कोणी येक दोघे जण । पृथ्वी फिरती उदासीन । काळक्रमणें लागून । कथा आरंभिली ॥ १ ॥

Two people, indifferent to worldly life, were wandering the earth; to pass the time, they began telling a story.

श्रोता पुसे वक्तयासी । काहाणी सांगा जी बरवीसी । वक्ता म्हणे श्रोतयासी । सावध ऐकें ॥ २ ॥

The listener asks the speaker, 'Please tell me a good story.' The speaker says to the listener, 'Listen attentively.'

येकें स्त्रीपुरुषें होतीं । उभयेतांमधें बहु प्रीति । येकरूपेंचि वर्तती । भिन्न नाहीं ॥ ३ ॥

There was a husband and wife between whom there was great love; the two lived as if one, with no difference between them.

ऐसा कांहीं येक काळ लोटला । तयांस येक पुत्र जाला । कार्यकर्ता आणि भला । सर्वविषीं ॥ ४ ॥

After some time passed this way, a son was born to them, capable and good in every respect.

पुढें त्यासहि जाला कुमर । तो पित्याहून आतुर । कांहीं तदर्ध चतुर । व्यापकपणें ॥ ५ ॥

In time a son was born to him too, more eager and expansive in reach than his father, though only half as wise.

तेणें व्याप उदंड केला । बहुत कन्यापुत्र व्याला । उदंड लोक संचिला । नाना प्रकारें ॥ ६ ॥

He undertook a vast enterprise, fathered many sons and daughters, and gathered a great multitude of people of every kind.

त्याचा पुत्र जेष्ठ । तो अज्ञान आणि रागिट । अथवा चुकता नीट । संव्हार करी ॥ ७ ॥

His eldest son was ignorant and quick-tempered; if the slightest thing went wrong, he would destroy everything.

पिता उगाच बैसला । लेकें बहुत व्याप केला । सर्वज्ञ जाणता भला । जेष्ठ पुत्र ॥ ८ ॥

The father sat by quietly while the son built up an immense enterprise; that eldest son was all-knowing and wise.

नातु त्याचें अर्ध जाणें । पणतु तो कांहींच नेणे । चुकतां संव्हारणें । माहा क्रोधी ॥ ९ ॥

The grandson knew only half, and the great-grandson knew nothing at all; at the slightest error he would destroy things in a fierce rage.

लेक सकळांचे पाळण करी । नातु मेळवी वरिचावरी । पणतु चुकल्यां संव्हार करी । अकस्मात ॥ १० ॥

The son nurtured everyone, the grandson merely gathered things superficially, and the great-grandson, at any lapse, would suddenly lay waste to it all.

नेमस्तपणें वंश वाढला । विस्तार उदंडचि जाला । ऐसा बहुत काळ गेला । आनंदरूप ॥ ११ ॥

In this orderly way the lineage grew, its expanse became immense; a long time passed this way, seemingly in happiness.

विस्तार वाढला गणवेना । वडिलांस कोणीच मानिना । परस्परें किंत मना । बहुत पडिला ॥ १२ ॥

The expansion grew beyond all reckoning, no one honored their elders anymore, and deep mutual suspicion arose in everyone's minds.

उदंड घरकळ्हो लागला । तेणें कित्येक संव्हार जाला । विपट पडिलें थोर थोरांला । बेबंद जालें ॥ १३ ॥

Great strife broke out within the household itself, causing much destruction; even the great came to ruin, and all order collapsed.

नेणपणें भरी भरले । मग ते अवघेच संव्हारले । जैसे यादव निमाले । उन्मत्तपणें ॥ १४ ॥

Caught up in folly they all clashed with one another, and in the end all were destroyed — just as the Yadavas perished, fighting each other in their own arrogance.

बाप लेक नातु पणतु । सकळांचा जाला निपातु । कन्या पुत्र हेतु मातु । अणुमात्र नाहीं ॥ १५ ॥

Father, son, grandson, great-grandson — all were annihilated; not a trace remained of daughter, son, purpose, or mother.

ऐसी काहाणी जो विवरला । तो जन्मापासून सुटला । श्रोता वक्ता धन्य जाला । प्रचितीनें ॥ १६ ॥

Whoever unravels this story carefully is freed from the cycle of birth and death; through such direct realization, both the listener and the speaker are blessed.

ऐसी काहाणी अपूर्व जे ते । उदंड वेळ होत जाते । इतकें बोलोन गोसावी ते । निवांत जाले ॥ १७ ॥

To tell this wondrous story in full would take a very long time; having said this much, the holy teacher fell silent.

आमची काहाणी सरो । तुमचे अंतरीं भरो । ऐसें बोलणें विवरो । कोणीतरी ॥ १८ ॥

'Let our story end here, but let it settle deep within your hearts' — so he said; let someone reflect further and unfold its meaning.

चुकत वांकत आठवलें । एतुकें संकळित बोलिलें । न्यूनपूर्ण क्ष्मा केलें । पाहिजे श्रोतीं ॥ १९ ॥

Whatever came to mind, however imperfectly, has been told in brief; listeners should forgive whatever lack or excess there may be.

ऐसी काहाणी निरंतर । विवेकें ऐकती जे नर । दास म्हणे जग्गोधार । तेचि आरिती ॥ २० ॥

Those who continually listen to this story with discernment — the servant Ramdas calls them 'redeemers of the world'; that itself is the true act of worship.

त्या जगोद्धाराचें लक्षण । केले पाहिजे विवरण । सार निवडावें निरूपण । यास बोलिजे ॥ २१ ॥

The true nature of that world-redemption should itself be examined; to sift the essence out through exposition — that is what is meant by it.

निरूपणीं प्रत्ययें विवरावें । नाना तत्वकोडें उकलावें । समजतां समजतां व्हावें । निःसंदेह ॥ २२ ॥

In exposition one should reflect through direct experience and unravel the puzzles of the various principles; understanding step by step, all doubt should finally disappear.

विवरोन पाहातां अष्ट देह । पुढें सहजचि निःसंदेह । अखंड निरूपणें राहे । समाधान ॥ २३ ॥

Having examined and unraveled the eight bodies, a state free of all doubt naturally follows; true contentment endures only through continuous exposition.

तत्वांचा गल्बला जेथें । निवांत कैचें असेल तेथें । याकारणें गुल्लिपरतें । कोणीयेकें असावें ॥ २४ ॥

Where there is a constant clamor of countless principles, how can there be peace there? Therefore one should keep a little apart from such crowds.

ऐसा सूक्ष्म संवाद । केलाचि करावा विशद । पुढिले समासीं लघुबोध । सावध ऐका ॥ २५ ॥

Such a subtle dialogue has now been made clear; in the next samas a brief teaching (laghubodh) will be given — listen to it attentively.