ऐका उपदेशाचीं लक्षणें । बहुविधें कोण कोणें । सांगतां तें असाधारणें । परी कांहीं येक सांगों ॥ १॥

Listen to the many kinds of spiritual instruction — describing who teaches what, in how many varied ways, would be extraordinary; still, let me tell something of it.

बहुत मंत्र उपदेशिती । कोणी नाम मात्र सांगती । येक ते जप करविती । वोंकाराचा ॥ २॥

Many teach various mantras, some merely give a name to repeat, while others have one chant the syllable Om.

शिवमंत्र भवानीमंत्र । विष्णुमंत्र माहाल्क्ष्मीमंत्र । अवधूतमंत्र गणेशमंत्र । मार्तंडमंत्र सांगती ॥ ३॥

Some teach the mantra of Shiva, Bhavani, Vishnu, Mahalakshmi, Avadhuta, Ganesha, or the Sun (Martanda).

मछकूर्मवर्ह्हावमंत्र । नृसिंहमंत्र वामनमंत्र । भार्गवमंत्र रघुनाथमंत्र । कृष्णमंत्र सांगती ॥ ४॥

Some teach the mantras of the Fish, Tortoise and Boar incarnations, of Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Raghunath, or Krishna.

भैरवमंत्र मल्लारिमंत्र । हनुमंतमंत्र येक्षिणीमंत्र । नारायेणमंत्र पांडुरंगमंत्र । अघोरमंत्र सांगती ॥ ५॥

Some teach the mantra of Bhairava, Mallari, Hanuman, a yakshini-spirit, Narayana, Pandurang, or the fierce Aghora.

शेषमंत्र गरुडमंत्र । वायोमन्त्र वेताळमंत्र । झोटिंगमंत्र बहुधा मंत्र । किती म्हणौनि सांगावे ॥ ६॥

Some teach the mantra of Shesha, Garuda, Vayu, Vetal, or the spirit Jhoting — so many varied mantras, how many can be told?

बाळामंत्र बगुळामंत्र । काळिमंत्र कंकाळिमंत्र । बटुकमंत्र नाना मंत्र । नाना शक्तींचे ॥ ७॥

Some teach the mantra of Bala, Baguala, Kali, Kankali, Batuka — countless mantras of countless goddess-powers.

पृथकाकारें स्वतंत्र । जितुके देव तितुके मंत्र । सोपे अवघड विचित्र । खेचर दारुण बीजाचे ॥ ८॥

Each deity has its own distinct mantra — as many deities, so many mantras: some simple, some difficult, some strange, some granting occult flight, and some terrifying seed-syllable mantras.

पाहों जातां पृथ्वीवरी । देवांची गणना कोण करी । तितुके मंत्र वैखरी । किती म्हणौनि वदवावी ॥ ९॥

Looking across this earth, who could even count all the deities? How many of their countless mantras could ever be spoken aloud?

असंख्यात मंत्रमाळा । येकाहूनि येक आगळा । विचित्र मायेची कळा । कोण जाणे ॥ १०॥

There are countless strings of mantras, each stranger than the last; who can fathom this bewildering artistry of maya?

कित्येक मंत्रीं भूतें जाती । कित्येक मंत्रीं वेथा नासती । कित्येक मंत्रीं उतरती । सितें विंचू विखार ॥ ११॥

Certain mantras drive away spirits, certain mantras cure illness, and certain mantras remove the venom of snakes and scorpions.

ऐसे नाना परीचे मंत्री । उपदेशिती कर्णपात्रीं । जप ध्यान पूजा यंत्री । विधानयुक्त सांगती ॥ १२॥

Such various kinds of mantras are whispered into the ear as instruction; chanting, meditation, worship and yantra rituals are also taught according to proper procedure.

येक शिव शिव सांगती । । येक हरि हरि म्हणविती । येक उपदेशिती । विठल विठल म्हणोनी ॥ १३ ॥

Some tell one to repeat 'Shiva, Shiva,' some to say 'Hari, Hari,' and some instruct one to chant 'Vithal, Vithal.'

