गगनासारिखें ब्रह्म पोकळ । उदंड उंच अंतराळ। निर्गुण निर्मळ निश्चळ । सदोदित ॥१ ॥

Brahman is like the sky — hollow, immeasurably vast and high, like boundless space. It is attributeless, pure, unchanging, and ever-existent.

त्यास परमात्मा म्हणती । आणिक नामें नेणों किती । परी तें जाणिजे आदिअंतीं । जैसें तैसें ॥२ ॥

That same reality is called Paramatma, and it may have countless other names besides. But from beginning to end it must be known exactly as it is.

विस्तीर्ण पसरला पैस । भोंवता दाटला अवकाश । भासचि नाहीं निराभास । जैसें तैसें ॥ ३ ॥

It spreads out immeasurably vast, with space packed all around it. It has no semblance or appearance at all — it is beyond all appearance, exactly as it is.

चहुंकडे पाताळतळीं । अंतचि नाहीं अंतराळीं । कल्पांतकाळीं सर्वकाळीं । संचलेचि असे ॥ ४ ॥

On every side, down to the depths of the netherworld, it has no end; even in the vastness of space it is endless. At the dissolution of the cosmos, as at all other times, it remains ever pervading everything.

ऐसें कांहींयेक अचंचळ । ते अचंचळीं भासे चंचळ । त्यास नामेंहि पुष्कळ । त्रिविधा प्रकारें ॥ ५ ॥

Such is this unmoving reality — yet within that unmoving ground a movement appears as illusion. That which appears as moving also carries many names, of three kinds: masculine, feminine, and neuter.

न दिसतां नांव ठेवणें । न देखतां खूण सांगणें । असो हें जाणायाकारणें । नामाभिधानें ॥ ६ ॥

Giving a name to what cannot be seen, describing signs of what cannot be perceived — this may seem strange, but such naming is done only so that it can be understood.

मूळमाया मूळप्रकृति । मूळपुरुष ऐसें म्हणती । शिवशक्ति नामें किती । नाना प्रकारें ॥ ७ ॥

This movement is called Mulamaya, Mulaprakriti, or Mulapurush. It is also called Shiva and Shakti, and has many other names besides.

परी जें नाम ठेविलें जया । आधीं वोळखावें तया । प्रचितीवीण कासया । वलगना करावी ॥ ८ ॥

But whatever name is given to a thing, one must first come to actually know that thing. Without one's own direct experience, why boast merely with words?

रूपाची न धरितां सोये । नामासरिसें भरंगळों नये । प्रत्ययाविण गळंगा होये । अनुमानज्ञानें ॥ ९ ॥

Without grasping the true nature of a thing, one should not drift along after mere names. Without direct experience, knowledge gained only by inference remains loose and unreliable.

निश्चळ गगनीं चंचळ वारा । वाजों लागला भरारां । परी त्या गगना आणि समीरा । भेद आहे ॥ १० ॥

Within the unmoving sky, the restless wind begins to blow swiftly — but the sky and the wind are not the same; the sky is unmoving, the wind is ever in motion.

तैसें निश्चळ परब्रह्म । चंचळ माया भासला भ्रम । त्या भ्रमाचा संभ्रम । करून दाऊं ॥ ११ ॥

In the same way, within the unmoving Absolute the changeable Maya has appeared as an illusion. Let us now unfold and clarify the nature of that illusion.

जैसा गगनी चालिला पवन । तैसें निश्चळीं जालें चळण । इछा स्फूर्तिलक्षण । स्फूर्णरूप ॥ १२ ॥

Just as wind begins to move within the sky, so a stirring arose within the unmoving. This stirring has the character of will and impulse — it is a first flicker of movement.

अहंपणें जाणीव जाली । तेचि मूळप्रकृति बोलिली । माहाकारणकाया रचली । ब्रह्मांडीची ॥ १३ ॥

From that stirring arose the awareness "I am," and this is called Mulaprakriti. It is this that fashioned the great causal body of the universe.

माहामाया मूळप्रकृती । कारण ते अव्याकृती । सूक्ष्म हिरण्यगर्भ म्हणती । विराट ते स्थूळ ॥ १४ ॥

The great Maya, or Mulaprakriti, is the causal state called Avyakrita. Its subtle form is called Hiranyagarbha, and its gross form is called Virat.

