नवविधाभक्तिनाम — समास 10: मुक्तिचतुष्टय

मुळी ब्रह्म निराकार । तेथें स्फूर्तिरुप अहंकार । तो पंचभूतांचा विचार । ज्ञानदशकीं बोलिला ॥ १ ॥

मुळांत ब्रह्म अव्यक्त व आकाररहित आहे. तेथें ही व्यक्त व साकार सृष्टी वगैरे कांही नसतें व नव्हतें. त्या निरागस ब्रह्मामध्यें एक स्फुरण उद्भवले तो अहंकार होय. त्यांतून पंचभूतात्मक सृष्टि निर्माण झाली. ती कशी झाली त्याचा विचार ज्ञानदशकांत म्हणजे आठव्या दशकांत केला आहे.

Within the *root there is that formless brahman. That brahman `there' has appeared as this original inspiration or ahamkar/`I am'. Then that thoughtless Self became the five great elements and this speech `I am' gets hidden within the knowledge of the ten senses (ie. body consciousness). *(The root of this creation is prakruti/purush ie. that formless purush knowing this original form. `Here' the gunas and elements are unmanifest and when they become manifest, our world of names and forms appears)

तो अहंकार वायोरुप । तयावरी तेजाचें स्वरुप ।ते तया तेजाच्या आधारें आप। आवर्णोदकदाटलें ॥ २ ॥

तें अहंकाराचे स्फुरण वायुसारखे शक्तीरुप असते. त्यातून तेज प्रगटते. व त्या तेजाच्या आधारे सगळीकडे पाणी भरुन गेले.

When that brahman is this ahamkar it gets called the wind element. And then upon that swarup there appears the great fire element. Then that brahman, due to the support of this fire, becomes the great water element and this surrounding, controlling water covers everywhere (This metaphor of the five elements is used to explain this process called objectification, where the subject becomes the object or simply imagination. When that formless brahman tries to see itself then, it sees its reflection and the sense of `I am' appears.13 This is also known as the wind element. Not satisfied with this, if it takes a little step further out then, there is the appearance of something outside of its self. This is called the fire element. And as it becomes more objective, objects appear `softly'. This is the water element; it is like a wave arising out of the sea. At this point, along with the appearance of distinct forms there is a sense of individuality. And if our attention or our focus gets placed upon an object for any length of time then, that object `stands out' from all that is being seen or heard etc. It appears as if out of no-where. And as the habit of the mind is to think over and over about these objects perceived through the senses, they appear completely gross/solid and real ie. earth element. This process happens every morning when we awake but because we have no knowledge of it, it escapes our notice. This is why maharaj advised us to wake up slowly; to catch this process. Thus in That which is formless like space, there appears form, the elements, the mind and an objective world).14

तया आवर्णोदकाच्या आधारें । धरा धरिली फणिवरें । वरती छपन्न कोटी विस्तारें । वसुंधरा हे ॥ ३ ॥

त्या पाण्याच्या आधारे शेषाने आपल्या मस्तकावर पृथ्वी उचलून धरली. छपन्न कोटी योजने इतका पृथ्वीचा विस्तार आहे.

With the support of these waters of objectification, that great divine serpent/shesha* upholds the earth. In this way, that thoughtless Reality has expanded into 56 divisions and a world has been created (56: 25 subtle and 25 gross elemental divisions, four bodies, ignorance and knowledge; see 17.8). *(shesha means that which remains when everything is given up. He cannot be given up, for He is the indestructible atma purush; and as the Witness, He is said to be the serpent on which vishnu ie. knowledge, rests. He is said to have 1000 heads and on one of these heads, the world, your world is held. In this way vishnu/knowledge has expanded and become the `many' worlds; each mind is one of these worlds)

इयेवरी परीघ सप्त सागर । मध्य मेरु माहां थोर । अष्ट दिग्पाळ तो परिवार । अंतरें वेष्टित राहिला ॥ ४ ॥

तिच्या भोवती सात सागरांचा वेढा आहे. मध्यें मोठा प्रचंड मेरु पर्वत आहे. आठ दिशापालकांचा हे सगळे अंतर वेढून आहे.

