the Bhagavata.

॥ श्लोक ॥ नरदेहमाद्यं सुलभं सुदुर्लभं । प्लवं सुकल्पं गुरुकर्णधारं । मायानुकुलेन नभस्वतेरितं । पुमान्भबाब्धिं न तरेत्स आत्महा ॥ श्लोक अर्थ – सर्वप्रथम नरदेह अत्यंत दुर्लभ असूनही भगवस्कूपेने सहज मिळाला आहे. तो सुदृढ होडीसारखा असून गुरुदेव हे त्याचे कर्णधार आहेत, मज भगवंताची कृपा हा अनुकूल वाहणारा वारा आहे. हे सर्व मिळूनही जो मनुष्य भवसागरातून तरून जात नाही, तो आत्मघातकी जाणावा. नरदेह दुल्लभ । अल्प संकल्पाचा लाभ । गुरु कर्णधारी स्वयंभ । सुख पाववी ॥ २२ ॥

The human body is exceedingly rare, yet it has been easily obtained through God's grace. It is like a sturdy boat, with the true Guru as its helmsman and God's grace as the favorable wind driving it onward. Even with all this in hand, whoever fails to cross the ocean of worldly existence should be considered his own destroyer. This rare human birth, even through the smallest resolve, yields great gain — and the self-established Guru, as its helmsman, brings one to happiness.

दैव अनुकुळ नव्हे जया । स्वयें पापी तो प्राणीया । भवब्धी न तरवे तया । आत्महत्यारा बोलिजे ॥ २३ ॥

One whose destiny is unfavorable is, in truth, himself a sinful being. Whoever fails to cross the ocean of worldly existence is to be called his own murderer.

ज्ञानेंविण प्राणीयांसी । जन्ममृत्य लक्ष चौयासी । तितुक्या आत्महत्या त्यासी । म्हणोन आत्महत्यारा ॥ २४ ॥

Without knowledge, a being must undergo birth and death through the eighty-four lakh species — and each of these is itself a self-inflicted death; hence he is called a self-murderer.

नरदेहीं ज्ञानेंविण । कदा न चुके जन्ममरण । भोगणें लागती दारुण । नाना नीच योनी ॥ २५ ॥

Even having attained a human body, without knowledge one can never escape birth and death, and must suffer rebirth in many dreadful, lowly forms of life.

रीस मर्कट श्वान सूकर । अश्व वृषभ म्हैसा खर । काक कुर्कूट जंबुक मार्जर । सरड बेडुक मक्षिका ॥ २६ ॥

Bear, monkey, dog, pig, horse, ox, buffalo, donkey, crow, cock, jackal, cat, lizard, frog, fly — such are the many kinds of lowly lives one must undergo.

इत्यादिक नीच योनी । ज्ञान नस्तां भोगणें जनीं । आशा धरी मुर्ख प्राणी ॥ पुढिलिया जन्माची ॥ २७ ॥

Without knowledge one must suffer such lowly births — unaware of this, the foolish person keeps clinging to hopes about his next life.

हा नरदेह पडतां । तोंचि पाविजे मागुतां । ऐसा विश्वास धरिजां । लाज नाहीं ॥ २८ ॥

He feels no shame at all in holding the confident belief that once this human body falls away, the very same human body will be obtained again.

कोण पुण्याच संग्रहू । जे पुन्हा पाविजे नरदेहो । दुराशा धरिली पाहो । पुढिलिया जन्माची ॥ २९ ॥

What store of merit does he even possess that he should be assured of a human body again? Yet he goes on nursing this futile hope about his next life.

ऐसा मुर्ख अज्ञान जन । केलें संकल्पें बंधन । शत्रु आपणासि आपण । होऊन ठेला ॥ ३० ॥

Such a foolish, ignorant person binds himself through his own thought-constructs, and thus becomes his own worst enemy.

ऐसे संकल्पाचें बंधन । संतसंगे तुटे जाण । ऐक तयाचें लक्षण । सांगिजेल ॥ ३१ ॥

Know that this bondage of thought-constructs is broken only through the company of the saints. Listen now, as its nature is explained.

पांचा भूतांचें शरीर । निर्माण जालें सचराचर । प्रकृतिस्वभावें जगदाकार । वर्तों लागे ॥ ३२ ॥

This body, with all that moves and does not move, was formed from the five elements. By the nature of prakriti, it began to function in the form of the world.

देह अवस्ता अभिमान । स्थानें भोग मात्रा गुण । शक्ती आदिकरुन लक्षण । चौपुटी तत्वांचें ॥ ३३ ॥

Body, state, ego-sense, locations, experience, measure, quality, power, and the like — these are the marks belonging to the four bodies.

ऐसी पिंडब्रह्मांड रचना । विस्तारें वाढली कल्पना । निर्धारितां तत्वज्ञाना । मतें भांबावलीं ॥ ३४ ॥

Thus the structure of the individual body and the cosmos expanded into vast detail, giving rise to many speculations. When one tries to settle the philosophy of these principles, the various views only grow confused.

