संत साहित्य · Dāsabodha · Dashak 5
Dashak 5 · Samāsa 4
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ऐका उपदेशाचीं लक्षणें । बहुविधें कोण कोणें ।
सांगतां तें असाधारणें । परी कांहीं येक सांगों
aikā upadeśācīm lakṣaṇem | bahuvidhem koṇa koṇem |
sāmgatām tem asādhāraṇem | parī kāmhīm yeka sāmgom
Hear the signs of *upadeśa* (teaching): of many kinds — by whom, in how many ways. To tell them is extraordinary; yet some will be told.
Opening: upadeśa takes many forms — mantra, name, mudrā, āsana, yoga-path, vedānta. Ramdas will catalog them and then show that *all* without ātma-jñāna are purposeless.
Many kinds of teaching exist. Recognize the category before committing to a form.
बहुत मंत्र उपदेशिती । कोणी नाम मात्र सांगती ।
येक ते जप करविती । वोंकाराचा
bahuta mamtra upadeśitī | koṇī nāma mātra sāmgatī |
yeka te japa karavitī | vomkārācā
Many teach mantras; some just [a divine] name; some make one recite the *omkāra*.
See decoded.
शिवमंत्र भवानीमंत्र । विष्णुमंत्र माहाल्क्ष्मीमंत्र ।
अवधूतमंत्र गणेशमंत्र । मार्तंडमंत्र सांगती
śivamamtra bhavānīmamtra | viṣṇumamtra māhālkṣmīmamtra |
avadhūtamamtra gaṇeśamamtra | mārtamḍamamtra sāmgatī
Śiva-mantra, Bhavānī-mantra; Viṣṇu-mantra, Mahā-Lakṣmī-mantra; Avadhūta-mantra, Gaṇeśa-mantra, Mārtaṇḍa-mantra.
See decoded.
मछकूर्मवऱ्हावमंत्र । नृसिंहमंत्र वामनमंत्र ।
भार्गवमंत्र रघुनाथमंत्र । कृष्णमंत्र सांगती
machakūrmavaṟhāvamamtra | nṛsimhamamtra vāmanamamtra |
bhārgavamamtra raghunāthamamtra | kṛṣṇamamtra sāmgatī
Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha-mantras; Nṛsimha, Vāmana; Bhārgava, Raghunātha, Kṛṣṇa — they teach.
See decoded.
भैरवमंत्र मल्लारिमंत्र । हनुमंतमंत्र येक्षिणीमंत्र ।
नारायेणमंत्र पांडुरंगमंत्र । अघोरमंत्र सांगती
bhairavamamtra mallārimamtra | hanumamtamamtra yekṣiṇīmamtra |
nārāyeṇamamtra pāmḍuramgamamtra | aghoramamtra sāmgatī
Bhairava, Mallāri; Hanumanta, Yakṣiṇī; Nārāyaṇa, Pāṇḍuranga, Aghora — they teach.
See decoded.
शेषमंत्र गरुडमंत्र । वायोमन्त्र वेताळमंत्र ।
झोटिंगमंत्र बहुधा मंत्र । किती म्हणौनि सांगावे
śeṣamamtra garuḍamamtra | vāyomantra vetāḷamamtra |
jhoṭimgamamtra bahudhā mamtra | kitī mhaṇauni sāmgāve
Śeṣa, Garuḍa, Vāyu, Vetāla, Jhoṭinga — many such mantras; how many to tell.
See decoded.
बाळामंत्र बगुळामंत्र । काळिमंत्र कंकाळिमंत्र ।
बटुकमंत्र नाना मंत्र । नाना शक्तींचे
bāḷāmamtra baguḷāmamtra | kāḷimamtra kamkāḷimamtra |
baṭukamamtra nānā mamtra | nānā śaktīmce
Bālā, Baguḷā, Kāḷī, Kankāḷī, Baṭuka — many mantras of many śaktis.
See decoded.