On this earth there are 7 seas and in the centre of this earth there is mountain meru (`I am'). It remains in the middle and the 8 lords of the 8 directions encompass this surrounding space. (The 7 seas are the dhatus of the body, skin, marrow, bone etc.; but when meru is understood then in all 8 directions, space is there ie. no things are there ie. neti, neti)

तो सुवर्णाचा माहा मेरु । पृथ्वीस तयाचा आधारु । चौर्‍यासी सहस्त्र विस्तारु । रुंदी तयाची ॥ ५ ॥

तो प्रचंड मेरु पर्वत सोन्याचा आहे. पृथ्वीला तो आधार देतो. चौर्‍यांशी हजार योजने त्याची रुंदी आहे.

meru mountain is made of gold and it is the support of this earth (this earth is the last of the five great elements and the beginning of gross body consciousness due to the mixing together of these elements ie. first there was subtle objectification and names and forms started to appear, then afterwards further concepts get added ie. pain/pleasure, good/bad etc. and there is gross body consciousness). Then this earth expanded into the 84 laksha of jiva and the countless objects (laksha means one hundred thousand but it also means attention; and due to this objective attention there comes the 84 principles that make up the gross body; see 17.8)

उंच तरी मर्यादेवेगळा । भूमीमधें सहस्त्र सोळा । तया भोवता वेष्टित पाळा । लोकालोक पर्वताचा ॥ ६ ॥

त्याची उंची मोजणे शक्य नाही. तो भूमीच्या आंत सोळा हजार योजने गेला आहे. रक्षणासाठी त्याच्या भोवती लोकालोक पर्वताचा वेढा आहे.

That paramatma is without any boundary or limit but in this world it extends to *16 thousand yoganas and becomes limited. Then the lokaloka mountains are assembled and they enwrap that Reality (loka means worldly; aloka is transcending the worldly ie. prakruti/purush). *(16 means the 5 pranas, 5 organs of knowledge, 5 organs of action and mind)

तया ऐलिकडे हिमाचळ । जेथें पांडव गळाले सकळ । धर्म आणि तमाळनीळ । पुढें गेले ॥ ७ ॥

त्याच्या अलीकडे हिमालय आहे. तेथे सर्व पांडव गळून पडले. फक्त धर्म व यमदेव दोघेच पुढे गेले.

The himalayas are on this side of that paramatma and this is where the pandavas fell one by one, except dharma and shri krishna who went ahead. (himalaya is the causal body or ignorance; pandavas are the great elements, dharma is the eldest brother or space or knowledge and krishna is the Master. They go beyond this ignorance of sleep or nothingness)

जेथें जावया मार्ग नाहीं । मार्गी पसरले माहा अही । सितसुखें सुखावले ते हि । पर्वतरुप भासती ॥ ८ ॥

हिमालयांतून जायला वाट नाही. कारण वाटेमध्यें प्रचंड सर्प पसरलेले आहेत. बर्फाच्या थंडपणाने आराम करणारे ते सर्प पर्वतासारखे दिसतात.

There is no way to get to this `I am', for great snakes are asleep on the path. They are lazy due to the cold (ie. ignorance) and appear like great mountains (ie. the great snakes are desires sleeping/hidden in the causal body and the mountains represent concepts).

तया ऐलिकडे सेवटीं जाण । बद्रिकाश्रम बद्रिनारायण । तेथें माहां तापसी निर्वाण । देहत्यागार्थ जाती ॥ ९ ॥

त्याच्या अलीकडे टोकाला बद्रिकाश्रम व बद्रिनारायण आहेत. मोठे मोठे तपस्वी मोक्ष मिळवण्याच्या इच्छेने देह ठेवण्यास तेथे जातात.

On this side nearer to meru there is badri-narayana and badrik-ashram, where great ascetics do penance before complete relinquishment of their bodies (those devotees who have not yet completely given up body consciousness).

