संत साहित्य · Dāsabodha · Dashak 1
Dashak 1 · Samāsa 4
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आतां सद्गुरु वर्णवेना । जेथें माया स्पर्शों सकेना ।
तें स्वरूप मज अज्ञाना । काये कळे
ātām sadguru varṇavenā | jethem māyā sparśom sakenā |
tem svarūpa maja ajñānā | kāye kaḷe
Now the Sadguru cannot be described; where even māyā cannot touch — that essential-nature (svarūpa) — what could I, an ignorant one (ajñāna), understand?
The threshold statement: the Sadguru cannot be described. Even *māyā* cannot touch him. What can an ignorant describer say? The inability-is-the-description frame (foreshadows 1.4.031).
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
न कळे न कळे नेति नेति । ऐसें बोलतसे श्रुती ।
तेथें मज मूर्खाची मती । पवाडेल कोठें
na kaḷe na kaḷe neti neti | aisem bolatase śrutī |
tethem maja mūrkhācī matī | pavāḍela koṭhem
"Not known, not known — neti, neti" — so says the śruti. There, where can my foolish intellect (mūrkha-mati) possibly spread?
The Vedas themselves say 'neti neti' (not this, not this). If even *śruti* defaults to negation, what can a *mūrkha-mati* (foolish intellect) add? **Negation-as-method from the highest authority.**
'Neti, neti' is śruti-authority method. When describing the ineffable, default to negation.
मज न कळे हा विचारु । दुऱ्हूनि माझा नमस्कारु ।
गुरुदेवा पैलपारु । पाववीं मज
maja na kaḷe hā vicāru | duṟhūni mājhā namaskāru |
gurudevā pailapāru | pāvavīm maja
This reasoning I do not grasp; from afar, my salutation. O Guru-deva, take me across to the far shore (paila-pāra).
Since reason does not grasp, from afar salutation; Sadguru as the ferryman to the far shore (*paila-pāra*).
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
होती स्तवनाची दुराशा । तुटला मायेचा भर्वसा ।
आतां असाल तैसे असा । सद्गुरु स्वामी
hotī stavanācī durāśā | tuṭalā māyecā bharvasā |
ātām asāla taise asā | sadguru svāmī
The desperate hope of praising you arose; but the confidence that māyā could support it has broken. Now, O Sadguru Master, be as you are.
Desire to praise arose, but *māyā* cannot underwrite it. 'Now, Master, be as you are' — a surrender of the praise-project itself.
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
मायेच्या बळें करीन स्तवन । ऐसें वांछित होतें मन ।
माया जाली लज्यायमान । काय करूं
māyecyā baḷem karīna stavana | aisem vāmchita hotem mana |
māyā jālī lajyāyamāna | kāya karūm
"By the power of māyā I shall praise him" — so the mind desired; but māyā became ashamed (lajjāyamāna); what shall I do?
Mind wanted to use *māyā* as the vehicle of praise; but māyā is ashamed to serve this purpose. Māyā acknowledging its own inadequacy before the Sadguru.
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
नातुडे मुख्य परमात्मा । म्हणौनी करावी लागे प्रतिमा ।
तैसा मायायोगें महिमा । वर्णीन सद्गुरूचा
nātuḍe mukhya paramātmā | mhaṇaunī karāvī lāge pratimā |
taisā māyāyogem mahimā | varṇīna sadgurūcā
The chief Paramātmā is not graspable; therefore an image (pratimā) must be made; likewise, through the device of māyā (māyā-yoga), I shall describe the greatness (mahimā) of the Sadguru.
Paramātmā is ungraspable, so an image is made. Likewise, I will use the māyā-vehicle to describe the Sadguru's *mahimā*. **The author acknowledges that his description is an image, not the Sadguru.**
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
आपल्या भावासारिखा मनीं । देव आठवावा ध्यानीं ।
तैसा सद्गुरु हा स्तवनीं । स्तऊं आतां
āpalyā bhāvāsārikhā manīm | deva āṭhavāvā dhyānīm |
taisā sadguru hā stavanīm | staūm ātām
Just as one should recollect God in meditation according to one's own feeling (bhāva-sārikhā), so I shall now praise the Sadguru in stavana.