पृथकाकारें स्वतंत्र । जितुके देव तितुके मंत्र ।
सोपे अवघड विचित्र । खेचर दारुण बीजाचे
pṛthakākārem svatamtra | jituke deva tituke mamtra |
sope avaghaḍa vicitra | khecara dāruṇa bījāce
Each distinct and independent; as many mantras as gods. Easy, difficult, varied, aerial, fearsome — of [many] seed-syllables.
One distinct mantra per deity; as many mantras as there are gods (countless). Structural observation: mantra-systems proliferate as deities proliferate.
See decoded.
पाहों जातां पृथ्वीवरी । देवांची गणना कोण करी ।
तितुके मंत्र वैखरी । किती म्हणौनि वदवावी
pāhom jātām pṛthvīvarī | devāmcī gaṇanā koṇa karī |
tituke mamtra vaikharī | kitī mhaṇauni vadavāvī
On earth, who can count the deities? So many mantras — how can *vaikharī* [articulated speech] utter them?
See decoded.
असंख्यात मंत्रमाळा । येकाहूनि येक आगळा ।
विचित्र मायेची कळा । कोण जाणे
asamkhyāta mamtramāḷā | yekāhūni yeka āgaḷā |
vicitra māyecī kaḷā | koṇa jāṇe
Countless garland-of-mantras, each superior to the other — the various arts of māyā — who knows?
See decoded.
कित्येक मंत्रीं भूतें जाती । कित्येक मंत्रीं वेथा नासती ।
कित्येक मंत्रीं उतरती । सितें विंचू विखार
kityeka mamtrīm bhūtem jātī | kityeka mamtrīm vethā nāsatī |
kityeka mamtrīm utaratī | sitem vimcū vikhāra
By certain mantras, ghosts depart; by certain, illness is destroyed; by certain, snake-scorpion stings come down.
See decoded.
ऐसे नाना परीचे मंत्री । उपदेशिती कर्णपात्रीं ।
जप ध्यान पूजा यंत्री । विधानयुक्त सांगती
aise nānā parīce mamtrī | upadeśitī karṇapātrīm |
japa dhyāna pūjā yamtrī | vidhānayukta sāmgatī
Thus of many kinds — they teach into the ear-vessel; japa, dhyāna, pūjā, yantra, ritual-method — they explain.
See decoded.
येक शिव शिव सांगती । । येक हरि हरि म्हणविती ।
येक उपदेशिती । विठल विठल म्हणोनी
yeka śiva śiva sāmgatī | | yeka hari hari mhaṇavitī |
yeka upadeśitī | viṭhala viṭhala mhaṇonī
Some teach Śiva-Śiva; some make one say Hari-Hari; some teach to say Viṭhala-Viṭhala.
See decoded.
येक सांगती कृष्ण कृष्ण । येक सांगती विष्ण विष्ण ।
येक नारायण नारायण । म्हणौन उपदेशिती
yeka sāmgatī kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa | yeka sāmgatī viṣṇa viṣṇa |
yeka nārāyaṇa nārāyaṇa | mhaṇauna upadeśitī
Some say Kṛṣṇa-Kṛṣṇa; some say Viṣṇu-Viṣṇu; some teach Nārāyaṇa-Nārāyaṇa.
See decoded.
येक म्हणती अच्युत अच्युत । येक म्हणती अनंत अनंत ।
येक सांगती दत्त दत्त । म्हणत जावें
yeka mhaṇatī acyuta acyuta | yeka mhaṇatī anamta anamta |
yeka sāmgatī datta datta | mhaṇata jāvem
Some say Acyuta-Acyuta; some say Ananta-Ananta; some teach Datta-Datta.
See decoded.
येक सांगती राम राम । येक सांगती ऒं ऒं म ।
येक म्हणती मेघशाम । बहुतां नामीं स्मरावा
yeka sāmgatī rāma rāma | yeka sāmgatī om om ma |
yeka mhaṇatī meghaśāma | bahutām nāmīm smarāvā
Some teach Rāma-Rāma; some Om-Om; some Meghaśyāma — remember with many names.
See decoded.
