मागां श्रोतीं पुसिलें होतें । दृश्य मिथ्या तरी कां दिसतें । त्याचें उत्तर बोलिजेल तें । सावधान ऐका ॥ १॥

Earlier the listeners had asked: if the visible world is illusory, then why does it appear at all? The answer to this will now be given — listen attentively.

देखिलें तें सत्यचि मानावें । हें ज्ञात्याचें देखणें नव्हे । जड मूढ अज्ञान जीवें । हें सत्य मानिजे ॥ २॥

To take whatever is seen as simply real is not the vision of the wise; only dull, foolish, ignorant beings regard it as true.

एका देखिल्यासाठीं । लटिक्या कराव्या ग्रंथकोटी । संतमहंतांच्या गोष्टी । त्याही मिथ्या मानाव्या ॥ ३॥

If mere appearance were proof of truth, then millions of scriptures would have to be declared false, and even the teachings of saints and sages would have to be dismissed as illusory.

माझें दिसतें हेंचि खरें । तेथें चालेना दुसरें । ऐशिया संशयाच्या भरें । भरोंचि नये ॥ ४॥

One should not stubbornly insist, "Whatever I see is the only truth, and nothing else can be admitted" — one must not get swept away by such a flood of doubt.

मृगें देखिलें मृगजळ । तेथें धांवे तें बरळ । जळ नव्हे मिथ्या सकळ । त्या पशूसि कोणें म्हणावें ॥ ५॥

The deer sees a mirage and foolishly runs toward it; who is there to tell that animal that it is not water at all, but wholly illusory?

रात्रौ स्वप्न देखिलें । बहुत द्रव्य सांपडलें । बहुत जनांसि वेव्हारिलें । तें खरें कैसेनि मानावें ॥ ६॥

At night one dreams of finding great wealth, and even transacting with many people in that dream — but how can that be taken as real?

कुशळ चितारी विचित्र । तेणें निर्माण केलें चित्र । देखतां उठे प्रीति मात्र । परंतु तेथें मृत्तिका ॥ ७॥

A skilled painter creates a wondrous picture; on seeing it, admiration arises at once — but in reality there is nothing there but clay and pigment.

नाना वनिता हस्ती घोडे । रात्रौ देखतां मन बुडे । दिवसा पाहतां कातडें । कंटाळवाणें ॥ ८॥

Seen by lamplight at night, painted women, elephants and horses on leather can enchant the mind; but seen by daylight, that same painted hide looks tedious and dull.

काष्ठी पाषाणी पुतळ्या । नाना प्रकारें निर्मिल्या । परम सुंदर वाटल्या । परंतु तेथें पाषाण ॥ ९॥

Statues are carved from wood and stone in countless forms, appearing supremely beautiful; but in reality there is only wood or stone there.

नाना गोपुरीं पुतळ्या असती । वक्रांगें वक्रदृष्टीं पाहती । लाघव देखता भरे वृत्ती । परंतु तेथें त्रिभाग ॥ १०॥

On temple towers stand many carved figures, with curved forms and sidelong glances; seeing such craftsmanship, the mind is captivated — but there too, ultimately, it is only stone and material.

खेळतां नेटके दशावतारी । तेथें येती सुंदर नारी । नेत्र मोडिती कळाकुसरीं । परी ते अवघे धटिंगण ॥ ११॥

In a skillfully performed folk drama, beautiful "women" appear on stage, casting artful glances — but they are, in truth, all rough men playing the part.

सृष्टि बहुरंगी असत्य । बहुरूपाचें हें कृत्य । तुज वाटे दृश्य सत्य । परी हे जाण अविद्या ॥ १२॥

Creation, though colorful and varied, is unreal — all of it is like the act of a costumed performer; the visible world may seem real to you, but know that this is only due to ignorance.

मिथ्या साचासारिखें देखिलें । परी तें पाहिजे विचारिलें । दृष्टि तरळतां भासलें । तें साच कैसें मानावें ॥ १३॥

What is unreal appears exactly like the real, but it must be examined carefully; when the eye plays tricks and something merely seems to appear, how can that be taken as genuinely real?

वरी पाहतां पालथें आकाश । उदकीं पाहतां उताणें आकाश । मध्यें चांदण्याचाही प्रकाश । परी तें अवघें मिथ्या ॥ १४॥

Looking upward, the sky appears to arch overhead; looking into water, the sky appears reflected below, complete with the light of stars — but all of this is merely illusory.

नृपतीनें चितारी आणिले । ज्याचे त्या ऐसे पुतळे केले । पाहतां तेचि ऐसे गमले । परी ते अवघे मायिक ॥ १५॥

A king summoned artists and had lifelike statues made of each person; on seeing them, they seemed to be the real people themselves — but all of them were merely imitations.

नेत्रीं कांहीं बाहुली नसे । जेव्हां जें पहावें तेव्हां तें भासे । डोळां प्रतिबिंब दिसे । तें साच कैसेनी ॥ १६॥

There is no separate little figure actually residing in the eye — whatever one looks at simply reflects there at that moment; how can this mere reflection seen in the eye be taken as real?