येक सांगती कृष्ण कृष्ण । येक सांगती विष्ण विष्ण । येक नारायण नारायण । म्हणौन उपदेशिती ॥ १४॥

Some teach one to say 'Krishna, Krishna,' some 'Vishnu, Vishnu,' and some instruct one to repeat 'Narayana, Narayana.'

येक म्हणती अच्युत अच्युत । येक म्हणती अनंत अनंत । येक सांगती दत्त दत्त । म्हणत जावें ॥ १५॥

Some say to repeat 'Achyuta, Achyuta,' some 'Ananta, Ananta,' and some tell one to keep saying 'Datta, Datta.'

येक सांगती राम राम । येक सांगती ऒं ऒं म । येक म्हणती मेघशाम । बहुतां नामीं स्मरावा ॥ १६॥

Some tell one to say 'Rama, Rama,' some 'Om, Om,' and some 'Meghashyam' — God is to be remembered by many such names.

येक सांगती गुरु गुरु । येक म्हणती परमेश्वरु । येक म्हणती विघ्नहरु । चिंतीत जावा ॥ १७॥

Some tell one to say 'Guru, Guru,' some 'Parameshwar,' and some say to keep contemplating the Remover of Obstacles.

येक सांगती शामराज । येक सांगती गरुडध्वज । येक सांगती अधोक्षज । म्हणत जावें ॥ १८॥

Some tell one to say 'Shyamaraj,' some 'Garudadhwaj,' and some to keep repeating the name 'Adhokshaj.'

येक सांगती देव देव । येक म्हणती केशव केशव । येक म्हणती भार्गव भार्गव । म्हणत जावें ॥ १९॥

Some tell one to say 'Dev, Dev,' some 'Keshav, Keshav,' and some to keep repeating 'Bhargav, Bhargav.'

येक विश्वनाथ म्हणविती । येक मल्लारि सांगती । येक ते जप करविती । तुका‍ई तुका‍ई म्हणौनी ॥ २०॥

Some have one say 'Vishwanath,' some teach 'Mallari,' and some make one chant 'Tukai, Tukai.'

हें म्हणौनी सांगावें । शिवशक्तीचीं अनंत नांवें । इछेसारिखीं स्वभावें । उपदेशिती ॥ २१॥

In this way one could go on naming the endless names of Shiva and Shakti; each person naturally teaches according to his own inclination.

येक सांगती मुद्रा च्यारी । खेचरी भूचरी चाचरी अगोचरी । येक आसनें परोपरी । उपदेशिती ॥ २२॥

Some teach the four yogic gestures — khechari, bhuchari, chachari, agochari — while others instruct in various postures.

येक दाखविती देखणी । येक अनुहातध्वनी । येक गुरु पिंडज्ञानी । पिंडज्ञान सांगती ॥ २३॥

Some display inner visions, some make one hear the unstruck inner sound, and some gurus, learned in the body's inner science, teach knowledge of the body.

येक संगती कर्ममार्ग । येक उपासनामार्ग । येक सांगती अष्टांग योग । नाना चक्रें ॥ २४॥

Some teach the path of ritual action, some the path of devotional worship, and some teach eightfold yoga and the various subtle centers of the body.

येक तपें सांगती । येक अजपाअ निरोपिती । येक तत्वें विस्तारिती , तत्वज्ञानी ॥ २५॥

Some prescribe austerities, some instruct in the effortless, breath-linked repetition called ajapa, and philosophers expound at length upon the metaphysical principles.

येक सांगती सगुण । येक निरोपिती निर्गुण । येक उपदेशिती तीर्थाटण । फिरावें म्हणूनी ॥ २६॥

Some teach worship of God with form, some expound the formless Absolute, and some advise one to wander on pilgrimage.

