जंव तें ज्ञान नाहीं प्रांजळ । तंव सर्व कांहीं निर्फळ । ज्ञानरहित तळमळ । जाणार नाहीं ॥ १॥

As long as clear, true knowledge has not dawned, everything remains fruitless; without knowledge, the inner restlessness can never be stilled.

ज्ञान म्हणतां वाटे भस्म । काये रे बा असेल वर्म । म्हणौनि हा अनुक्रम । सांगिजेल आतां ॥ २॥

The moment one hears the word 'knowledge,' it seems to many like mere dry ash; what then, friend, could its true essence be? So now this matter shall be unfolded step by step.

भूत भविष्य वर्तमान । ठा‍ऊकें आहे परिछिन्न । यासीहि म्हणिजेत ज्ञान । परी तें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ३॥

Clearly knowing the past, future, and present is also called knowledge; but that is not true knowledge.

बहुत केलें विद्यापठण । संगीतशास्त्र रागज्ञान । वैदिक शास्त्र वेदाधेन । हेंहि ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ४॥

Extensive study of the arts, knowledge of music and ragas, Vedic scriptures or study of the Vedas — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना वेवसायाचें ज्ञान । नाना दिक्षेचें ज्ञान । नाना परीक्षेचें ज्ञान । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ५॥

Knowledge of various trades, various initiations, various tests and examinations — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना वनितांची परीक्षा । नाना मनुष्यांची परीक्षा । नाना नरांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ६॥

Skill in judging women, in judging people, in judging men — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना अश्वांची परीक्षा । नाना गजांची परीक्षा । नाना स्वापदांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ७॥

Skill in judging horses, in judging elephants, in judging wild beasts — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना पशूंची परीक्षा । नाना पक्षांची परीक्षा । नाना भूतांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ८॥

Skill in judging animals, in judging birds, in judging spirits — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना यानांची परीक्षा । नाना वस्त्रांची परीक्षा । नाना शस्त्रांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ९॥

Skill in judging vehicles, in judging garments, in judging weapons — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना धातूंची परीक्षा । नाना नाण्यांची परीक्षा । नाना रत्नांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १०॥

Skill in judging metals, in judging coins, in judging gems — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना पाषाण परीक्षा । नाना काष्ठांची परीक्षा । नाना वाद्यांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ११॥

Skill in judging stones, in judging timber, in judging musical instruments — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना भूमींची परीक्षा । नाना जळांची परीक्षा । नाना सतेज परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १२॥

Skill in judging land, in judging waters, in judging bright, lustrous things — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना रसांची परीक्षा । नाना बीजांची परीक्षा । नाना अंकुर परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १३॥

Skill in judging flavors, in judging seeds, in judging sprouts — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना पुष्पांची परीक्षा । नाना फळांची परीक्षा । नाना वल्लींची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १४॥

Skill in judging flowers, in judging fruits, in judging vines — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना दुःखांची परीक्षा । नाना रोगांची परीक्षा । नाना चिन्हांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १५॥

Skill in judging sorrows, in judging diseases, in judging omens and signs — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना मंत्रांची परीक्षा । नाना यंत्रांची परीक्षा । नाना मूर्तींची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १६॥

Skill in judging mantras, in judging yantras, in judging images and idols — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना क्षत्रांची परीक्षा । नाना गृहांची परीक्षा । नाना पात्रांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १७॥

Skill in judging fields, in judging houses, in judging vessels — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना होणार परीक्षा । नाना समयांची परीक्षा । नाना तर्कांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १८॥

Skill in foreseeing what is to come, in judging occasions, in judging logical arguments — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना अनुमान परीक्षा । नाना नेमस्त परीक्षा । नाना प्रकार परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ १९॥

Skill in judging inferences, in judging fixed certainties, in judging various matters — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना विद्येची परीक्षा । नाना कळेची परीक्षा । नाना चातुर्य परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २०॥

Skill in judging learning, in judging arts, in judging cleverness — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना शब्दांची परीक्षा । नाना अर्थांची परीक्षा । नाना भाषांची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २१॥

Skill in judging words, in judging meanings, in judging languages — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना स्वरांची परीक्षा । नाना वर्णांची परीक्षा । नाना लेक्षनपरीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २२॥

Skill in judging sounds, in judging letters, in judging handwriting — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना मतांची परीक्षा । नाना ज्ञानांची परीक्षा । नाना वृत्तींची परीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २३॥

Skill in judging doctrines, in judging various kinds of knowledge, in judging temperaments — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना रूपांची परीक्षा । नाना रसनेची परीक्षा । नाना सुगंधपरीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २४॥

Skill in judging forms, in judging tastes, in judging fragrances — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना सृष्टींची परीक्षा । नाना विस्तारपरीक्षा । नाना पदार्थपरीक्षा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २५॥

Skill in judging creation, in judging vast extents, in judging material things — this too is not true knowledge.