ऐसें पंचीकर्ण शास्त्रप्रमये । ईश्वरतनुचतुष्टये । म्हणोन हें बोलणें होये । जाणीव मूळमाया ॥ १५ ॥

Thus, according to the scriptural doctrine of panchikarana, God is described as having these four bodies. Hence all this awareness is said to be none other than Mulamaya itself.

परमात्मा परमेश्वरु । परेश ज्ञानघन ईश्वरु । जगदीश जगदात्मा जगदेश्वरु । पुरुषनामें ॥ १६ ॥

Paramatma, Parameshwar, Paresh, the knowledge-dense Ishwar, Jagadish, Jagadatma, Jagadeshwar — these are all masculine names for that same reality.

सत्तारूप ज्ञानस्वरूप । प्रकशरूप जोतिरूप । कारणरूप चिद्रूप । शुद्ध सूक्ष्म अलिप्त ॥ १७ ॥

It is of the nature of pure being, of knowledge, of light, of radiance, of cause, and of consciousness. It is pure, subtle, and untouched by anything.

आत्मा अंतरात्मा विश्वात्मा । द्रष्टा साक्षी सर्वात्मा । क्षेत्रज्ञ शिवात्मा जीवात्मा । देही कूटस्त बोलिजे ॥ १८ ॥

It is also called Atma, Antaratma, Vishwatma, the Witness, the Seer, Sarvatma, Kshetrajna, Shivatma, Jivatma, the embodied one, and Kutastha.

इंद्रात्मा ब्रह्मात्मा हरिहरात्मा । येमात्मा धर्मात्मा नैरूत्यात्मा । वरुणवायोकुबेरात्मा । ऋषीदेवमुनिधर्ता ॥ १९ ॥

It is the inner self of Indra, of Brahma, of Hari and Hara, of Yama, of Dharma, of Nairhrti, and of Varuna, Vayu and Kubera — the very same self that sustains all the sages, gods, and ascetics.

गण गंधर्व विद्याधर । येक्ष किन्नर नारद तुंबर । सर्व लोकांचें अंतर । तो सर्वांतरात्मा बोलिजे ॥ २० ॥

It dwells within the Ganas, Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, Yakshas, Kinnaras, Narada, and Tumbara alike — the inner self of all beings — and so it is called Sarvantaratma, the self within all.

चंद्र सूर्य तारामंडळें । भूमंडळें मेघमंडळें । येकवीस स्वर्गें सप्त पाताळें । अंतरात्माच वर्तवी ॥ २१ ॥

The moon and sun, the constellations, the earth, the clouds, the twenty-one heavens and the seven nether-worlds — all of these function only because that inner self moves them.

गुप्त वल्ली पाल्हाळली । तिचीं पुरुषनामें घेतलीं । आतां स्त्रीनामें ऐकिलीं । पाहिजे श्रोतीं ॥ २२ ॥

Thus this hidden creeper has spread wide, and its masculine names have now been given. Let listeners now hear its feminine names as well.

मूळमाया जगदेश्वरी । परमविद्या परमेश्वरी । विश्ववंद्या विश्वेश्वरी । त्रैलोक्यजननी ॥ २३ ॥

Mulamaya, Jagadeshwari, Paramavidya, Parameshwari, Vishwavandya, Vishweshwari, the mother of the three worlds — these are its feminine names.

अंतर्हेतु अंतर्कळा । मौन्यगर्भ जाणीवकळा । चपळ जगज्जोती जीवनकळा । परा पश्यंती मध्यमा ॥ २४ ॥

It is also called the inner purpose, the inner power, the silent seed, the power of awareness, the restless light of the world, the power of life, and the three levels of speech — Para, Pashyanti, and Madhyama.

युक्ति बुद्धि मति धारणा । सावधानता नाना चाळणा । भूत भविष्य वर्तमाना । उकलून दावी ॥ २५ ॥

Through skill, intellect, understanding, retention, alertness and every kind of discernment, it is this same power that reveals and unfolds the past, the future, and the present.

जागृति स्वप्न सुषुप्ती जाणे । तुर्या ताटस्ता अवस्ता जाणे । सुख दुःख सकळ जाणे । मानापमान ॥ २६ ॥

It knows the waking, dream, and deep-sleep states, and it knows the fourth state, Turiya, and the state of detached witnessing. It knows all of pleasure and pain, honor and dishonor.