येक माहावाक्यें सांगती । त्यांचा जप करावा म्हणती । येक उपदेश करिती । सर्व ब्रह्म म्हणोनी ॥ २७॥

Some teach the great Upanishadic declarations and say they should be repeated, while others teach that 'all is Brahman.'

येक शाक्तमार्ग सांगती । येक मुक्तमार्ग प्रतिष्ठिती । येक इंद्रियें पूजन करविती । येका भावें ॥ २८॥

Some teach the Shakta path, some establish the path they call liberation, and some, with a particular disposition, have one worship the senses themselves.

येक सांगती वशीकर्ण । स्तंबन मोहन उच्चाटण । नाना चेटकें आपण । स्वयें निरोपिती ॥ २९॥

Some teach spells of subjugation, binding, enchantment, and expulsion; they themselves impart various kinds of sorcery.

ऐसी उपदेशांची स्थिती । पुरे आतां सांगों किती । ऐसे हे उपदेश असती । असंख्यात ॥ ३०॥

Such is the state of spiritual instruction; how much more can be told? These teachings are truly countless.

ऐसे उपदेश अनेक । परी ज्ञानेविण निरार्थक । येविषईंs असे येक । भगवद्वचन ॥ ३१॥

Though there are so many such teachings, without true knowledge they are all meaningless; on this matter there is a word spoken by God himself.

श्लोक ॥ नानाशास्त्रं पठेल्लोको नाना दैवतपूजनम् । आत्मज्ञानं विना पार्थ सर्वकर्म निरर्थकम् ॥ शैवशाक्तागमाद्या ये अन्ये च बहवो मताः । अपभ्रंशसमास्ते । अपि जीवानां भ्रांतचेतसाम् ॥ न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् ॥ श्लोक अर्थ- नाना शास्त्रांचा अभ्यास लोक करतात व नाना देवतांचे पूजन करतात. पण अर्जुना, आत्मज्ञानावाचून ही सर्व कर्मे वाया जातात. शैवमत, शाक्तमत, आगमशास्त्र व आणखी अनेक मते आहेत. भ्रमात वावरणाऱ्या जीवांना झालेला तो बुद्धिप्रशच जाणावा. या जगात आत्मज्ञानासारखे पवित्र व उत्तम दुसरे काहीही नाही. याकारणें ज्ञानासमान । पवित्र उत्तम न दिसे अन्न । म्हणौन आधीं आत्मज्ञान । साधिलें पाहिजे ॥ ३२॥

A Sanskrit verse declares: people study many scriptures and worship many deities, but O Arjuna, without knowledge of the Self all such action is meaningless; the many other doctrines — Shaiva, Shakta, Agama and the rest — are but signs of confusion in deluded minds; nothing in this world is as pure and excellent as true knowledge. Therefore one must first attain knowledge of the Self.

सकळ उपदेशीं विशेष । आत्मज्ञानाचा उपदेश । येविषईंs जगदीश । बहुतां ठा‍ईं बोलिला ॥ ३३॥

Among all forms of instruction, the teaching of Self-knowledge is uniquely supreme; on this matter God himself has spoken in many places.

आत्मज्ञानाचा महिमा । नेणे चतुर्मुख ब्रह्मा । प्राणी बापुडा जीवात्मा । काये जाणे ॥ ३४॥

Even four-faced Brahma does not fully know the glory of Self-knowledge; what then can a poor ordinary soul comprehend of it?

सकळ तीर्थांची संगती । स्नानदानाची फळश्रुती । त्याहूनि ज्ञानाची स्थिती । विशेष कोटिगुणें ॥ ३५॥

Greater than the company of all pilgrimage places, and the merit of ritual bathing and charity, the state of true knowledge is a million times superior.

म्हणौनि जें आत्मज्ञान । तें गहनाहूनि गहन । ऐक तयाचें लक्षण । सांगिजेल ॥ ३६॥

Therefore this knowledge of the Self is profound beyond all profundity; listen now, for its true nature shall be described.