नाना मतीं नाना भेद । भेदें वाढती वेवाद । परी तो ऐक्यतेचा संवाद । साधु जाणती ॥ ३५ ॥

Different views hold different distinctions, and these distinctions give rise to endless disputes. But the underlying harmony beneath them is known only to the saints.

तया संवादाचे लक्षण । पंचभूतिक देह जाण । त्या देहामधें कारण । आत्मा वोळखावा ॥ ३६ ॥

The mark of that underlying harmony is this: know that this body is made of the five elements, and recognize the Self as the true cause dwelling within that body.

देह अंती नासोन जाये । त्यास आत्मा म्हणों नये । नाना तत्वांचा समुदाय । देहामधें आला ॥ ३७ ॥

The body perishes in the end, so it should not be called the Self. What has come together in the body is merely a collection of the various principles.

अंतःकर्ण प्राणादिक । विषये इंद्रियें दशक । हा सूक्ष्माच विवेक । बोलिला शास्त्रीं ॥ ३८ ॥

The inner faculties, the vital airs, the sense-objects, and the ten organs — this is the subtle analysis given in the scriptures.

घेतां सूक्ष्माची शुद्धी । भिन्न अंतःकरण मन बुद्धी । नाना तत्वांचे उपाधी । वेगळा आत्मा ॥ ३९ ॥

On careful examination of the subtle body, the inner faculty, the mind, and the intellect are all found to be distinct from the Self. The Self stands apart from all these various coverings of the principles.

स्थूळ सूक्ष्म कारण । माहाकारण विराट हिरण्य । अव्याकृत मूळप्रकृति जाण । ऐसे अष्टदेह ॥ ४० ॥

The gross, the subtle, the causal, the supra-causal, the cosmic form, the cosmic subtle form, the unmanifest, and the root nature — know these as the eight bodies.

च्यारी पिंडी च्यारी ब्रह्मांडीं । ऐसी अष्टदेहाची प्रौढी । प्रकृती पुरुषांची वाढी । दशदेह बोलिजे ॥ ४१ ॥

Four of these belong to the individual body, and four to the cosmos — such is the structure of these eight bodies. Adding prakriti and purusha to these, one speaks of ten bodies.

ऐसें तत्वांचे लक्षण । आत्मा साक्षी विलक्षण । कार्य कर्ता कारण । दृश्या तयाचें ॥ ४२ ॥

Such is the structure of these principles, but the Self is distinct from all of them — it is merely the witness. The effect, the doer, and the cause all belong only to the visible, changing world.

जीवशिव पिंडब्रह्मांड । मायेअविद्येचें बंड । हें सांगता असे उदंड । परी आत्मा तो वेगळा ॥ ४३ ॥

The individual soul, the cosmic soul, the body, the universe — all of this is simply the expanse of maya and ignorance. Much could be said about it, but the Self remains altogether distinct from all of it.

पाहों जातां आत्मे च्यारी । त्यांचे लक्षण अवधारीं । हें जाणोनि अभ्यांतरीं । सदृढ धरावें ॥ ४४ ॥

On closer examination, the Self is spoken of as fourfold. Listen carefully to their marks, and hold this firmly within your understanding.

एक जीवात्मा दुसरा शिवात्मा । तिसरा परमात्मा जो विश्वात्मा । चौथा जाणिजे निर्मळात्मा । ऐसे च्यारी आत्मे ॥ ४५ ॥

The first is the individual self, the second the cosmic soul, the third the Supreme Self, also called the universal soul, and the fourth is known as the pure Self — these are the four selves.

भेद उंच नीच भासती । परी च्यारी एकचि असती । येविषीं दृष्टांत संमती। सावध ऐका ॥ ४६ ॥

Although these appear as higher and lower distinctions, all four are, in truth, one and the same. Listen attentively now to the illustration that confirms this.

घटाकाश मठाकाश । महदाकाश चिदाकाश । अवघे मिळोन आकाश । येकचि असे ॥ ४७ ॥

The space within a pot, the space within a hut, the great outer space, and the space free of all limiting adjuncts — all of these together are, in reality, a single space.

तैसा जीवात्मा आणि शिवात्मा । परमात्मा आणी निर्मळाता । अवघा मिळोन आत्मा । येकचि असे ॥ ४८ ॥

In just the same way, the individual self, the cosmic soul, the Supreme Self, and the pure Self — all of these together are, in reality, a single Self.

घटीं व्यापक जें आकाश । तया नाव घटाकाश । पिंडी व्यापक ब्रह्मांश । त्यास जीवात्मा बोलिजे ॥ ४९ ॥

The space pervading within a pot is called "pot-space." Likewise, the portion of Brahman pervading within the individual body is called the individual self.

मठीं व्यापक जें आकाश । तया नाव मठाकाश । तैसा ब्रह्मांडीं जो ब्रह्मांश । त्यास शिवात्मा बोलिजे ॥ ५० ॥

The space pervading within a large hall is called "hall-space." In the same way, the portion of Brahman pervading the entire cosmos is called the cosmic soul.