जितुके बुडबुडे उठती । तितुक्यांमध्यें रूपें दिसती । क्षणामध्यें फुटोनि जाती । रूपें मिथ्या ॥ १७॥

As many bubbles as rise on water, that many reflected images appear within them, only to burst and vanish in an instant — such forms are illusory.

लघुदर्पणें दोनी चारी होतीं । तितुकीं मुखें प्रतिबिंबती । परी तीं मिथ्या आदिअंतीं । एकचि मुख ॥ १८॥

If there are two or four small mirrors, that many faces get reflected in them; but all those reflections are illusory — from beginning to end, there is truly only one real face.

नदीतीरीं भार जातां । दुसरा भार दिसे पालथा । कां पडसादाचा अवचितां । गजर उठे ॥ १९॥

When a caravan passes along a riverbank, its inverted reflection appears in the water; or suddenly an echo rises, repeating a sound.

वापी सरोवरांचें नीर । तेथें पशु पक्षी नर वानर । नाना पत्रें वृक्ष विस्तार । दिसे दोहीं सवां ॥ २०॥

In the water of a well or a pond, animals, birds, people, monkeys, leaves and the spread of trees — all appear doubled, both the actual thing and its reflection.

एक शस्त्र झाडूं जातां । दोन दिसती तत्त्वतां । नाना तंतु टणत्कारितां । द्विधा भासती ॥ २१॥

When a weapon is swung swiftly, it truly appears to be two; when the strings of an instrument are plucked and vibrate, they too appear doubled.

कां ते दर्पणाचे मंदिरीं । बैसली सभा दिसे दुसरी । बहुत दीपांचिये हारीं । बहुत छाया दिसती ॥ २२॥

In a hall lined with mirrors, an assembly seated there appears reflected many times over; and by a row of many lamps, many shadows of the same object are cast.

ऐसें हें बहुविध भासे । साचासारिखें दिसे । परी हें सत्य म्हणोन कैसें । विश्वासावें ॥ २३॥

In this way, so many varied appearances occur, each seeming exactly like reality — but how can one trust and accept any of it as truly real?

माया मिथ्या बाजीगिरी । दिसे साचाचिये परी । परी हे जाणत्यानें खरी । मानूंचि नये ॥ २४॥

Maya is an illusory conjuring trick, appearing exactly like reality; but the discerning person should never accept it as genuinely true.

लटिकें साचा ऐसे भावावें । तरी मग पारखी कासया असावें । एवं ये अविद्येचे गोवें । ऐसेचि असती ॥ २५॥

If the false is simply to be accepted as real, then what need is there for any discernment at all? Such, indeed, are the entangling snares of ignorance.

मनुष्यांची बाजीगिरी । बहुत जनां वाटे खरी । शेवट पाहतां निर्धारीं । मिथ्या होय ॥ २६॥

A human conjurer's tricks seem real to many people, but when carefully examined in the end, they turn out to be entirely false.

तैशीच माव राक्षसांची । देवांसही वाटे साची । पंचवटिकेसि मृगाची । पाठी घेतली रामें ॥ २७॥

In the same way, the illusory magic of demons seems real even to the gods; at Panchavati, even Lord Rama himself gave chase to the illusory golden deer.

पूर्वकाया पालटिती । एकाचेचि बहुत होती । रक्तबिंदीं जन्मती । रजनीचर ॥ २८॥

Demons transform their original forms; one becomes many; and rakshasas are even born from a single drop of blood (as with Raktabija).

नाना पदार्थ फळेंचि झाले । द्वारकेमध्यें प्रवेशले । कृष्णें दैत्य किती वधिले । कपटरूपी ॥ २९॥

Various objects took the disguised form of fruits and entered Dvaraka; Krishna slew many such demons who came in deceptive, illusory forms.

कैसें कपट रावणाचें । शिर केलें मावेचें । काळनेमीच्या आश्रमाचें । अपूर्व कैसें ॥ ३०॥

Consider Ravana's deception — how he conjured an illusory severed head through his magic; and how wondrous was the false hermitage created by the demon Kalanemi.

नाना दैत्य कपटमती । जे देवांसही नाटोपती । मग निर्माण होऊन शक्ती । संहार केला ॥ ३१॥

There were many such deceitful, cunning demons whom even the gods could not overcome; then the Divine Power (Shakti) herself manifested and destroyed them.

ऐसी राक्षसांची माव । जाणों न शकती देव । कपटविद्येचें लाघव । अघटित ज्यांचें ॥ ३२॥

Such was the demons' magic that even the gods could not fully grasp it; the skill of their deceptive arts was truly extraordinary.

मनुष्यांची बाजीगिरी । राक्षसांची वोडंबरी । भगवंताची नानापरी । विचित्र माया ॥ ३३॥

The conjuring of men, the deceptive play of demons, and the manifold wondrous maya of God Himself — all of these are of the same nature.