ते परम कठीण कृपाळु । ते परम कोमळ स्नेहाळु । ते परम क्रोधी लोभाळु । मर्यादेवेगळी ॥ २७ ॥

It can be utterly harsh and utterly compassionate, utterly tender and affectionate, and utterly wrathful and greedy — it knows no fixed limits at all.

शांती क्ष्मा विरक्ती भक्ती । अध्यात्मविद्या सायोज्यमुक्ति । विचारणा सहजस्थिति । जयेचेनी ॥ २८ ॥

Peace, forgiveness, dispassion, devotion, spiritual knowledge, the liberation of union, the power of reflection, and the state of natural ease — all of these come through it alone.

पुर्वीं पुरुषनामें बोलिलीं । उपरी स्त्रीनामें निरोपिलीं । आतां नपुषकनामें ऐकिलीं । पाहिजे चंचळाचीं ॥ २९ ॥

Earlier the masculine names were told, and then the feminine names were expounded. Now let the neuter names of this same changeable power be heard as well.

जाणणें अंतःकर्ण चित्त । श्रवण मनन चैतन्य जीवित । येतें जातें सुचीत । होऊन पाहा ॥ ३० ॥

Knowing, the inner faculty, the mind-stuff, hearing, reflection, consciousness, life — these are its neuter names. It comes and goes, and must be watched with alert attention.

मीपण तूंपण जाणपण । ज्ञातेंपण सर्वज्ञपण । जीवपण शिवपण ईश्वरपण । अलिप्तपण बोलिजे ॥ ३१ ॥

I-ness, you-ness, knowingness, the state of the knower, omniscience, being an individual soul, being Shiva, being God, and being untouched — these too are named as its neuter forms.

ऐसीं नामें उदंड असती । परी ते येकचि जगज्जोती । विचारवंत ते जाणती । सर्वांतरात्मा ॥ ३२ ॥

Though its names are countless, they all point to the one single light of the world. Only the truly discerning recognize it as the one inner self within all.

आत्मा जगज्जोती सर्वज्ञपण । तीनी मिळोन येकचि जाण । अंतःकर्णचि प्रमाण । ज्ञेप्तीमात्र ॥ ३३ ॥

Know that Atma, the light of the world, and omniscience, taken together, are one and the same reality. All this is established only through the inner faculty, and is nothing but pure awareness itself.

ढीग जाले पदार्थाचे । पुरुष स्त्री नपुंसक नामांचे । परंतु सृष्टीरचनेचें । किती म्हणोन संगावें ॥ ३४ ॥

Thus heaps upon heaps of names have piled up — masculine, feminine, and neuter. But how much of this creation's design can one even attempt to describe in full?

सकळ चाळिता येक । अंतरात्मा वर्तती अनेक । मुंगीपासून ब्रह्मादिक । तेणेंचि चालती ॥ ३५ ॥

The one who moves everything is a single inner self, though it appears to act through countless forms. From the tiny ant up to Brahma himself, all move only through it.

तो अंतरात्मा आहे कैसा । प्रतुत वोळखाना आमासा । नाना प्रकारींचा तमासा । येथेंचि आहे ॥ ३६ ॥

Let us now come to actually recognize what this inner self truly is. Its many kinds of play and display can be witnessed right here.

तो कळतो परी दिसेना । प्रचित येते परी भासेना । शरीरीं असे परी वसेना । येके ठाईं ॥ ३७ ॥

It can be sensed, yet it cannot be seen. It can be experienced, yet it never appears as a visible form. It dwells in the body, yet it is never confined to one place.

तीक्षणपणें गगनीं भरे । सरोवर देखतां च पसरे । पदार्थ लक्षून उरे । चहूंकडे ॥ ३८ ॥

With keen sharpness it fills the sky, and the moment a lake is seen, it spreads into that too. Whatever object one beholds, it remains present all around, pervading that very object.

जैसा पदार्थ दृष्टीस दिसतो । तो त्यासारिखाच होतो । वायोहूनि विशेष तो । चंचळविषईं ॥ ३९ ॥

Whatever object comes before the eyes, it takes on the very appearance of that object. And in restlessness, it surpasses even the wind.

कित्येक दृष्टीनें देखे । कितीयेक रसनेनें चाखे । कितीयेक ते वोळखे । मनेंकरूनि ॥ ४० ॥

Through the eyes it sees, through the tongue it tastes, and through the mind it comes to know and recognize.

