ऐका प्रचितीचीं लक्षणें । प्रचित पाहेल तें शाहाणें । येर वेडे दैन्यवाणे । प्रचितीविण ॥ १ ॥

Now hear the characteristics of proof through direct experience. Only he who seeks direct proof before acting is truly wise. All others, acting without such proof, remain foolish and pitiable.

नाना रत्नें नाना नाणीं । परीक्षून न घेतां हानी । प्रचित न येतां निरूपणीं । बैसोंच नये ॥ २ ॥

Various gems and coins, if not examined and tested, bring loss. In the same way, one should not even sit down to hear spiritual exposition without first seeking proof through direct experience.

सुरंग शस्त्र दमून पाहिलें । बरें पाहातां प्रचितीस आले । तरी मग पाहिजे घेतलें । जाणते पुरुषीं ॥ ३ ॥

A cannon or weapon should first be tested and tried out thoroughly, and only once its reliability is proven should knowing people go on to accept and use it.

बीज उगवेलसें पाहावें । तरी मग द्रव्य घालून घ्यावें । प्रचित आलियां ऐकावें । निरूपण ॥ ४ ॥

One should first see whether a seed actually sprouts, and only then invest money in it. Likewise, one should listen to spiritual exposition only after gaining proof through direct experience.

देहीं आरोग्यता जाली । ऐसी जना प्रचित आली । तरी मग आगत्य घेतली । पाहिजे मात्रा ॥ ५ ॥

Only once people gain actual proof that a remedy has restored health to the body should they earnestly take that dose of medicine.

प्रचितीविण औषध घेणें । तरी मग धडचि विघडणें । अनुमानें जें कार्य करणें । तेंचि मुर्खपण॥६ ॥

Taking medicine without proof is nothing but spoiling a perfectly healthy body. Undertaking any task on the basis of mere guesswork is itself foolishness.

प्रचितीस नाहीं आलें । आणि सुवर्ण करविलें । तरी मग जाणावें ठकिलें । देखतदेखतां ॥ ७ ॥

If one has gold made without first seeking any proof, then one should understand that one has been cheated right before one's very eyes.

शोधून पाहिल्याविण । कांहींतरी येक कारण । होणार नाहीं निर्वाण । प्राणास घडे ॥ ८ ॥

Without careful investigation, some mishap or other is bound to occur, and it may even endanger one's very life.

म्हणोनी अनुमानाचें कार्य । भल्यानीं कदापि करूं नये । उपाय पाहतां अपाये । नेमस्त घडे ॥ ९ ॥

Therefore good people should never undertake any task on the basis of mere speculation. When seeking a remedy without careful examination, harm is bound to result.

पाण्यांतील म्हैसीची साटी । करणें हें बुद्धिच खोटी । शोधिल्याविण हिंपुटी । होणें घडे ॥ १० ॥

Striking a bargain over a buffalo still submerged in water is simply foolish judgment. Without proper investigation, one ends up regretting the deal in the end.

विश्वासें घर घेतलें । ऐसें किती नाहीं ऐकलें । मैंदें मैंदावें केलें । परी तें शोधिलें पाहिजे ॥ ११ ॥

We have heard of countless cases where people bought a house on trust alone and were deceived. Cunning people practice their cunning, but it must be uncovered through careful investigation beforehand.

शोधिल्याविण अन्नवस्त्र घेणें । तेणें प्राणास मुकणें । लटिक्याचा विश्वास धरणें । हे।चि मूर्खपण ॥ १२ ॥

Accepting food and clothing without investigating their source can even cost one's life. Placing trust in what is false is itself the very definition of foolishness.

संगती चोराची धरितां । घात होईल तत्वता । ठकु सिंतरु शोधितां । ठाईं पडे ॥ १३ ॥

If one keeps company with a thief, real harm will surely follow. But a swindler and a cheat can indeed be caught if one investigates carefully.

गैरसाळ तामगिरी । कोणी नवी मुद्रा करी । नाना कपट परोपरीं । शोधून पाहावें ॥ १४ ॥

Counterfeiting coins, someone forging a brand-new false seal - such various kinds of deception exist, and they must all be uncovered through careful examination.

दिवाळखोराचा मांड । पाहातां वैभव दिसे उदंड । परी तें अवघें थोतांड । भंड पुढें ॥ १५ ॥

Looking at a bankrupt man's display, his wealth seems abundant indeed. But all of it is mere show and pretense, and it is exposed as fraud before long.

तैसें प्रचितीवीण ज्ञान । तेथें नाहीं समाधान । करून बहुतांचा अनुमान । अन्हीत जालें ॥ १६ ॥

In the same way, knowledge gained without direct proof brings no real contentment. Relying on such mere speculation has led many people to genuine harm.

मंत्र यंत्र उपदेसिले । नेणतें प्राणी तें गोविलें । जैसें झांकून मारिलें । दुखणाईत ॥ १७ ॥

Mantras and mystical diagrams are taught to people, and thereby the unwary are ensnared - it is just like secretly smothering a sick person to death without their even knowing it.

वैद्य पाहिला परी कच्चा । तरी प्राण गेला पोराचा । येथें उपाये दुसयाचा । काये चाले ॥ १८ ॥

A physician was chosen, but he turned out to be inexperienced, and because of that the child's life was lost. In such a case, what good can anyone else's remedy possibly do afterward?