हे साचासारिखीच देइसे । विचारितांचि निरसे । मिथ्याच परी आभासे । निरंतर ॥ ३४॥

All of it appears exactly like reality, yet dissolves the moment it is examined with discernment; though illusory, it continues to appear, again and again, without end.

साच म्हणावी तरी हे नासे । मिथ्या म्हणावी तरी हे दिसे । दोहीं पदार्थीं अविश्वासे । सांगतां मन ॥ ३५॥

If called real, it perishes; if called illusory, it is still seen — in describing it either way, the mind cannot settle into full conviction.

परंतु हें नव्हे साचार । मायेचा मिथ्या विचार । दिसतें हें स्वप्नाकार । जाण बापा ॥ ३६॥

But truly, this is not real at all — it is merely the illusory play of maya; know, my friend, that what appears here is of the very nature of a dream.

तथापि असो तुजला । भासचि सत्य वाटला । तरी तेथें चुका पडिला । ऐक बापा ॥ ३७॥

Yet even so, if this mere appearance has seemed real to you, know that a mistake has occurred right there — listen, my friend.

दृश्यभास अविद्यात्मक । तुझाही देह तदात्मक । म्हणोनि हा विवेक । तेथें संचरला ॥ ३८॥

This appearance of the visible world is of the very nature of ignorance, and your own body too partakes of that same nature; therefore this discernment must be applied right there, within the body itself.

दृष्टीनें दृश्य देखिलें । मन भासावरी बैसलें । परी तें लिंगदेह झालें । अविद्यात्मक ॥ ३९॥

The eye perceives the visible world, and the mind settles upon that mere appearance; but that very subtle body (which perceives) is itself likewise made of ignorance.

अविद्येनें अविद्या देखिली । म्हणोन गोष्टी विश्वासली । तुझी काया अवघी संचली । अविद्येची ॥ ४०॥

Ignorance perceives ignorance, and so this whole affair comes to seem convincingly true; your entire body is thoroughly pervaded by that very ignorance.

तेचि काया मी आपण । हें देहबुद्धीचें लक्षण । येणेंकरितां झालें प्रमाण । दृश्य अवघें ॥ ४१॥

To take that very body as "I myself" is the mark of body-consciousness; and because of this, the entire visible world comes to be accepted as valid and real.

इकडे सत्य मानिला देह । तिकडे दृश्य सत्य हा निर्वाह । दोंहींमध्यें हा संदेह । पैसावला बळें ॥ ४२॥

On one side the body is taken as real, and on the other the visible world is likewise taken as real; between these two, this doubt has forcefully spread and taken hold.

देहबुद्धी केली बळकट । आणि ब्रह्म पाहों गेला धीट । तों दृश्यानें रोधिली वाट । परब्रह्माची ॥ ४३॥

One holds fast to body-consciousness, and yet boldly sets out to see Brahman — but it is the visible world itself that then blocks the path to the Supreme Brahman.

तेथें साच मानिलें दृश्याला । निश्चयचि बाणोनि गेला । पहा हो केवढा चुका पडिला । अकस्मात ॥ ४४॥

There, the visible world was taken as real, and this conviction became firmly fixed; see how great a mistake occurred, quite unexpectedly.

आतां असो हें बोलणें । ब्रह्म न पाविजे मीपणें । देहबुद्धीची लक्षणें । दृश्य भाविती ॥ ४५॥

Let this discussion rest here for now; Brahman cannot be attained through the sense of "I"; it is only the marks of body-consciousness that regard the visible world as real.

अस्थींच्या देहीं मांसाचा गोळा । पाहेन म्हणे ब्रह्मींचा सोहळा । तो ज्ञाता नव्हे आंधळा । केवळ मूर्ख ॥ ४६॥

Whoever, while dwelling in this body of bones and lump of flesh, claims "I shall behold the glory of Brahman" through mere bodily effort is no true knower — he is simply blind, utterly foolish.

दृष्टीस दिसे मनास भासे । तितुकें काळांतरीं नासे । म्हणोनि दृश्यातीत असे । परब्रह्म तें ॥ ४७॥

Whatever is seen by the eye or appears to the mind is bound to perish in due course of time; therefore the Supreme Brahman lies utterly beyond the visible world.

परब्रह्म तें शाश्वत । माया तेचि अशाश्वत । ऐसा बोलिला निश्चितार्थ । नानाशास्त्रीं ॥ ४८॥

The Supreme Brahman is eternal, while maya is transient — this definite conclusion has been declared in many scriptures.

आतां पुढें निरूपण । देहबुद्धीचें लक्षण । चुका पडिला तो कोण । बोलिलें असे ॥ ४९॥

Now what follows next is an exposition of the marks of body-consciousness, and of exactly where the mistake occurred.

मी कोण हें जाणावें । मीपण त्यागून अनन्य व्हावें । मग समाधान तें स्वभावें । अंगीं बाणे ॥ ५०॥

One should inquire and know "Who am I?", relinquish the sense of separate "I," and become one, without division; then true contentment naturally settles into one's very being.