श्रोतीं बैसोन शब्द ऐकतो । घ्राणेंद्रियें वास घेतो । त्वचेइंद्रियें जाणतो । सीतोष्णादिक ॥ ४१ ॥

Seated in the ears it hears sound, through the nose it takes in smell, and through the skin it perceives cold, heat, and the like.

ऐशा जाणे अंतर्कळा । सकळामधें परी निराळा । पाहातां त्याची अगाध लीळा । तोचि जाणे ॥ ४२ ॥

Thus it knows through the inner power within all the senses, yet remains distinct from all of them even while present in all. Beholding its unfathomable play, only it itself truly understands it.

तो पुरुष ना सुंदरी । बाळ तारुण्य ना कुमारी । नपुंसकाचा देहधारी । परी नपुसक नव्हे ॥ ४३ ॥

It is neither male nor female, neither child, youth, nor maiden. Though it dwells in a body spoken of as neuter, it is not itself neuter either.

तो चालवी सकळ देहासी । करून अकर्ता म्हणती त्यासी । तो क्षेत्रज्ञ क्षेत्रवासी । देही कूटस्त बोलिजे ॥ ४४ ॥

It moves every body, yet though it acts, it is called the non-doer. It is spoken of as Kshetrajna, the dweller in the field, the embodied one, and Kutastha.

दोनी पुरुष लोकीं असती । क्षराक्षर बोलिजती । सर्व भूतें क्षर म्हणती । अक्षर कूटस्त बोलिजे ॥ ४५ ॥

In this world two kinds of "purusha" are spoken of: the perishable and the imperishable. All created beings are called perishable, while the Kutastha is called the imperishable.

उत्तम पुरुष तो आणीक । निःप्रपंच निःकळंक । निरंजन परमात्मा येक । निर्विकारी ॥ ४६ ॥

Beyond these there is yet another, the Supreme Purusha — free of worldly involvement, spotless, untainted, the one changeless Paramatma alone.

च्यारी देह निरसावे । साधकें देहातीत व्हावें । देहातीत होतां जाणावें । अनन्य भक्त ॥ ४७ ॥

The seeker should dissolve away all four bodies and rise beyond embodiment altogether. One who becomes thus beyond the body should be known as a true, undivided devotee.

देहमात्र निरसुनी गेला । तेथें अंतरात्मा कैसा उरला । निर्विकारीं विकाराला । ठाव नाहीं ॥ ४८ ॥

When the very sense of body dissolves entirely, how could any separate inner self remain there? For in the changeless there is simply no room at all for change.

निश्चळ परब्रह्म येक । चंचळ जाणावें माईक । ऐसा प्रत्यय निश्चयात्मक । विवेकें पाहावा ॥ ४९॥

The unmoving Absolute alone is real; know that whatever is changeable is merely illusory. Such a certain, decisive experience should be attained through discernment.

येथें बहुत नलगे खळखळ । येक चंचळ येक निश्चळ । शाश्वत कोणतें केवळ । ज्ञानें वोळखावें ॥ ५०॥

There is no need for much argument here — one is the changeable, one is the unchanging, that much should simply be understood. Which of the two alone is eternal must be recognized through true knowledge.

असार त्यागून घेईजे सार । म्हणोन सारासार विचार । नित्यानित्य निरंतर । पाहाती ज्ञानी ॥ ५१ ॥

One should discard the worthless and take up the essential, and for this reason one must engage in discriminating between the two. The wise continually reflect on what is eternal and what is not.

जेथे ज्ञानचि होते विज्ञान । जेथें मनांचे होतें उन्मन । तेथें कैचें चंचळपण । आत्मयासी ॥ ५२ ॥

Where mere knowledge ripens into direct realization, and the mind itself dissolves into the mindless state, there the Self can have no restlessness at all.

सांगणोवांगणीचें काम नव्हे । आपुल्या अनुभवें जाणावें । प्रत्ययाविण सिणावें । तेंचि पाप ॥ ५३ ॥

This is not something to be merely told and passed along — it must be known through one's own direct experience. To toil on without that direct experience is itself the real sin.

सत्यायेवढें सुकृत नाहीं । असत्यायेवढें पाप नाहीं । प्रचितीविण कोठेंचि नाहीं । समाधान ॥ ५४ ॥

There is no merit greater than truth, and no sin greater than untruth. Without direct experience, true satisfaction can be found nowhere at all.