येक सांगती गुरु गुरु । येक म्हणती परमेश्वरु ।
येक म्हणती विघ्नहरु । चिंतीत जावा
yeka sāmgatī guru guru | yeka mhaṇatī parameśvaru |
yeka mhaṇatī vighnaharu | cimtīta jāvā
Some teach Guru-Guru; some Parameśvara; some Vighna-hara — remember.
See decoded.
येक सांगती शामराज । येक सांगती गरुडध्वज ।
येक सांगती अधोक्षज । म्हणत जावें
yeka sāmgatī śāmarāja | yeka sāmgatī garuḍadhvaja |
yeka sāmgatī adhokṣaja | mhaṇata jāvem
Some teach Śyāma-rāja; some Garuḍa-dhvaja; some Adhokṣaja.
See decoded.
येक सांगती देव देव । येक म्हणती केशव केशव ।
येक म्हणती भार्गव भार्गव । म्हणत जावें
yeka sāmgatī deva deva | yeka mhaṇatī keśava keśava |
yeka mhaṇatī bhārgava bhārgava | mhaṇata jāvem
Some say Deva-Deva; some Keśava-Keśava; some Bhārgava-Bhārgava.
See decoded.
येक विश्वनाथ म्हणविती । येक मल्लारि सांगती ।
येक ते जप करविती । तुकाई तुकाई म्हणौनी
yeka viśvanātha mhaṇavitī | yeka mallāri sāmgatī |
yeka te japa karavitī | tukāī tukāī mhaṇaunī
Some make one say Viśvanātha; some say Mallāri; some make japa of Tukāī-Tukāī.
See decoded.
हें म्हणौनी सांगावें । शिवशक्तीचीं अनंत नांवें ।
इछेसारिखीं स्वभावें । उपदेशिती
hem mhaṇaunī sāmgāvem | śivaśaktīcīm anamta nāmvem |
ichesārikhīm svabhāvem | upadeśitī
All such names of Śivaśakti — many — according to desire, they teach by their nature.
See decoded.
येक सांगती मुद्रा च्यारी । खेचरी भूचरी चाचरी अगोचरी ।
येक आसनें परोपरी । उपदेशिती
yeka sāmgatī mudrā cyārī | khecarī bhūcarī cācarī agocarī |
yeka āsanem paroparī | upadeśitī
Some teach the four mudrās: khecarī, bhūcarī, cācarī, agocarī; some teach various āsanas.
See decoded.
येक दाखविती देखणी । येक अनुहातध्वनी ।
येक गुरु पिंडज्ञानी । पिंडज्ञान सांगती
yeka dākhavitī dekhaṇī | yeka anuhātadhvanī |
yeka guru pimḍajñānī | pimḍajñāna sāmgatī
Some show *dekhaṇī* (inner visions); some *anāhata-dhvani* (inner sound); some body-knowers teach body-knowledge.
See decoded.
येक संगती कर्ममार्ग । येक उपासनामार्ग ।
येक सांगती अष्टांग योग । नाना चक्रें
yeka samgatī karmamārga | yeka upāsanāmārga |
yeka sāmgatī aṣṭāmga yoga | nānā cakrem
Some teach *karma-mārga*; some *upāsanā-mārga*; some *aṣṭānga-yoga*, various cakras.
See decoded.
येक तपें सांगती । येक अजपाअ निरोपिती ।
येक तत्वें विस्तारिती , तत्वज्ञानी
yeka tapem sāmgatī | yeka ajapāa niropitī |
yeka tatvem vistāritī , tatvajñānī
Some teach austerities; some *ajapā* (spontaneous japa); some expand *tattvas* — the tattva-knowers.
See decoded.
येक सांगती सगुण । येक निरोपिती निर्गुण ।
येक उपदेशिती तीर्थाटण । फिरावें म्हणूनी
yeka sāmgatī saguṇa | yeka niropitī nirguṇa |
yeka upadeśitī tīrthāṭaṇa | phirāvem mhaṇūnī
Some teach saguṇa; some preach nirguṇa; some teach *tīrthāṭana* (pilgrimage) — 'go wandering.'
