उत्पत्ति स्थिति संव्हार । याचा निरोपिला वेव्हार । परमात्मा निर्गुण निराकार । जैसा तैसा ॥ १ ॥

The whole workings of creation, sustenance, and destruction have now been explained. But the Supreme Self remains attributeless and formless, exactly as it always was, utterly unchanged.

होतें वर्ततें आणि जातें । याचा समंध नाहीं तेथें । आद्य मद्य अवसान तें । संचलेंचि आहे ॥ २ ॥

Coming into being, persisting, and passing away - none of this has any connection to that Supreme Self. Throughout beginning, middle, and end, it remains the same, pervading everything unchanged.

परब्रह्म असतचि असे । मध्येंचि हा भ्रम भासे । भासे परंतु अवघा नासे । काळांतरी ॥ ३ ॥

The Supreme Brahman exists eternally, always. It is within that very Brahman that this illusory appearance seems to arise. It appears real, but in the course of time it entirely disappears.

उत्पत्तिस्थितीसंव्हारत । मध्येंहि अखंड होत जात । पुढें सेवटीं कल्पांत । सकळांस आहे ॥ ४॥

Creation, sustenance, and destruction go on happening incessantly even in the interim. And in the end, the final dissolution awaits every single thing without exception.

यामधें ज्यास विवेक आहे । तो आधींच जाणताहे । सारासार विचारें पाहे। म्हणौनियां ॥ ५ ॥

Among all this, whoever possesses discernment already knows this truth beforehand. For he always examines things through the careful discrimination of the essential from the non-essential.

बहुत भ्रमिष्ट मिळाले । त्यांत उमजल्याचें काय चाले । सृष्टिमधें उमजले । ऐसें थोडे ॥ ६॥

But in this world most people gathered together remain deluded; what influence can the few who truly understand have among them? Those who have genuinely grasped the truth in this creation are very few indeed.

त्या उमजल्यांचे लक्षण । कांहीं करूं निरूपण । ब्रम्हाहून विलक्षण । महापुरुष ॥ ७ ॥

Now let us describe some of the characteristics of those who have truly understood. Such great souls are extraordinary, surpassing even Brahmadeva himself.

भ्रम हा नसेल जयासी । मनीं वोळखावे तयासी । ऐके आतां भ्रमासीं । निरोपिजेल ॥ ८॥

One in whom no trace of delusion remains should be recognized within the mind as the truly wise. Now listen, for the nature of delusion itself will be explained.

येक परब्रह्म संचलें । कदापी नाहीं विकारले । त्यावेगळें भासलें । तें भ्रमरूप ॥ ९ ॥

The one Supreme Brahman alone pervades everything, and it never undergoes any change whatsoever. Whatever appears as separate from it is nothing but a form of illusion.

जयासी बोलिला कल्पांत । त्रिगुण आणि पंचभूत । हें अवघेंचि समस्त । भ्रमरूप ॥ १० ॥

That which is called the great dissolution, as well as the three qualities and the five elements - all of this, every bit of it, is nothing but a form of illusion.

मी तूं हा भ्रम । उपासनाहि भ्रम । ईश्वरभाव हाहि भ्रम । निश्चयेंसीं ॥ ११ ॥

"I" and "you" - this too is illusion. Worship itself is also illusion. And the very notion of God as something separate is, with full certainty, illusion as well.

याकारणें सृष्टि भासत । परंतु भ्रमचि हा समस्त । यामध्यें जे विचारवंत । तेचि धन्य ॥ १२ ॥

For this very reason this creation appears to exist, but all of it is nothing but illusion. Among all this, only those who possess true discernment are truly blessed.

आतां भ्रमाचा विचारु । अत्यंतचि प्रांजळ करूं । दृष्टांतद्वारे विवरूं । श्रोतयासी ॥ १३॥

Now let us make the meaning of delusion perfectly plain and simple. Let us explain it to the listeners through illustrative examples.

भ्रमण करीतां दुरीं देसीं । दिशाभूली आपणासी । कां वोळखी मोडे जीवलगांसी । या नांव भ्रम ॥ १४॥

Losing one's sense of direction while wandering in a distant land, or failing even to recognize one's own close kin - this is what is called delusion.