सत्य म्हणिजे स्वरूप जाण । असत्य माया हें प्रमाण । येथें निरोपिलें पापपुण्य । रूपेंसहित ॥ ५५ ॥

Know that truth means one's own real nature, and understand that Maya is what is called untruth. In this way both sin and merit have been explained here, along with their true nature.

दृश पाप वोसरलें । पुण्य परब्रह्म उरलें । अनन्य होतांच जालें । नामातीत ॥ ५६ ॥

The visible world, which is sin, fades away, and only the meritorious Absolute remains. The moment one becomes wholly one with it, one passes beyond all name and form.

आपण वस्तु स्वतसिद्ध । तेथें नाहीं देहसमंध । पापरासी होती दग्ध । येणें प्रकारें ॥ ५७ ॥

One's own self is a self-established reality in which there is no connection with the body at all. In this very way, whole heaps of sin are burnt away to ash.

येरवी ब्रह्मज्ञानेंवीण । जें जें साधन तो तो सीण । नाना दोषांचे क्षाळण । होईल कैसें ॥ ५८ ॥

Otherwise, without knowledge of Brahman, whatever spiritual practice one undertakes is mere weariness. How, then, could the many faults ever truly be washed away?

पापाचें वळलें शरीर । पापचि घडे तदनंतर । अंतरीं तोग वरीवरी उपचार । काय करी ॥ ५९ ॥

The body itself is molded out of sin, and thereafter it continues only to commit sin. When the heart within remains unchanged, what good can mere outward observances do?

नाना क्षेत्रीं हें मुंडिलें । नाना तीर्थीं हें दंडिलें । नाना निग्रहीं खंडिलें । ठाईं ठाईं ॥ ६० ॥

This body has had its head shaved at many holy places, has undergone penance at many pilgrimage sites, and has been cut and restrained by all manner of austerities, again and again.

नाना मृत्तिकेनें घांसिलें । अथवा तप्तमुद्रेनें लासिलें । जरी हें वरीवरी तासिलें । तरी शुद्ध नव्हे ॥ ६१ ॥

It has been scrubbed with various kinds of clay, or branded with heated seals. But however much it is scraped and polished only on the surface, it does not thereby become truly pure.

सेणाचे गोळे गिळिले । गोमुत्राचे मोघे घेतले । माळा रुद्राक्ष घातले । काष्ठमणी ॥ ६२ ॥

Balls of cow-dung have been swallowed, large draughts of cow's urine have been drunk, and garlands of rudraksha and wooden beads have been worn.

वेष वरीवरी केला । परी अंतरीं दोष भरला । त्या दोषाच्या दहनाला । आत्मज्ञान पाहिजे ॥ ६३ ॥

Such an outer appearance may be put on, yet the heart within remains full of faults. To burn away those faults, only Self-knowledge is needed.

नाना व्रतें नाना दानें । नाना योग तीर्थाटणें । सर्वांहुनी कोटीगुणें । महिमा आत्मज्ञानाचा ॥ ६४ ॥

However many vows, gifts, yogic disciplines, and pilgrimages one undertakes, the glory of Self-knowledge surpasses all of them a millionfold.

आत्मज्ञान पाहे सदा । त्याच्या पुण्यास नाहीं मर्यादा । दुष्ट पातकाची बाधा । निरसोन गेली ॥ ६५ ॥

One who continually beholds Self-knowledge earns merit that knows no limit at all. The affliction of even the worst sins is entirely dissolved for such a one.

वेदशास्त्रीं सत्यस्वरूप । तेंचि ज्ञानियांचें रूप । पुण्य जालें अमूप । सुकृतें सीमा सांडिली ॥ ६६ ॥

The true nature that the Vedas and scriptures speak of becomes the very form of the man of knowledge. His merit thus becomes boundless, and his virtue exceeds all limits.

या प्रचितीच्या गोष्टी । प्रचित पाहावी आत्मदृष्टीं । प्रचितीवेगळे कष्टी । होऊंच नये ॥ ६७ ॥

All these matters are matters of direct experience, and so they must be verified through the inner vision of the Self. One should never remain merely troubled without gaining that direct experience.

आगा ये प्रचितीचे लोक हो । प्रचित नस्तां अवघा शोक हो । रघुनाथकृपेनें राहो । प्रत्यय निश्चयाचा ॥ ६८ ॥

O listeners who seek direct experience, without that experience all that remains is sorrow. May this certain, decisive experience abide always, by the grace of Lord Raghunath.