As one recollects God in meditation according to one's own *bhāva*, so now I will praise the Sadguru. *Bhāva-adapted praise.*
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
जय जया जि सद्गुरुराजा । विश्वंभरा बिश्वबीजा ।
परमपुरुषा मोक्षध्वजा । दीनबंधु
jaya jayā ji sadgururājā | viśvambharā biśvabījā |
paramapuruṣā mokṣadhvajā | dīnabamdhu
Victory, victory, O Sadguru-king! O sustainer of the universe (viśvambhara), O seed of the universe (viśva-bīja), O supreme Person (parama-puruṣa), O banner of liberation (mokṣa-dhvaja), O friend of the lowly (dīna-bandhu).
The direct invocation: *jaya jaya jī sadguru-rājā* — with several titles: world-sustainer, world-seed, supreme Person, banner of mokṣa, friend of the lowly.
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
तुझीयेन अभयंकरें । अनावर माया हे वोसरे ।
जैसें सूर्यप्रकाशें अंधारें । पळोन जाये
tujhīyena abhayamkarem | anāvara māyā he vosare |
jaisem sūryaprakāśem amdhārem | paḷona jāye
By your fear-removing hand (abhaya-kara), this uncontrollable māyā withdraws; just as darkness flees before the sun's light.
By your fear-removing hand (*abhaya-kara*), uncontrollable *māyā* withdraws — like darkness before the sun's light.
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
आदित्यें अंधकार निवारे । परंतु मागुतें ब्रह्मांड भरे ।
नीसी जालियां नंतरें । पुन्हां काळोखें
ādityem amdhakāra nivāre | paramtu māgutem brahmāmḍa bhare |
nīsī jāliyām namtarem | punhām kāḷokhem
The sun (āditya) removes darkness; but the universe fills with darkness again; after night arrives, darkness returns once more.
But the sun removes darkness only until nightfall; then darkness returns. **Setup for 1.4.011.**
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
तैसा नव्हे स्वामीराव । करी जन्ममृत्य वाव ।
समूळ अज्ञानाचा ठाव । पुसून टाकी
taisā navhe svāmīrāva | karī janmamṛtya vāva |
samūḷa ajñānācā ṭhāva | pusūna ṭākī
The Master-king (svāmi-rāya) is not like that; he makes birth and death void (vāva), and the very root-place (samūḷa ṭhāva) of ignorance (ajñāna) — he wipes it out completely.
The Sadguru is not like that. He makes birth-death void (*vāva*) and uproots ignorance from the *samūḷa ṭhāva* (root-place). **The permanent-removal-of-avidyā doctrine.** Distinguishes Sadguru-contact from merely therapeutic effect.
The Sadguru's effect on ignorance is permanent, unlike the sun's on darkness. Your experience test: does the confusion stay gone, or does it return?
सुवर्णाचें लोहो कांहीं । सर्वथा होणार नाहीं ।
तैसा गुरुदास संदेहीं । पडोंचि नेणे सर्वथा
suvarṇācem loho kāmhīm | sarvathā hoṇāra nāhīm |
taisā gurudāsa samdehīm | paḍomci neṇe sarvathā
Gold (suvarṇa) can never become iron (loha) again; likewise the gurudāsa (servant of the Guru) never falls back into doubt (samdeha) at all.
Gold cannot become iron again; likewise the Sadguru's servant cannot fall back into doubt. *Irreversible transformation signature.*
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
कां सरिता गंगेसी मिळाली । मिळणी होतां गंगा जली ।
मग जरी वेगळी केली । तरी होणार नाहीं सर्वथा
kām saritā gamgesī miḷālī | miḷaṇī hotām gamgā jalī |
maga jarī vegaḷī kelī | tarī hoṇāra nāhīm sarvathā
When a river (saritā) meets the Ganges, by that merging it becomes Ganges-water; then even if separated again, it can never revert to being the original river.
When a river meets the Ganges, it becomes Ganges-water; even if separated, it cannot revert. *Identity-transformation irreversibility.*
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
परी ते सरिता मिळणीमागें । वाहाळ मानिजेत जगें ।
तैसा नव्हे शिष्य वेगें । स्वामीच होये
parī te saritā miḷaṇīmāgem | vāhāḷa mānijeta jagem |
taisā navhe śiṣya vegem | svāmīca hoye
But that river, before its merging, was a small stream (vāhāḷa) by worldly reckoning — so classification clung to it. The disciple (śiṣya) is not like that: he quickly becomes the Master himself.