कां उन्मत्त द्रव्य सेविलें । तेणें अनेक भासों लागलें । नाना वेथां कां झडपिलें । भुतें तो भ्रम ॥ १५ ॥

Or, having consumed some intoxicating substance, various things begin to seem real that are not; or being afflicted by illness or seized by evil spirits - this too is delusion.

दशावतारीं वाटती नारी । कां ते मांडली बाजीगरी । उगाच संदेह अंतरीं । या नांव भ्रम ॥ १६ ॥

In a folk-drama, men dressed as women appearing to be actual women, or a magician's illusion appearing real, or a baseless doubt arising within the mind for no reason - this is what is called delusion.

ठेविला ठाव तो विसरला । कां मार्गीं जातां मार्ग चुकला । पट्टणामधें भांबावला । या नांव भ्रम ॥ १७ ॥

Forgetting where one has kept something, or losing one's way while traveling along a road, or becoming utterly bewildered in a town - this is what is called delusion.

वस्तु आपणापासीं असतां । गेली म्हणोनि होये दुचिता । आपलें आपण विसरतां । या नांव भ्रम ॥ १८ ॥

Worrying that something is lost even though it is right there with oneself, and forgetting one's very own self - this is what is called delusion.

कांही पदार्थ विसरोन गेला । कां जें सिकला तें विसरला । स्वप्नदुःखें घाबिरा जाला । या नांव भ्रम ॥ १९ ॥

Forgetting something one knew, or forgetting what one has learned, or being terrified even by sorrow experienced only in a dream - this is what is called delusion.

दुश्चिन्हें अथवा अपशकुन । मिथ्या वार्तेनें भंगे मन । वचके पदार्थ देखोन । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २० ॥

The mind breaking down upon seeing an ill omen or a bad sign, or upon hearing a false rumor, or startling in fear at the mere sight of some ordinary object - this is what is called delusion.

वृक्ष काष्ठ देखिलें । मनांत वाटें भूत आलें । कांहींच नस्तां हडबडिलें । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २१॥

Seeing a tree or a piece of wood and imagining that a ghost has appeared, becoming utterly flustered when nothing at all is actually there - this is what is called delusion.

काच देखोन उदकांत पडे । कां सभा देखोन दर्पणीं पवाडे । द्वार चुकोन भल्तीकडें जाणें । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २२॥

Mistaking glass for water and stepping into it, or seeing a gathering reflected in a mirror and trying to step into it, or missing a doorway and walking off in the wrong direction entirely - this is what is called delusion.

येक अस्तां येक वाटे । येक सांगतां येक निवटे । येक दिसतां येक उठे । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २३ ॥

One thing being present but seeming to be something else, one thing being said but being understood as something else, one thing being seen but a wholly different notion arising in the mind - this is what is called delusion.

आतां जें जें देइजेतें । तें तें पुढें पाविजेतें । मेलें माणुस भोजना येतें । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २४ ॥

Believing that whatever offering is given actually reaches the departed soul, or believing that a dead person literally comes to partake of the memorial meal - this is what is called delusion.

ये जन्मींचें पुढिले जन्मीं । कांहीं येक पावेन मी । प्रीतीगुंतली मनुष्याचे नामीं । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २५ ॥

Hoping that something from this life will be attained again in the next birth, or one's affection becoming entangled merely in a person's name - this is what is called delusion.

मेलें मनुष्य स्वप्ना आलें । तेणें कांहीं मागितलें । मनीं अखंड बैसलें । यानांव भ्रम ॥ २६ ॥

A dead person appearing in a dream and seemingly asking for something, and that very notion lodging itself permanently in the mind - this is what is called delusion.

अवघें मिथ्या म्हणोन बोले । आणि समर्थावरी मन चाले । ज्ञाते वैभवें दपटले । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २७ ॥

Declaring with the mouth that everything is unreal, while the mind still runs after the powerful and the wealthy; even a knowing person being dazzled by worldly splendor - this is what is called delusion.