तया ऐलिकडे बद्रिकेदार । पाहोन येती लाहान थोर । ऐसा हा अवघा विस्तार । मेरुपर्वताचा ॥ १० ॥

त्याच्या अलीकडे बद्रिकेदार आहे. लहानथोर सगळे तें पाहून येतात. असा हा मेरु पर्वताचा सगळा विस्तार आहे.

badri-kedar is nearer. While contemplating that place, the small jiva becomes the great brahman. But due to the expansion of this meru mountain, that thoughtless Self has become the many things of the mind.

तया मेरुपर्वता पाठारीं । तीन श्रृंगे विषमहारी । परिवारें राहिले तयावरी । ब्रह्म विष्णु महेश ॥ ११ ॥

या मेरुपर्वताच्या पठारावर वाकड्यातिकड्या दिशांना तीन शिखरें आहेत. ब्रह्मा, विष्णु व महेश आपल्या परिवारासह तेथे राहतात.

There are three peaks on a plateau of this meru mountain; upon that the gods brahma, vishnu and mahesh stay and they expand from there (ie. from this knowledge `I am' there appears the three gunas; maharaj- rajo guna is thinking...what is this? You ask because you don't know/tamo guna, but you ask with knowledge/sattwa guna. Mixture is there).

ब्रह्मश्रृंग तो पर्वताचा । विष्णुश्रृंग तो मर्गजाचा । शिवश्रृंग तो स्फटिकाचा । कैळास नाम त्याचें ॥ १२ ॥

ब्रह्मा राहतो तें शिखर साधे दगडाचे आहे. विष्णु राहतो ते शिखर पाचूचे आहे. आणि शंकर राहतो ते शिखर स्फटिकाचे आहे. त्याला कैलास म्हणतात.

The peak of brahma is of stone; the peak of vishnu is of mixed alloy gold; the peak of shiva is a crystal and it is called kailas. (meru is gold, brahma's abode is solid and objective; vishnu's abode is mixed alloy gold ie. appears similar to gold; mahesh's abode is kailas- kaya/body, laya/dissolve, asne/to be ie. the dissolution of the body)

वैकुंठ नाम विष्णुश्रृंगाचे । सत्यलोक नाम ब्रह्मश्रृंगाचें । अमरावती इंद्राचें । स्थळ खालतें ॥ १३ ॥

वैकुंठ हे विष्णुच्या शिखराचे नांव आहे. ब्रह्मा राहतो त्या शिखराचे नांव सत्यलोक आहे. त्याच्या खाली अमरावती नावाचे इंद्राचे ठिकाण आहे.

The peak of vishnu has the name vaikuntha; and satyalok is the name of brahma's peak; and amaravati is the name of the place of indra, the lord of the senses, below these three. (vaikuntha- where the third speech is obstructed ie. concepts are not for- med/created; satyalok- the world that is taken as true; amarvati; amar-immortal and vati-this side of)

तेथे गण गंधर्व लोकपाळ । तेतिस कोटी देव सकळ । चौदा लोक सुवर्णाचळ । वेष्टित राहिले ॥ १४ ॥

तेथें गण, गंधर्व, लोकपाळ, सगळे तेहतीस कोटी देव राहतात. सप्तस्वर्ग व सप्तपाताल असे चौदा लोक मेरुपर्वतावर वसलेले आहेत.

There is brahman `there' and there are gana and gandharva and the regents of every direction; there is this `all' and there are the 33 divisions of gods; then there are the 14 worlds encompassing that space around this golden mountain. (gana means counting, then that One gets divided and there are the beings of gandha ie. that is an imagined world in the sky or simply imagination. 33 means 25 subtle division of the elements and 5 elements and 3 gunas. The 14 worlds are the 5 organs of the senses and 5 organs of action, the mind, intellect/buddhi, chitta and ego) Note: these verses explain in a rather cryptic fashion, the nature of creation and the forms of bondage that have to be transcended if Final Liberation is to be attained. We have to leave the thought of being a gross body; we have to leave the thought of `all' or `I am' by maintaining the detachment of the Witness of this `all'. And finally we have to be that ever liberated brahman)

तेथें कामधेनूचीं खिलांरें । कल्पतरुचीं वनें अपारें । अमृताचीं सरोवरें । ठाईं ठाईं उचंबळली ॥ १५ ॥

तेथे कामधेनूंचे मोठे कळप आहेत. कल्पवृक्षांची पुष्कळ वने आहेत. ठिकठिकाणी अमृताने भरलेली सरोवरे उचंबळत असतात.