But that river retained its origin-name (worldly classification clung to it). The disciple is better than that — he *becomes the Master himself*. **Stronger-than-river merger.** The self-replicating teaching pattern.
The disciple becomes the Sadguru — not merely resembles, becomes. Self-replicating teaching is the aim.
परीस आपणा ऐसें करीना । सुवर्णें लोहो पालटेना ।
उपदेश करी बहुत जना । अंकित सद्गुरूचा
parīsa āpaṇā aisem karīnā | suvarṇem loho pālaṭenā |
upadeśa karī bahuta janā | amkita sadgurūcā
The philosopher's stone (parīsa) doesn't make others like itself; gold doesn't transform iron into more gold. But the marked-one of the Sadguru (sadguru-ankita) gives teaching to many people.
The philosopher's stone doesn't turn iron into more philosopher's stones; gold doesn't make more gold. The Sadguru's marked-one (*ankita*) teaches many. **Explicit: Sadguru produces Sadgurus.**
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
शिष्यास गुरुत्व प्राप्त होये । सुवर्णें सुवर्ण करितां न ये ।
म्हणौनी उपमा न साहे । सद्गुरूसी परिसाची
śiṣyāsa gurutva prāpta hoye | suvarṇem suvarṇa karitām na ye |
mhaṇaunī upamā na sāhe | sadgurūsī parisācī
The disciple attains guru-hood (guru-tva); but gold cannot make more gold. Therefore the simile of the philosopher's stone does not fit the Sadguru.
The disciple attains guru-hood (*guru-tva*); gold cannot make gold. Therefore *parīsa* simile fails.
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
उपमे द्यावा सागर । तरी तो अत्यंतची क्षार ।
अथवा म्हणों क्षीरसागर । तरी तो नासेल कल्पांतीं
upame dyāvā sāgara | tarī to atyamtacī kṣāra |
athavā mhaṇom kṣīrasāgara | tarī to nāsela kalpāmtīm
Should one compare him to the ocean (sāgara)? But that is extremely salty. Or should we say the ocean of milk (kṣīra-sāgara)? But that too will perish at the end of the kalpa (kalpānta).
Compare to the ocean? Extremely salty. To the ocean-of-milk? It perishes at kalpānta. *First simile-refutation round.*
Simile: ocean. Refuted: salty, and the ocean-of-milk perishes. The comparison falls.
उपमे द्यावा जरी मेरु । तरी तो जड पाषाण कठोरु ।
तैसा नव्हे कीं सद्गुरु । कोमळ दिनाचा
upame dyāvā jarī meru | tarī to jaḍa pāṣāṇa kaṭhoru |
taisā navhe kīm sadguru | komaḷa dinācā
Should one compare him to Mt. Meru? But that is inert stone, hard. The Sadguru is not like that — he is gentle (komaḷa) to the humble.
Compare to Mt. Meru? Inert stone, hard. But Sadguru is gentle to the humble. *Second simile-refutation.*
Simile: Mt. Meru. Refuted: inert, hard. Sadguru is gentle to the humble.
उपमे म्हणों गगन । तरी गगनापरीस तें निर्गुण ।
या कारणें दृष्टांत हीण । सद्गुरूस गगनाचा
upame mhaṇom gagana | tarī gaganāparīsa tem nirguṇa |
yā kāraṇem dṛṣṭāmta hīṇa | sadgurūsa gaganācā
Shall we call him the sky (gagana)? But the Sadguru is even more attributeless (nirguṇa) than the sky. For this reason the sky-simile falls short of the Sadguru.
Compare to the sky? But Sadguru is even more *nirguṇa*. The sky-simile fails.
Simile: sky. Refuted: Sadguru is more nirguṇa than the sky.
धीरपणे । म् उपमूं जगती । तरी हेहि खचेल कल्पांतीं ।
म्हणौन धीरत्वास दृष्टांतीं । हीण वसुंधरा
dhīrapaṇe | m upamūm jagatī | tarī hehi khacela kalpāmtīm |
mhaṇauna dhīratvāsa dṛṣṭāmtīm | hīṇa vasumdharā
Should we compare his steadiness (dhīratva) to the earth (vasundhara)? But she too collapses at the end of the kalpa. Therefore the earth falls short as an example of steadiness.
