देवशोधन — समास 4: ब्रह्मनिरुपण

कृतयुग सत्रा लक्ष अठाविस सहस्त्र । त्रेतायुग बारा लक्ष शहाणौ सहस्त्र । द्वापार आठ लक्ष चौसष्टी सहस्त्र । आतां कलयुग ऐका ॥ १ ॥

कृतयुगाची सत्रा लक्ष अठ्ठावीस हजार वर्षें, त्रेतायुगाची बारा लक्ष शहाण्णव हजार वर्षें, द्वापारयुगाची आठ लक्ष चौसष्ट हजार वर्षें, आतां कलियुगाची ऐका.

|| 1. It is said, that the kruta age has a span of seventeen lakhsa twenty eight thousand years.4 The treta age is twelve lakhsa ninety-six thousand years. The dwapar age is eight lakhsa sixty-four thousand years. Now, listen to the kali age (laksha means one hundred thousand and it also means attention; all these ages are our concepts due to body consciousness; this attention brings all this counting. Now make them zero by listening and placing your attention on this `I am').

कलयुग च्यारि लक्ष बतीस सहस्त्र । च्यतुर्युगें त्रेताळिस लक्ष वीस सहस्त्र । ऐसीं च्यतुर्युगें सहस्त्र । तो ब्रह्मयाचा येक दिवस ॥ २ ॥

कलियुगाची चार लक्ष बत्तीस हजार वर्षें, चारी युगांची मिळून एकंदर त्रेचाळीस लक्ष बत्तीस हजार वर्षें होतात. अशी चार युगें म्हणजें ब्रह्मदेवाचा एक दिवस होतो.

It is said that the kali age is four lakhsa thirty-two thousand years. So the four ages make a total of forty-three lakhsa and twenty thousand years. And it is said that when one thousand groups of these four ages have lapsed then, that is a day of lord brahma. (These four ages with their particular spans are concepts created by lord brahma/rago guna. He is the intellect and he has created these names and concepts and then we get washed away in a flood of concepts, thoughts and imaginings. A day of brahma is the waking state. In one day, how many concepts does our buddhi play with?)

ऐसे ब्रह्मे सहस्त्र देखा । तेव्हां विष्णुची येक घटिका । विष्णू सहस्त्र होतां ऐका । पळ येक ईश्र्वराचें ॥ ३ ॥

ब्रह्मदेवाचे असे हजार दिवस झाले म्हणजे विष्णुची एक घटका होते. विष्णुच्या हजार घटका झाल्या म्हणजे महादेवांचे एक पळ होते.

It is said that when one thousand such days of brahma have elapsed then that is a *ghatika of vishnu. And when one thousand ghatikas of vishnu have elapsed, then that is a fraction of a minute of mahesh. *(ghatika means part of an hour)

ईश्र्वर जाये सहस्त्र वेळ । तें शक्तीचें अर्ध पळ । ऐसी संख्या बोलिली सकळ । शास्त्रांतरीं ॥ ४ ॥

ईश्र्वराची किंवा शंकराची एक हजार पळें झाली म्हणजे आदिशक्तीचें म्हणजेच मूळ मायेचे एक अर्धपळ होते. निरनिराळ्या शास्त्रांतून अशी कालगणना सांगितली आहे.

And it is said that when mahesh is destroyed one thousand times, then that is but half a moment of shakti. However all this counting and numbers found in the shashtras are within this `speech' or shakti. (All this counting takes place when this `speech' is not heard and then there is brahma within vishnu and vishnu within mahesh. These are the three gunas that have appeared within this `speech' or pure sattwa guna). Note: every moment there is the interplay of these gunas. When this `speech'/shakti is forgotten, that is mahesh. Then something is known, vishnu and then it is given a name, brahma. This play of the gunas is going on every moment and this is called, our mind. Everyday is a day of brahma ie. this waking state and a thousand such thoughts get created everyday within this `speech'/shakti.