There is brahman `there' and the flocks of divine cows/kamadhenu; on account of that limitless paramatma there are the forests of wish-fulfilling trees/kalpataru and the lakes of immortal nectar overflowing at every place (ie. knowledge; when that limitless brahman becomes this knowledge then whatever it wishes will happen; if it thinks it is a body then, you become a body).

तेथें उदंड चिंतामणी । हिरे परिसांचिया खाणी । तेथें सुवर्णमये धरणी । लखलखायमान ॥ १६ ॥

तेथें खूप चिंतामणी आहेत. हिर्‍यांच्या व परिसांच्या खाणी आहेत. तेथील सोन्याची जमीन लखलखाट करतअसते.

There is that vast paramatma `there' and there are the mines of chintamani and diamonds and paris stones. brahman has appeared as this world of the `all', brightly shining like gold and then this appears as this earth. (chintamani- a stone believed to relieve worry and thought ie. `I am'; the paris stone is said to turn iron into gold ie. `I am').

परम रमणीये फांकती किळा । नवरत्नाचिया पाषाणसिळा । तेथें अखंड हरुपवेळा । आनंदमये ॥ १७ ॥

तेथें नवरत्नांच्या पाषाणशिला आहेत. त्यांची अतिशय सुंदर प्रभा आजुबाजुला फाकते. तेथे सदासर्वदा आनंद भरलेला असतो.

There is that Supreme and there are the `many' precious stones (ie. we give them their value, but it is all imagined; maharaj- what does a dog care for these? It wants a bone) or there are the nine jewels of the nine devotions that sparkle brightly giving out the light which are very pleasing to behold. Then that unbroken brahman `there' is this time of ecstatic bliss (ie. `I am').

तेथें अमृताचीं भोजनें । दिव्य गंधें दिव्य सुमनें । अष्टनायका गंधर्वगायनें । निरंतर ॥ १८ ॥

त्या ठिकाणी भोजन अमृताचे असते. दिव्य सुवास असलेली दिव्य फुले असतात. अष्टनायिका व गंधर्व यांचे गायन सारखें चालू असते.

There is that brahman `there' and the enjoyment of the immortal nectar; it is the divine fragrance of divine flowers (ie. the pure experience of a pure mind). There is the eight lords of the eight directions (ie. space), there is the singing by the gandharvas and there is that nirantar/`without an inner space' (there is this pervading `all', the imagined world and that which is `without an inner space'/parabrahman).

तेथें तारुण्य वोसरेना । रोगव्याधी हि असेना । वृधाप्य आणी मरण येना । कदाकाळीं ॥ १९ ॥

तेथें तारुण्य कधींच कमी होत नाही. कोणाला रोग, व्याधी होत नाही. कोणाला म्हातारपण व मरण कधींच येत नाही.

There is that brahman `there' and the youthfulness that never ends; where there is no sickness or disease (ie. no gross body); where there is no old age and the time of death never comes (maharaj- as long as knowledge is there death cannot come, first knowledge must go off and then death can come).

तेथें येकाहूनि येक सुंदर । तेथें येकाहूनि येक चतुर । धीर उदार आणी शूर । मर्यादेवेगळे ॥ २० ॥

तेथें एकापेक्षां एक सुंदर असतात. एकापेक्षा एक चतुर असतात. तसेंच ज्यांच्या धैर्याला, औदार्याला आणि शौर्याला कांही सीमा नाही असे लोक असतात.