Compare steadiness to the earth? Earth collapses at kalpānta. The earth-simile fails.
Simile: earth. Refuted: collapses at kalpānta.
आतां उपमावा गभस्ती । तरी गभस्तीचा प्रकाश किती ।
शास्त्रें मर्यादा बोलती । सद्गुरु अमर्याद
ātām upamāvā gabhastī | tarī gabhastīcā prakāśa kitī |
śāstrem maryādā bolatī | sadguru amaryāda
Now, should we compare him to the sun (gabhasti)? But the sun's light is only so much; the śāstras declare its limit. The Sadguru is without limit (amaryāda).
Compare to the sun? Sun's light is limited, śāstras state the limit. Sadguru is *amaryāda* (without limit).
Simile: sun. Refuted: has measurable limits.
म्हणौनी उपमे उणा दिनकर । सद्गुरुज्ञानप्रकाश थोर ।
आतां उपमावा फणीवर । तरी तोहि भारवाही
mhaṇaunī upame uṇā dinakara | sadgurujñānaprakāśa thora |
ātām upamāvā phaṇīvara | tarī tohi bhāravāhī
Therefore the day-maker (dinakara = sun) falls short in comparison; the light of the Sadguru's knowledge (sadguru-jñāna-prakāśa) is greater. Now, should we compare him to the cosmic serpent (phaṇīvara)? But that one is a mere burden-bearer (bhāra-vāhī).
Sun falls short; what about the cosmic serpent (*phaṇīvara*, Śeṣa)? He is a *bhāra-vāhī* (burden-bearer) — mere functionary.
Simile: cosmic serpent. Refuted: mere burden-bearer.
आतां उपमे द्यावें जळ । तरी तें काळांतरीं आटेल सकळ ।
सद्गुरुरूप तें निश्चळ । जाणार नाहीं
ātām upame dyāvem jaḷa | tarī tem kāḷāmtarīm āṭela sakaḷa |
sadgururūpa tem niścaḷa | jāṇāra nāhīm
Now should we compare him to water (jaḷa)? But that all evaporates in course of time. The Sadguru's form is unwavering (niścala) — it does not pass away.
Compare to water? Evaporates in time. Sadguru's form is *niścala* (unwavering) and does not pass away.
Simile: water. Refuted: evaporates.
सद्गुरूसी उपमावे । म् अमृत । तरी अमर धरिती मृत्यपंथ ।
सद्गुरुकृपा यथार्थ । अमर करी
sadgurūsī upamāve | m amṛta | tarī amara dharitī mṛtyapamtha |
sadgurukṛpā yathārtha | amara karī
Should the Sadguru be compared to amṛta (nectar)? But those made immortal by nectar still walk the path of death (mṛtyu-patha). The Sadguru's grace truly (yathārtha) makes one immortal.
Compare to *amṛta* (nectar)? Even those made immortal by amṛta still walk the path of death (at kalpānta). Sadguru-kṛpā is truly immortality-giving.
Simile: nectar. Refuted: even amṛta-drinkers die at kalpānta.
सद्गुरूसी म्हणावें कल्पतरु । तरी हा कल्पनेतीत विचारु ।
कल्पवृक्षाचा अंगिकारु । कोण करी
sadgurūsī mhaṇāvem kalpataru | tarī hā kalpanetīta vicāru |
kalpavṛkṣācā amgikāru | koṇa karī
Should the Sadguru be called the wish-granting tree (kalpa-taru)? But he is beyond imagination (kalpanā-atīta). Who would accept the aid of the kalpa-tree, which only gives what one can imagine?
Compare to *kalpa-taru* (wish-tree)? Sadguru is *kalpanā-atīta* (beyond imagination); who would accept the aid of a tree that fulfills only what one can imagine?
Simile: wish-tree. Refuted: Sadguru is beyond imagination.