नेमकेचि बोलणें । तत्काळचि प्रतिवचन देणें । सीघ्रचि कवित्व करणें । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २६॥

Speaking precisely, giving instant replies, composing poetry on the spot — this too is not true knowledge.

नेत्रपालवी नादकळा । करपालवी भेदकळा । स्वरपालवी संकेतकळा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २७॥

The art of signaling with the eyes, the art of conveying meaning through hand gestures, the art of hinting through tone of voice — this too is not true knowledge.

काव्यकुशळ संगीतकळा । गीत प्रबंद नृत्यकळा । सभाच्यातुर्य शब्दकळा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २८॥

Skill in poetry, the art of music, composing songs, the art of dance, eloquence in assemblies, mastery of words — this too is not true knowledge.

वग्विळास मोहनकळा । रम्य रसाळ गायनकळा । हास्य विनोद कामकळा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ २९॥

The art of charming speech, delightful and melodious singing, wit and humor, the arts of romance — this too is not true knowledge.

नाना लाघवें चित्रकळा । नाना वाद्यें संगीतकळा । नाना प्रकारें विचित्र कळा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ३०॥

Various sleights of hand, the art of painting, the art of playing various instruments, all manner of curious arts — this too is not true knowledge.

आदिकरूनि चौसष्टि कळा । याहि वेगळ्या नाना कळा । चौदा विद्या सिद्धि सकळा । हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ३१॥

The sixty-four traditional arts, and other arts beyond these, the fourteen branches of learning, and all supernatural powers — this too is not true knowledge.

असो सकळ कळाप्रवीण । विद्यामात्र परिपूर्ण । तरी ते कौशल्यता, परी ज्ञान- । म्हणोंचि नये ॥३२॥

In short, even if one is skilled in every art and perfectly accomplished in every branch of learning, that is mere proficiency; it cannot rightly be called true knowledge.

हें ज्ञान होयेसें भासे । परंतु मुख्य ज्ञान तें अनारिसें । जेथें प्रकृतीचें पिसें । समूळ वाव ॥ ३३॥

This appears to be knowledge, but the true, essential knowledge is something quite different; it is that in which the very madness of material nature is utterly dissolved.

जाणावें दुसर्याचें जीवीचें । हे ज्ञान वाटे साचें । परंतु हें आत्मज्ञानाचें । लक्षण नव्हे ॥ ३४॥

Knowing what is in another's mind seems like genuine knowledge, but this is not the mark of true Self-knowledge.

माहानुभाव माहाभला । मानसपूजा करितां चुकला । कोणी येकें पाचारिला । ऐसें नव्हे म्हणोनी ॥ ३५॥

A great and noble soul once erred while performing mental worship, and someone else, sensing this, called out to him — but knowing this too is not true knowledge.

ऐसी जाणे अंतरस्थिती । तयासि परम ज्ञाता म्हणती । परंतु जेणें मोक्षप्राप्ती । तें हें ज्ञान नव्हे ॥ ३६॥

One who can perceive another's inner state in this way is called by people a supreme knower; but that which brings liberation is not this kind of knowledge.

बहुत प्रकारींची ज्ञानें । सांगों जातां असाधारणें । सायोज्यप्राप्ती होये जेणें । तें ज्ञान वेगळें ॥ ३७॥

Many such extraordinary kinds of knowledge could be described, but the knowledge through which union with the Divine is attained is something altogether different.

तरी तें कैसें आहे ज्ञान । समाधानाचें लक्षण । ऐसें हें विशद करून । मज निरोपावें ॥ ३८ ॥

So the disciple asked: then what is that true knowledge, what is the mark of that true contentment? Please explain this clearly to me.

ऐसें शुद्ध ज्ञान पुसिलें । तें पुढिले समासीं निरोपिलें । श्रोतां अवधान दिधलें । पाहिजे पुढें ॥ ३९॥

Thus the question about pure knowledge was asked; its answer will be given in the next samas — let the listeners keep their attention fixed as we proceed.