कर्मठपणें ज्ञान विटे । कां ज्ञातेपणें बळें भ्रष्टे । कोणीयेक सीमा फिटे । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २८ ॥

Growing averse to knowledge out of excessive attachment to ritual, or corrupting one's conduct through mere pride of being learned - any such loss of proper balance and limit is what is called delusion.

देहाभिमान । कर्माभिमान जात्याभिमान कुळाभिमान । ज्ञानाभिमान मोक्षाभिमान । या नांव भ्रम ॥ २९ ॥

Pride in the body, pride in one's actions, pride of caste, pride of lineage, pride of knowledge, and even pride in liberation itself - all of these are what is called delusion.

कैसा न्याय तो न कळे । केला अन्याने तो नाडले । उगाच अभिमानें खवळे । या नांव भ्रम ॥ ३० ॥

Not knowing what true justice actually is, harming oneself by acting unjustly, and flaring up with pride for no real reason at all - this is what is called delusion.

मागील कांही आठवेना । पुढील विचार सुचेना । अखंड आरूढ अनुमाना । या नांव भ्रम ॥ ३१ ॥

Being unable to recall anything of the past, being unable to think clearly of what lies ahead, and remaining constantly astride mere speculation - this is what is called delusion.

प्रचीतिविण औषध घेणे । प्रचित नस्ता पथ्य करणे । प्रचीतीविण ज्ञान सांगणें । या नांव भ्रम ॥ ३२ ॥

Taking medicine without any proven diagnosis, observing dietary restrictions without any real proof of their need, and teaching knowledge to others without one's own direct experience - this is what is called delusion.

फळश्रुतीवीण प्रयोग । ज्ञानेंवीण नुस्ता योग । उगाच शरीरें भोगिजे भोग । या नांव भ्रम ॥ ३३ ॥

Going on with some practice without any assurance of its result, doing mere physical yoga without true knowledge, and needlessly undergoing bodily suffering for no real purpose - this is what is called delusion.

ब्रह्मा लिहितो अदृष्टीं आणि वाचून जाते सटी । ऐशा प्रकारीच्या गोष्टी । या नांव भ्रम ॥ ३४ ॥

The belief that Brahmadeva writes one's destiny on the forehead and that the goddess Satwai comes to read it out - such notions as these are what is called delusion.

उदंड भ्रम विसरला । अज्ञानजनीं पैसावला। अल्प संकेतें बोलिला । कळावया कारणें ॥ ३५॥

Such delusions are countless, widely spread among ignorant people. It is not possible to describe them all, so only a few brief examples have been given here so that the point may be understood.

भ्रमरूप विश्व स्वभावें । तेथें काये म्हणोन सांगावें । निर्गुण ब्रह्मावेगळें अघवें । भ्रमरूप ॥३६ ॥

This entire universe is, by its very nature, a form of illusion - what more need be said about it? Everything whatsoever, apart from the attributeless Brahman, is nothing but a form of illusion.

ज्ञातास नाहीं संसार । ऐसें बोलती अपार । गत ज्ञात्याचे चमत्कार । या नांव भ्रम ॥ ३७ ॥

Many say that for the enlightened one, worldly existence no longer exists. But believing that a departed enlightened soul still performs miracles - this too is what is called delusion.

येथें आशंका उठिली । ज्ञात्याची समधी पूजिली । तेथें कांहीं प्रचीत आली । किंवा नाहीं ॥ ३८ ॥

Here a doubt arises - when an enlightened one's memorial shrine (samadhi) is worshipped, does any direct proof of its efficacy actually appear there, or not?

तैसेचि अवतारी संपले । त्यांचेहि सामर्थ्य उदंड चाले । तरी ते काये गुंतले । वासना धरूनि ॥ ३९ ॥

Likewise, the divine incarnations who have already passed away are still seen to exercise great power in the world even now. Does that mean they remain entangled, still holding onto some desire?

ऐसी आशंका उद्भवली । समर्थें पाहिजे निरसिली । इतुकेन हे समाप्त जाली । कथा भ्रमाची ॥ ४० ॥

Such a doubt has thus arisen, and only the Master himself can resolve it. With this, the discourse on delusion comes to its conclusion here.