चिंता मात्र नाहीं मनीं । कोण पुसे चिंतामणी ।
कामधेनूचीं दुभणीं । निःकामासी न लगती
cimtā mātra nāhīm manīm | koṇa puse cimtāmaṇī |
kāmadhenūcīm dubhaṇīm | niḥkāmāsī na lagatī
When no worry (cintā) remains in the mind, who would ask of the wish-gem (cintā-maṇi)? The milk of the wish-cow (kāma-dhenu) is not required by the desireless (niḥkāma).
When no *cintā* remains, who asks *cintā-maṇi*? The milk of *kāma-dhenu* is not needed by the *niḥkāma*. **The Sadguru removes the premise of need, not just fulfills needs.**
The Sadguru removes the premise of desire, not just the objects. If you no longer worry, who needs the wish-gem?
सद्गुरु म्हणों लक्ष्मीवंत । तरी ते लक्ष्मी नाशिवंत ।
ज्याचे द्वारीं असे तिष्टत । मोक्षलक्ष्मी
sadguru mhaṇom lakṣmīvamta | tarī te lakṣmī nāśivamta |
jyāce dvārīm ase tiṣṭata | mokṣalakṣmī
Should we call the Sadguru wealthy (lakṣmī-vant)? But ordinary Lakṣmī is perishable. At his door stands Mokṣa-Lakṣmī (the Lakṣmī of liberation).
Compare to Lakṣmī (wealth)? Ordinary Lakṣmī perishes. At Sadguru's door stands *Mokṣa-Lakṣmī*.
Ordinary Lakṣmī perishes. Mokṣa-Lakṣmī stands at the Sadguru's door.
स्वर्गलोक इंद्र संपती । हे काळांतरीं विटंबती ।
सद्गुरुकृपेची प्राप्ती । काळांतरीं चळेना
svargaloka imdra sampatī | he kāḷāmtarīm viṭambatī |
sadgurukṛpecī prāptī | kāḷāmtarīm caḷenā
Heaven-world, Indra, wealth — these are disgraced (viṭambita) in course of time. The attainment of Sadguru's grace does not waver even over time.
Svarga, Indra, wealth all disgrace over time. Sadguru-kṛpā does not waver.
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
हरीहर ब्रह्मादिक । नाश पावती सकळिक ।
सर्वदा अविनाश येक । सद्गुरुपद
harīhara brahmādika | nāśa pāvatī sakaḷika |
sarvadā avināśa yeka | sadgurupada
Hari, Hara, Brahmā and the rest — all perish. The Sadguru-pada alone is ever-imperishable (avināśa).
Hari, Hara, Brahmā — all perish. Only Sadguru-pada is ever-imperishable. **Even the trimūrti is subordinated in the Sadguru-taxonomy.**
Even Hari, Hara, Brahmā perish at kalpānta. Only Sadguru-pada is imperishable.
तयासी उपमा काय द्यावी । नाशिवंत सृष्टी आघवी ।
पंचभूतिक उठाठेवी । न चले तेथें
tayāsī upamā kāya dyāvī | nāśivamta sṛṣṭī āghavī |
pamcabhūtika uṭhāṭhevī | na cale tethem
To him, what simile can be given? All creation is perishable. The struggle of the five elements (pañca-bhautika uṭhāṭhevī) does not operate there.
No simile remains; all creation is perishable; the five-element struggle does not operate at the Sadguru-level.
Sadguru-stavana — the simile-refutation exercise as personal neti-neti practice.
म्हणौनी सद्गुरु वर्णवेना । हे गे हेचि माझी वर्णना ।
अंतरस्थितीचिया खुणा । अंतर्निष्ठ जाणती
mhaṇaunī sadguru varṇavenā | he ge heci mājhī varṇanā |
amtarasthitīciyā khuṇā | amtarniṣṭha jāṇatī
Therefore the Sadguru cannot be described; and this itself is my description. The signs (khūṇā) of the inner state (antara-sthiti) — only the inwardly-fixed (antara-niṣṭha) know them.
Therefore the Sadguru cannot be described — *and this itself is my description*. The *khūṇa* (signs) of *antara-sthiti* (inner state) are known only by the *antara-niṣṭha* (inwardly-fixed). **Closure: inability as precise information; and echo of 1.3.018's khūṇa-of-anubhava — the signs of inner states are readable only by those in corresponding inner states.**
The inability to describe is itself the description. The inner-state marks are readable only by those in corresponding inner states.