चतुर्युगसहस्त्राणि दिनमेकं पितामहम् । पितामहसहस्त्राणि विष्णोर्घटिकमेवच । विष्णोरेकसहस्त्राणि पलमेकं महेश्र्वरम् । ऐशा अनंत शक्ती होती । अनंत रचना होति जाती । तरी अखंड खंडेना स्थिती । परब्रह्माची ॥ ५ ॥

आदिशक्तीसारख्या अनंत शक्ती आहेत. अंनत ब्रह्मांडाच्या रचना होतात आणि जातात. तरी पण परब्रह्म अगदी जसेंच्या तसेंच राहतें. त्याच्यामध्यें यत्किंचितही स्थित्यंतर घडत नाही.

And it is that One endless paramatma that has appeared as this shakti and then it is that One endless paramatma that gets created and destroyed (when He becomes prakruti/purush then, He remains hidden within His shakti or prakruti as the purush and when even she is forgotten there comes the interplay of these three gunas and a world of `many' names and forms is suddenly created). Still that unbroken state of parabrahman has never been broken.

परब्रह्मासी कैंची स्थिती । परी हे बोलावयाची रीती । वेदश्रुति नेति नेति । परब्रह्मीं ॥ ६ ॥

वास्तविक परब्रह्माला स्थिती नाही. परंतु ही एक बोलण्याची पद्धत आहे. वेद आणि श्रुति " नेति नेति " म्हणजे हे असें नाही असें नाही म्हणून परब्रह्माच्या बाबतींत हात टेकताता.

For how can these states be that parabrahman? (In truth, there is only parabrahman; time is imagined, states are imagined, everything comes and then goes away) But that thoughtless purush has appeared as this `speech'. Then within that parabrahman there appears the vedas and shruti and they say, `not this, not this'/neti, neti.

च्यारि सहस्त्र सातसें साठीं । इतुकी कलयुगाची राहाटी । उरल्या कलयुगाची गोष्टी । ऐसी असे ॥ ७ ॥

कलियुगाची चार हजार सातशें साठ वर्षें आतांपर्यंत झाली. जी वर्षें शिल्लक आहेत त्यांचा प्रकार ऐका.

It is said, four thousand, seven hundred and sixty years of the age of kali have elapsed. This and whatever remains of the kali age have all appeared within this `speech' (all this counting takes place within this `I am' and comes to an end when everything is forgotten and `I am' is remembered).

च्यारि लक्ष सत्ताविस सहस्त्र । दोनिसें चाळीस संवछर । पुढें अन्योविण्य वर्नसंकर । होणार आहे ॥ ८ ॥

कलियुगाचीं चार लक्ष सत्तावीस हजार दोनशें चाळीस वर्षें अजून बाकी आहेत. पुढें येणार्‍या कालामध्यें वर्णांचा एकमेकांत संकर होणार आहे.

Therefore there are four 5lakhsa, twenty-seven thousand and two hundred and forty years yet to go. And during this time there will continue to be the mixing of castes and the confusion that this brings. (If we continue to keep this attention of maya then body consciousness is sure to come and all this counting will be taken as true. Then these four bodies/castes remain mixed together and confusion will still remain as to who you are and who is the brahmin; see V.24)

ऐसें रचलें सचराचर । येथें येकाहूनि येक थोर । पाहातां येथीचा विचार । अंत न लगे ॥ ९ ॥

असें हें चराचर विश्र्व रचलेले आहे. त्यामध्यें एकाहून एक मोठा आहे. या क्रमानें विचार केला तर त्याचा अंत लागत नाहीं.

First this `all' was created and then in this maya, the one jiva has become greater than that One brahman. And even if you take this mula maya as the truth and don't understand that thoughtless Self then, there will be no end to knowledge (ie. liberation will not be gained).

येक म्हणती विष्णू थोर । येक म्हणती रुद्र थोर । येक म्हणती शक्ति थोर । सकळांमधें ॥ १० ॥

कोणी म्हणतो या विश्र्वामध्यें विष्णु मोठा तर कोणी म्हणतो शंकर मोठा आहे. कोणी म्हणतो या सर्वांहून आदिशक्ति मोठी आहे.

That One (who is the true God but takes himself as a jiva) says, "vishnu is the greatest." Or that One says, "rudra is the greatest." Or that One says, "This shakti of the `all' is the greatest."