See decoded.
येक माहावाक्यें सांगती । त्यांचा जप करावा म्हणती ।
येक उपदेश करिती । सर्व ब्रह्म म्हणोनी
yeka māhāvākyem sāmgatī | tyāmcā japa karāvā mhaṇatī |
yeka upadeśa karitī | sarva brahma mhaṇonī
Some teach the *mahāvākyas*; say 'make japa of these'; some teach 'all is Brahman.'
See decoded.
येक शाक्तमार्ग सांगती । येक मुक्तमार्ग प्रतिष्ठिती ।
येक इंद्रियें पूजन करविती । येका भावें
yeka śāktamārga sāmgatī | yeka muktamārga pratiṣṭhitī |
yeka imdriyem pūjana karavitī | yekā bhāvem
Some teach *śākta-mārga*; some establish the *mukta-mārga*; some worship the senses with single-feeling.
See decoded.
येक सांगती वशीकर्ण । स्तंबन मोहन उच्चाटण ।
नाना चेटकें आपण । स्वयें निरोपिती
yeka sāmgatī vaśīkarṇa | stambana mohana uccāṭaṇa |
nānā ceṭakem āpaṇa | svayem niropitī
Some teach *vaśīkaraṇa* (hypnotism), *stambhana*, *mohana*, *uccāṭana* — various sorceries they explain.
Even sorcery-teachings (*vaśīkaraṇa, stambhana, mohana, uccāṭana*) are called *upadeśa*. Critical point: **the category 'teaching' is porous — goes all the way from mantras to sorcery**. The Sadguru must distinguish within this wide category.
Even sorcery is classed as 'upadeśa.' Teacher-claimants span a wide spectrum. Discriminate.
ऐसी उपदेशांची स्थिती । पुरे आतां सांगों किती ।
ऐसे हे उपदेश असती । असंख्यात । ३०॥
ऐसे उपदेश अनेक । परी ज्ञानेविण निरार्थक ।
येविषईं असे येक । भगवद्वचन
aisī upadeśāmcī sthitī | pure ātām sāmgom kitī |
aise he upadeśa asatī | asamkhyāta | 30 ||
aise upadeśa aneka | parī jñāneviṇa nirārthaka |
yeviṣaīm ase yeka | bhagavadvacana
Such is the state of upadeśas; enough of telling — such upadeśas are countless; yet without knowledge they are purposeless; on this matter, there is the Lord's word:
**All these upadeśas are *niraurthaka* (purposeless) without Self-knowledge.** BG-style verse invoked. The move: 'many teachings exist, but without ātma-jñāna they do not reach their purpose.'
All upadeśas without ātma-jñāna are purposeless. The test: does it lead toward Self-knowledge, or away from it?
श्लोक ॥ नानाशास्त्रं पठेल्लोको नाना दैवतपूजनम् ।
आत्मज्ञानं विना पार्थ सर्वकर्म निरर्थकम् ॥
शैवशाक्तागमाद्या ये अन्ये च बहवो मताः ।
अपभ्रंशसमास्ते । अपि जीवानां भ्रांतचेतसाम् ॥
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् ॥
याकारणें ज्ञानासमान । पवित्र उत्तम न दिसे अन्न ।
म्हणौन आधीं आत्मज्ञान । साधिलें पाहिजे
śloka || nānāśāstram paṭhelloko nānā daivatapūjanam |
ātmajñānam vinā pārtha sarvakarma nirarthakam ||
śaivaśāktāgamādyā ye anye ca bahavo matāḥ |
apabhramśasamāste | api jīvānām bhrāmtacetasām ||
na hi jñānena sadṛśam pavitramidamuttamam ||
yākāraṇem jñānāsamāna | pavitra uttama na dise anna |
mhaṇauna ādhīm ātmajñāna | sādhilem pāhije
[Sanskrit śloka:] 'A person may read many scriptures, worship many deities; but without Self-knowledge, O Pārtha, all action is purposeless. [The various doctrines] are corruptions for the deluded minds of living beings. Nothing equals knowledge — this is the supreme purifier.' [Marathi:] Therefore nothing is seen more excellent or pure than knowledge; therefore Self-knowledge should first be accomplished.