ुःखें अंतरी झिजे । आणी वैद्य पुसतां लाजे । तरीच मग त्यासी साजे । आत्महत्यारेपण ॥ १९ ॥

(Note: the source text has a printing defect dropping the first letter of the word for 'sorrow'; read here per the evidently intended word.) Wasting away inwardly with suffering while feeling too ashamed to consult a physician - such a person truly deserves to be called one's own killer.

जाणत्यावरी गर्व केला । तरी नेणत्याकरितां बुडाला । येथें कोणाचा घात जाला । बरें पाहा ॥ २० ॥

One grew arrogant toward the truly knowledgeable, and was ruined instead by trusting the ignorant - look carefully at this, and see whose loss it truly turned out to be.

पापाची खंडणा जाली । जन्मयातना चुकली । ऐसी स्वयें प्रचित आली । म्हणिजे बरें ॥ २१ ॥

Only when one gains direct personal proof that one's sins have been dissolved and the suffering of birth and death has been escaped, can it truly be said that things have gone well.

परमेश्वरास वोळखिलें । आपण कोणसें कळलें । आत्मनिवेदन जालें । म्हणिजे बरें ॥ २२ ॥

Only when one has truly recognized the Supreme Lord, come to know who one's own self really is, and offered oneself completely to him, can it truly be said that things have gone well.

ब्रह्मांड कोणें केलें । कासयाचें उभारलें । मुख्य कर्त्यास वोळखिलें । म्हणिजे बरें ॥ २३ ॥

Only when one has come to recognize who made this universe, out of what it was fashioned, and who its principal maker truly is, can it truly be said that things have gone well.

येथेंअनुमान राहिला । तरी परमार्थ केला तो वायां गेला । प्राणी संशईं बुडाला । प्रचितीविण ॥ २४ ॥

If regarding all this only speculation remains, then all one's spiritual effort goes to waste. Without direct proof, a person remains drowned in doubt to the very end.

हें परमार्थाचें वर्म । लटिकें बोले तो अधम । लटिके मानी तो अधमोद्धम । येथार्थ जाणावा ॥ २५ ॥

This indeed is the true secret of spiritual life. Whoever speaks falsely about it is base, and whoever accepts such falsehood as true should be known as baser still.

येथें बोलण्याची जाली सीमा । नेणतां न कळे परमात्मा । असत्य नाहीं सर्वोत्तमा । तूं जाणसी ॥ २६ ॥

Here the limit of what words can convey has been reached. One who remains without true understanding can never know the Supreme Self. O Most Excellent One, there is no falsehood in this - you yourself know it to be so.

माझे उपासनेचा बडिवार । ज्ञान सांगावें साचार । मिथ्या बोलतां उत्तर । प्रभूस लगे ॥ २७ ॥

True knowledge must be spoken faithfully, so that only the genuine greatness of one's own worship grows through it. If one speaks falsely, it is the Lord himself who must answer for it.

म्हणोनि सत्यचि बोलिलें ।कर्त्यास पाहिजे वोळखिलें । मायोद्भवाचें शोधिलें । पाहिजे मूळ ॥ २८ ॥

Therefore only the truth has been spoken here - the true Creator must be recognized. The very root of whatever has arisen out of maya must be traced and uncovered.

तेंचि पुढें नीरूपण । बोलिलेंचि बोलिलें प्रमाण । श्रोतीं सावध अंतःकर्ण । घातलेंचि घालावें ॥ २९ ॥

What follows is that same exposition, in which what has already been said is repeated again for the sake of certainty. Listeners should once more apply their attentive minds fully to it.

सूक्ष्म निरूपण लागलें । तेथें बोलिलेंचि मागुतें बोलिलें । श्रोत्यांस पाहिजे उमजलें ।म्हणौनियां ॥ ३० ॥

This exposition is extremely subtle, and that is precisely why what has already been said is repeated again and again - so that the listeners may fully grasp it.

प्रचित पाहातां निकट । उडोन जाती परिपाठ । म्हणोनि हे खटपट । करणें लागे ॥ ३१ ॥

When one looks very closely from the standpoint of direct proof, the customary conventions fall away. This is precisely why all this careful effort has to be undertaken.

परिपाठेंचि जरी बोलिलें । तरी प्रचितसमाधान बुडालें । प्रचितसमाधान राखिलें । तरी परिपाठ उडे ॥ ३२ ॥

If one speaks merely according to customary convention, the satisfaction of direct proof is lost. And if one preserves the satisfaction of direct proof, then customary convention itself must give way.

ऐसी सांकडी दोहींकडे । म्हणौन बोलिलेंचि बोलणें घडे । दोनी राखोनियां कोडें । उकलून दाऊं ॥ ३३॥

Thus there is difficulty on both sides at once. That is why what has already been said must be spoken yet again. Preserving both concerns together, let us now untangle this puzzle and show it clearly.

परीपाठ आणी प्रचित प्रमाण । दोनी राखोन निरूपण । श्रोते परम विचक्षण । विवरोत पुढें ॥ ३४॥

The exposition that follows will preserve both authorities together - customary convention and direct proof. Let the most discerning listeners examine it carefully as it unfolds.