ऐसें आपुलालेपरी बोलती । परंतु अवघेंचि नासेल कल्पांतीं । यदृष्टं तं नष्टं हे श्रुती । बोलतसे ॥ ११ ॥

लोक आपापल्या परीनें असे बोलतात. पण कल्पांताची वेळ आली म्हणजे या सर्वांचा नाश होणार आहे. जें दिसतें तें नासतें असे श्रुति सांगते.

5laksha means one hundred thousand and it also means attention. 11. But even your `speech' of `I am' will get destroyed along with everything else at the end of the imagination. This has been stated in the vedas, `Whatever is seen will get destroyed' and this includes this `speech' (brahma etc. appear on account of this shakti/`speech' but, even if this `I am' or `speech' is understood still, it will be destroyed).

आपुलाली उपासना । अभिमान लागला जना । याचा निश्र्चयो निवडेना । साधुविण ॥ १२ ॥

जो जी ज्याची उपासना करतो त्याचा त्याला अभिमान लागतो. परंतु खरा देव कोणता हें फक्त साधुच नक्की सांगतात.

Still people take pride of their worship (and say, "My God is the greatest" or "I am a great devotee of such and such"). But without the prideless sadhu that nirgun conviction cannot be determined (I do not exist).

साधु निश्र्चय करिती येक । आत्मा सर्वत्र व्यापक । येर हें अवघेंचि माईक । सचराचर ॥ १३ ॥

साधूचा असा दृढ निश्र्चय असतो, की, एक आत्मा तेवढा सर्वत्र व्यापून आहे. तोच खरा देव आहे. बाकीचे सगळें चराचर विश्र्व हा मायेचा खेळ आहे.

The sadhu has the conviction of that One atma completely pervading this `all'. The rest make that thoughtless conviction into these illusory convictions of the mind (ie. kruta, treta etc.) or this `all'.

चित्रीं लिहिली सेना । त्यांत कोण थोर कोण साना । हें तुम्ही विचाराना । आपुले ठाईं ॥ १४ ॥

एखाद्या चित्रामध्यें सेना काढली. त्यामध्यें मोठा कोण व लहान कोण म्हणावा याचा विचार तुम्हींच आपल्या मनाशी करावा.

If a picture of an army is painted, then in that picture, who is great and who is small? But if you have not gained that thoughtless understanding then, at your place (`I am'/shakti) these concepts will still remain and you will think, `This shakti is the greatest.'

स्वप्नीं उदंड देखिलें । लाहानथोरहि कल्पिलें । परंतु जागें जालियां जालें । कैसें पाहा ॥ १५ ॥

एखाद्या स्वप्नांत माणसांना लहान व मोठे ठरविले. पण जागे झाल्यावर पाहूं लागले तर सर्वच नाहींसे झालेले आढळते.

In this original *dream, that vast paramatma perceives Its own Self and feels `I am' and then afterwards small and great are also imagined when there is the dream of this world of names and forms (the dream within the dream). But when you awake and stop dreaming then, what will be understood of small and great? *(`I am')

पाहातां जागृतीचा विचार । कैंचे लाहान कैंचें थोर । लाहानथोराचा निर्धार । जाणती ज्ञानी ॥ १६ ॥

जागेपणाचा विचार केला तर कोण मोठा व कोण लहान हा स्वप्नामधला विचार होता. असें ध्यानांत येते.

When there is the thoughtless understanding of the *`awakened' then, who is great and who is small? For small and great only appear when there is the expansion of this created dream `I am' into the dream of this world. *(One who has awakened from this dream of this world of names and forms but still this original dream remains and so that thoughtless essence is required)

अवघाचि माईक विचार । कैंचें लाहान कैंचें थोर । लाहानथोराचा निर्धार । जाणती ज्ञानी ॥ १७ ॥

त्याचप्रमाणें या दृश्य जगाचा विचार स्वप्नाप्रमाणें मायिक आहे. येथील लहान व मोठेपण खरें नाही. खरा मोठा कोण व लहान कोण हे ज्ञानी पुरुष बरोबर जाणतात.

When everything becomes false and there is that thoughtless understanding then, who is small and who is great? It is only the gnyani who truly knows who is small and who is great.