From that One `there' has come this beautiful `all' and from that One `there' has come this wise `I am' and `here' patience, fortitude, resolve, openness and bravery have no limits. (This knowledge is second liberation, for it is the freedom from gross body consciousness but it does not remain)

तेथें दिव्यदेह ज्योतिरुपें । विद्युलतेसारिखीं स्वरुपें । तेथें येश कीर्ति प्रतापें । सिमा सांडिली ॥ २१ ॥

तेथील देह दिव्य प्रकाशमय असतात. तेथील रुप विजेप्रमाणें लखलखणारे असते. यश, कीर्ति आणि प्रताप यांना तेथें कांहीं मर्यादा नसते.

There is that brahman `there' (Final Liberation), on account of this divine body of the `all' and the light of knowledge (by remaining in knowledge, knowledge will itself go off). And there is this `all' body like the brilliance of lightning, on account of that swarup. However, in brahman these limits of success, pervasive and majesty are cast off (these are qualities of this `I am' liberation).

ऐसे ते स्वर्गभुवन । सकळ देवांचें वस्तें स्थान । तया स्थळाचें महिमान । बोलिजे तितुकें थोडें ॥ २२ ॥

तें स्वर्गभुवन असें आहे. सगळ्या देवांचे ते राहण्याचे ठिकाण आहे. त्या स्थळाचा महिमा सांगावा तेवढा थोडाच होईल.

When that Reality is this realm called heaven/swarga then, it is this `all' and this is the resting place of the gods/gunas (here the gunas are in equilibrium). The greatness of this `all' abode is understood by only a few.

येथें ज्या देवाचें भजन करावें । तेथें ते देवलोकीं राहावें । स्वलोकता मुक्तीचें जाणावें । लक्षण ऐसें ॥ २३ ॥

या जगांत वास्तव्यांत ज्या देवाची उपासना केलेली असते. त्या देवाच्या लोकांत मृत्युनंतर राहावयास मिळते. सलोकता मुक्तीचे लक्षण असे आहे.

But if `here' one makes the bhajans of the gods/guna then, that Reality `there', remains in the world of that gods/gunas. One should know that such an attention is salokata liberation.

लोकीं राहावें ते स्वलोकता । समीप असावें ते समीपता । स्वरुप चि व्हावें ते स्वरुपता । तिसरी मुक्ती ॥ २४ ॥

देवलोकांत राहावयास मिळणें यास सलोकता म्हणतात. देवाच्या जवळ राहावयास मिळणें यांस समीपता म्हणतात. ही दुसरी मुक्ति होय. देवाचे रुपच आपल्याला यावे ही सरुपता, ही तिसरी मुक्ति होय.

You remain in this gross existence when that Reality has become salokata, (it is to be born a disciple and to be in the company of disciples). When you are in the proximity/samipa of God then, that Reality has become samipata liberation (`I am with God in heaven'; `I am He'/sagun). And to be that swarup of God then, that is sarupata liberation (nirgun; but that understanding is not established and one may fall back again into knowledge or gross existence).

देवस्वरुप जाला देही । श्रीवत्स कौस्तुभ लक्ष्मी नाहीं । स्वरुपतेचें लक्षण पाहीं । ऐसें असे ॥ २५ ॥

उपासना करणार्‍यास देवाचें स्वरुप जरी प्राप्त झाले तरी श्रीवत्स कौस्तुभ व लक्ष्मी या गोष्टी त्याला मिळत नाहीत. सरुपता मुक्तीचें लक्षण असें आहे.

Even if you are that swarup of God within this `all', still goddess lakshmi (ie. `I am') is there and there is not that precious *shrivatsa (this is the mark on the chest of vishnu when a brahmin ie. Knower of brahman, called bhrugu, kicked him away. Means, He kicked off knowledge). In this way is the attention of sarupata to be understood. *(see 5.1.7. If knowledge is not forever kicked off then, one will return to this identification with being a body, this `I am' body or lakshmi, the consort of narayana)

सुकृत आहे तों भोगिती । सुकृत सरता ढकलून देती । आपण देव ते असती । जैसे तैसे ॥ २६ ॥

जोपर्यंत पुण्यसंचय असतो तोपर्यंत स्वर्गांत राहून तेथील सुखें भोगतां येतात. पण पुण्याई संपली की देव जीवाला खाली ढकलून देतात. देव मात्र कायम तेथेंच राहतात.