Direct Gītā-citation (BG 18.66 context + general śruti): 'without ātma-jñāna, all action is purposeless; nothing is equal to knowledge — it is supreme purification.' **Ramdas's ranking: ātma-jñāna > mantra > bhakti > karma-kāṇḍa.**
Knowledge (ātma-jñāna) is the supreme purifier. No other karma equals it.
सकळ उपदेशीं विशेष । आत्मज्ञानाचा उपदेश ।
येविषईं जगदीश । बहुतां ठाईं बोलिला
sakaḷa upadeśīm viśeṣa | ātmajñānācā upadeśa |
yeviṣaīm jagadīśa | bahutām ṭhāīm bolilā
Among all teachings, the special one is the teaching of Self-knowledge; on this the Lord has spoken in many places.
Among all upadeśas, the one teaching *ātma-jñāna* is the special one.
Among all teachings, ātma-jñāna-upadeśa is the special one.
श्लोक ॥ यस्य कस्य च वर्णस्य ज्ञानं देहे प्रतिष्ठितम् ।
तस्य दासस्य दासोहं भवे जन्मनि जन्मनि ॥
आत्मज्ञानाचा महिमा । नेणे चतुर्मुख ब्रह्मा ।
प्राणी बापुडा जीवात्मा । काये जाणे
śloka || yasya kasya ca varṇasya jñānam dehe pratiṣṭhitam |
tasya dāsasya dāsoham bhave janmani janmani ||
ātmajñānācā mahimā | neṇe caturmukha brahmā |
prāṇī bāpuḍā jīvātmā | kāye jāṇe
[Śloka:] 'Of whatever varṇa, in whose body knowledge is established — of that servant I am the servant, birth after birth.' [Marathi:] The greatness of Self-knowledge — Brahmā of four faces does not know it; what then the poor mortal *jīvātman*?
Sanskrit śloka: 'whoever has knowledge established in the body — of that servant, I am the servant, birth after birth' (Bhagavān's own word). **The divine preference hierarchy: knowledge > varṇa-birth.**
The Bhagavān values the knower over varṇa-birth. He says: 'I am the servant of His servant.' Hierarchy established.
सकळ तीर्थांची संगती । स्नानदानाची फळश्रुती ।
त्याहूनि ज्ञानाची स्थिती । विशेष कोटिगुणें
sakaḷa tīrthāmcī samgatī | snānadānācī phaḷaśrutī |
tyāhūni jñānācī sthitī | viśeṣa koṭiguṇem
The company of all pilgrimages, the *phala-śruti* of bath and dāna — the state of knowledge is *koṭi-guṇa* greater.
All pilgrimages' company, all bath-dāna fruit — the state of knowledge is *koṭi-guṇa* greater. Ranking made quantitative.
Knowledge-state = koṭi-guṇa times all pilgrimages + bath-dāna combined.
श्लोक: ॥ पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि स्नानदानेषु यत्फलम् ।
तत्फलं कोटिगुणितं ब्रह्मज्ञानसमोपमम् ॥
म्हणौनि जें आत्मज्ञान । तें गहनाहूनि गहन ।
ऐक तयाचें लक्षण । सांगिजेल
śloka: || pṛthivyām yāni tīrthāni snānadāneṣu yatphalam |
tatphalam koṭiguṇitam brahmajñānasamopamam ||
mhaṇauni jem ātmajñāna | tem gahanāhūni gahana |
aika tayācem lakṣaṇa | sāmgijela
[Śloka:] 'The fruit of all pilgrimages on earth — of bath and dāna — that fruit is *koṭi-guṇa* equal to Brahman-knowledge.' [Marathi:] Therefore Self-knowledge is deeper than the deep; hear its signs — they will be told.
Closing: Self-knowledge is deeper than deep; its signs will be described next. Transition to the ātma-jñāna samāsa.
Self-knowledge is the deepest; its signs are next.