मठाबाहेरील आकाश । तयाअ नांव महदाकाश । ब्रह्मांडाबाहेरील ब्रह्मांश । त्यास परमात्मा बोलिजे ॥ ५१ ॥

The space outside the hall is called the great space. Likewise, the portion of Brahman beyond the cosmos itself is called the Supreme Self.

उपधीवेगळें आकाश । तया नाव चिदाकाश । तैसा निर्मळात्मा परेश । तो उपधिवेगळा ॥ ५२ ॥

Space entirely free of all limiting adjuncts is called consciousness-space. In the same way, the Supreme Lord, entirely free of all limiting adjuncts, is the pure Self.

उपाधियोगें वाटे भिन्न । परी तें आकाश अभिन्न । तैसा अत्मा स्वानंदघन । येकचि असे ॥ ५३ ॥

Because of these limiting adjuncts, space seems to differ, but in truth that space remains undivided. In the very same way, the Self, dense with its own bliss, is one alone.

दृश्या सबाह्य अंतरीं । सूक्ष्मात्मा निरंतरीं । त्याचि वर्णावया थोरी । शेष समर्थ नव्हे ॥ ५४ ॥

That subtle Self pervades constantly, both within and without this entire visible world. Even Shesha, the thousand-headed serpent, is not capable of describing its greatness.

ऐसे आत्म्याचें लक्षण । जाणतां नाहीं जीवपण । उपाधी शोधतां अभिन्न । मुळींच आहे ॥ ५५ ॥

When this true nature of the Self is understood, the sense of being a separate individual self no longer remains. On careful examination of these limiting adjuncts, one finds that the Self was, from the very beginning, undivided.

जीवपणें येकदेसी । अहंकारें जन्म सोसी । विवेक पाहतां प्राणीयांसी । जन्म कैंचा ॥ ५६ ॥

Because of the sense of individual selfhood — that is, seeing oneself as a mere fragment — one suffers birth out of ego. But when examined with true discernment, where indeed is there any birth for a being at all?

जन्ममृत्यापासून सुटला । या नाव जाणिजे मोक्ष जाला । तत्वें शोधितां पावला । तत्वता वस्तु ॥ ५७ ॥

Whoever is freed from birth and death — that alone is to be known as liberation. On careful examination of the underlying principles, one truly attains the Reality itself.

तेचि वस्तु ते आपण । हें माहावाक्याचें लक्षण । साधु करीती निरूपण । आपुलेन मुखें ॥ ५८ ॥

"That very Reality is oneself" — this is the essential meaning of the Great Sayings. It is this very truth that the saints explain with their own words.

जेचि क्षणी अनुग्रह केला । तेचि क्षणीं मोक्ष जाला । बंधन कांहीं आत्मयाला । बोलोंचि नये ॥ ५९ ॥

The very moment the Guru's initiation is given, that very moment liberation occurs. One should never even speak of any bondage belonging to the Self.

आतां आशंका फिटली । संदेहवृत्ती मावळली । संतसंगें तत्काळ जाली । मोक्षपदवी ॥ ६० ॥

Now this doubt is resolved, and the questioning mind has settled. It is clear that the state of liberation is attained instantly through the company of the saints.

स्वप्नामधें जो बांधला । तो जागृतीनें मोकळा केला । ज्ञानविवेकें प्राणीयाला । मोक्षप्राप्ती ॥ ६१ ॥

Whoever is bound within a dream is freed only upon waking. In just the same way, it is through knowledge and discernment that a being attains liberation.

अज्ञाननिसीचा अंतीं । संकल्पदुःखें नासती । तेणें गुणें होये प्राप्ती । तत्काळ मोक्षाची ॥ ६२ ॥

When the night of ignorance comes to an end, the sorrows born of thought-constructs are destroyed, and through this very fact, liberation is attained instantly.

तोडावया स्वप्नबंधन । नलगे आणिक साधन । तयास प्रेत्न जागृतीवीण । बोलोंचि नये ॥ ६३ ॥

To break the bondage of a dream, no other means is needed. It cannot even be said that any effort besides simply waking up is required for this.

तैसा संकल्पें बांधला जीव । त्यास आणिक नाही उपाव । विवेक पाहतां वाव । बंधन होये ॥ ६४ ॥

In the very same way, for a being bound by his own thought-constructs, there is no other remedy. When examined with discernment, that bondage turns out to be nothing at all.

विवेक पाहिल्याविण । जो जो उपाव तो तो सीण । विवेक पाहातां आपण । आत्माच असे ॥ ६५ ॥

Whatever remedy is attempted without discernment turns out to be mere fruitless labor. When examined with true discernment, one finds that one is oneself nothing but the Self.

आत्मयाचा ठांई कांहीं । बद्ध मोक्ष दोनी नाहीं । जन्ममृत्य हें सर्वहि । आत्मत्वीं न घडे ॥ ६६ ॥

In the Self itself, there is neither bondage nor liberation — neither exists there at all. Birth and death, all of it, simply never occur within the nature of the Self.