जो जन्मासी येऊन गेला । तो मी थोर म्हणतांच मेला । परी याचा विचार पाहिला । पाहिजे श्रेष्ठीं ॥ १८ ॥

जन्मास येऊन मरण पावतो, तो देहबुद्धिमुळें देहाचे मोठेपण तेच स्वतःचे मोठेपण समजतो. जे खरे विचारानें श्रेष्ठ आहेत त्यांनीं याचा विचार केला पाहीजे.

But when that purush takes a birth, then he says, "I am great, I am great" and saying so, he dies over and over again. Therefore first you should understand this `I am' and then, dissolve this in that most excellent understanding, I do not exist.

जयांसि जाले आत्मज्ञान । तेचि थोर माहाजन । वेद शास्त्रें पुराण । साधु संत बोलिले ॥ १९ ॥

ज्यांना आत्मज्ञान होतें, तेच खरे थोर पुरुष, महाजन असतात. असा निवाडा वेद, शास्त्रें, साधु, संत, पुराणें यांनी दिलेला आहे.

When this `I am' of mula maya gains atma-gnyan (ie. Self-knowledge), then there is that great brahman and He is the `best among the people'. There is the vedas, shasthras and puranas; there is this the sadhu and Saint and there is this `speech' (the scriptures have `many' dogmas, concepts and counting etc. But if they are explained to you by the sadhu/Saint then, they can reveal this `speech')

एवं सकळांमध्यें थोर । तो येकचि परमेश्र्वर । तयामधें हरिहर । होति जाती ॥ २० ॥

याप्रमाणें एक परमेश्र्वर तेवढा सर्वांपेक्षा मोठा आहे. त्यामध्यें विष्णु आणि शंकर येतात व जातात.

And that greatest is within this `all' and that is the One parameshwara (paramatma). And in that, vishnu and mahesh appear and disappear (then there is the interplay of knowing and not-knowing and the imagined world of names and forms ie. brahma).

तो निर्गुण निराकार । तेथें नाहीं उत्पत्ती विस्तार । स्थानमानाचा विचार । ऐलिकडे ॥ २१ ॥

तो परमेश्र्वर निर्गुण व निराकार आहे. तेथें कांही उत्पन्न होत नाही. तसेच उत्पन्न होऊन वाढतही नाही. स्थळ, काळ व आकार यांचा विचार अलीकडचा आहे.

That One is nirgun and without form. There is no creation or its expansion `there'/brahman. The thoughts of a point in time or space and numbers are all on this side.

नावरुप स्थानमान । हा तों आवघाचि अनुमान । तथापी होईल निदान । ब्रह्मप्रळईं ॥ २२ ॥

नाम, रुप, स्थल, काल, आकार वगैरे माणसाच्या बुद्धीच्या कल्पना आहेत. ब्रह्मप्रलयाच्या वेळीं यांचा निकाल लागतो. सर्व गोष्टी नाश पावतात.

When there is name and form or a point in time and space or these numbers then, the thoughtlessness of that brahman is the conjectures of the mind. Still, such will end when lord brahma is destroyed (ie. end of imagining). (Therefore make vivek and put an end to the thoughts)

ब्रह्म प्रळयावेगळें । ब्रह्म नावरुपनिराळें । ब्रह्म कोणी येका काळें । जैसें तैसें ॥ २३ ॥

परब्रह्माला प्रलय स्पर्श करुं शकत नाही. तें नामरुपांच्या पलीकडे आहे. ब्रह्म अगदी जसेंच्या तसें राहाते.

brahman is beyond this `end of imagining'. brahman is beyond this name you received and this form you wear. How can there be anyone or anything created by time when there is that One brahman? For He is, as only He is.

करिती ब्रह्मनिरुपण । जाणती ब्रह्म संपूर्ण । तेचि जाणावे ब्राह्मण । ब्रह्मविद ॥ २४ ॥

जे नेहमी ब्रह्मस्वरुपाबद्दल बोलतात व सांगतात, तें ब्रह्म संपूर्ण जाणतात. ते ब्रह्मज्ञ पुरुष ब्राह्मण समजावेत.

Only the one who makes such a discourse (I do not exist) has complete knowledge of brahman. Only He should be known as a brahmin, a Knower of brahman (see 5.1.6). .