One enjoys the merit gained by proper action (ie. `He does everything') but still when this merit is exhausted then, one is pushed again outside (and falls back into knowledge; one has not disappeared, like the salt in the ocean and returns to the `all'). But when God Himself is that Reality then, He is just as He ever is (He has never lost Himself).

म्हणोनि तिनी मुक्ति नासिवंत । सायोज्यमुक्ति ते शाश्वत । तेहि निरोपिजेल सावचित्त । ऐक आतां ॥ २७ ॥

यामुळे तिन्ही मुक्ति नाशवंत आहेत. सायुज्यमुक्ति मात्र शाश्वत आहे. तिचे वर्णन आतां करतो. ते लक्षपूर्वक ऐक.

Therefore, these three liberations are destructible, but this Final Liberation is in- destructible. That Final Liberation will be discoursed when you listen very carefully to this `now' (Forget everything, then only you/`I am' remain; then be so big that you disappear and do not exist, have never existed; forever free).

ब्रह्मांड नासेल कल्पांतीं । पर्वतासहितजळेल क्षिती । तेव्हां अवघेच देव जाती । मां मुक्ति कैंच्या तेथें ॥ २८ ॥

कल्पांताच्यावेळीं हें विश्र्व नाश पावते. पर्वतासकट पृथ्वी जळून जाते. त्यावेळी सर्व देव नाहींसे होतात. मग त्या संहारामध्यें पहिल्या तीन मुक्ति कशा टिकणार ?

At this time of dissolution through vivek, the brahmanda will be destroyed. This earth, along with the mountains (concepts) will be burnt. Though every thing and even the gods (brahma etc.; gunas) will have been destroyed still this `all' remains; so how can this be the liberation of `there'/Final Liberation?

तेव्हां निर्गुण परमात्मा निश्र्चळ । निर्गुण भक्ति तेहि अचळ । सायोज्यमुक्ति ते केवळ । जाणिजे ऐसी ॥ २९ ॥

त्यावेळी निर्गुण परमात्मस्वरुप जसें आहे तसेंच निश्चल राहते. त्या निर्गुणाची भक्तीदेखील तशीच निश्चल राहते. सायुज्यमुक्ति ही अशी आहे.

Only when there is that still nirgun paramatma is there nirgun devotion and when that does not ever change then, that is sayujyata mukti/Final Liberation and that should be known as pure knowledge (maharaj- pure knowledge is no-knowledge).

निर्गुणीं अनन्य असतां । तेणें होये सायोज्यता । सायोज्यता म्हणिजे स्वरुपता । निर्गुण भक्ती ॥ ३० ॥

निर्गुण परमात्मस्वरुपाच्या ठिकाणी अनन्यपणें विलीन झालें कीं सायुज्यमुक्ति मिळते. स्वस्वरुपांत समरस होणें हीच निर्गुण भक्ति व हीच सायुज्यता समजावी.

In that nirgun there is no-otherness and by remaining in this there is sayujyata/Final Liberation. That sayujyata liberation should be called swarupta liberation when nirgun devotion remains (sayujyata liberation is the understanding that I was ever free and never bound; liberation and bondage, nirgun and sagun are both not. swarupta libe- ration is that nirgun devotion; it is not moving but it has not been forever established and gets broken; whereas sayujyata/Final Liberation can never be broken, just as the salt dissolved in the ocean is always the ocean).

सगुण भक्ति ते चळे । निर्गुण भक्ति ते न चळे । हें आवघें प्रांजळ कळे । सद्गुरु केलियां ॥ ३१ ॥

सगुण नाशवंत म्हणुन सगुण भक्ति नाशवंत असते. निर्गुण शाश्वत म्हणून निर्गुण भक्ति कायम टिकते. सद्गुरु केल्यानें हें सगळे स्पष्टपणें समजते.

When there is sagun devotion (`I am everywhere') then, that Reality is moving. When there is nirgun devotion then, that Reality is not moving and therefore has no end. It is only through the grace of sadguru that, that thoughtless Reality is clearly understood. .