संत साहित्य
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संत साहित्य · Jñāneśvarī · Adhyāya 14

Cluster 0512 — BG-14.26 — *mām ca yo'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate — sa guṇān samatītya etān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate*

BG-14.26

Sanskrit

मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते । स गुणान्समतीत्यैतान ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥२६॥

Translation

WHOEVER (yaḥ) serves (sevate) ME (mām) by UNDEVIATING (avyabhicāreṇa) BHAKTI-YOGA (bhakti-yogena) — HE (saḥ) HAVING-FULLY-TRANSCENDED (samatītya) these (etān) GUṆAS (guṇān) — BECOMES-FIT (kalpate) FOR BRAHMA-BHŪYA (brahma-bhūyāya — fitness-for-becoming-Brahman).

Function

BG-14.26 IS THE ICONIC BHAKTI-YOGA-UPĀYA VERSE — the precise sloka answering Arjuna's BG-14.21 third-question (katham caitāms trīn guṇān ativartate — by WHAT MEANS does one transcend the three guṇas?). The verse delivers the chapter's central doctrinal-payload:

  • AVYABHICĀRA-BHAKTI-YOGA-SERVICE-OF-ME — the UPĀYA-means.
  • SAMATĪTYA-GUṆĀN — the COMPLETE-TRANSCENDENCE of the guṇas.
  • BRAHMA-BHŪYĀYA-KALPATE — becoming-FIT-FOR-BRAHMA-BHŪYA.

The iconic AVYABHICĀRA qualifier names the bhakti-yoga as MONO-DIRECTIONAL-undivided — no-other-object, no-straying-to-secondary-deities, the iconic ANANYA-BHAKTI of BG-9.13-14 + BG-9.22 + BG-9.30-31 + BG-12.6-7 + BG-18.66 doctrinal-family. The verse closes the BG-14.21 three-part-question (kair-lingais + kim-ācāraḥ + katham ativartate) — answered by BG-14.22-25 LAKṢAṆA-block (the marks-and-conduct) + BG-14.26 UPĀYA-verse (the MEANS).

Jñāneśvar's 33-ovi Treatment

Jñāneśvar's treatment (14.371-14.403) renders the verse with MONUMENTAL Marathi pedagogical-architecture — by far the most extended ovi-treatment of any BG-14 verse — 2+8+2+4+2+3+3+2+4+1+2 ovis honoring the verse's three-part architecture:

(i) 14.371-14.372 — Verse-paraphrase + three-question pedagogical-setup (2 ovis)

  • 14.371 — vyabhicāra-rahita chittēm — bhakti-yogēm mātēm — sevī to guṇātēm — jākaḷūm śakē (WITH VYABHICĀRA-FREE CHITTA — BY BHAKTI-YOGA — WHOEVER SERVES ME — CAN SUBDUE THE GUṆAS). The iconic Marathi verse-paraphrase.
  • 14.372 — koṇa mī kaisī bhaktī — avyabhicārā kāya vyaktī — hē āghavīchi nirutī — hoāvī lāgē (WHO AM I + WHAT IS BHAKTI + WHAT IS AVYABHICĀRA — these must all be precisely answered). The iconic three-question pedagogical-setup.

(ii) 14.373-14.380 — The SVARŪPA-INSEPARABILITY-METAPHORS Block (8 ovis, fourteen similes)

  • 14.373 — RATNA-KIḶĀVO — ratnīm kiḷāvo jaisā — ratnachi kīm to (LUSTRE IN RATNA IS RATNA ITSELF). The iconic inseparability-image opening.
  • 14.374 — JAḶA-DRAVATĀ + ĀKĀŚA-AVAKĀŚA + SĀKHARA-GOḌĪ — dravapaṇachi nīra — avakāśachi ambara — goḍī techi sākhara — āna nāhīm (LIQUIDITY IS WATER + SPACE IS SKY + SWEETNESS IS SUGAR). The iconic three natural-similes.
  • 14.375 — AGNI-JVĀḶA + DAḶA-KAMALA + RKṢA-ḌAḶA-PHAḶA — vanhi techi jvāḷa — daḷāchi nāmva kamaḷa — rūkha tēmchi ḍāḷa — phaḷādika (AGNI IS FLAME + PETALS MAKE LOTUS + TREE IS BRANCHES-FRUITS). Continued natural-similes.
  • 14.376 — HIMA-HIMAVAT + DŪDHA-DAHĪ — hima jēm ākarṣalēm — tēchi himavanta jevīm jālēm — nānā dūdha murālēm — tēmchi dahīm (COMPRESSED-HIMA-BECAME-HIMAVAT + MILK-COAGULATED-IS-CURD). Transformation-inseparability similes.
  • 14.377 — VIŚVA-IS-ENTIRELY-ME + CHANDRA-DISC-PEELING — taisēm viśva yeṇēm nāmvē — hēm mīchi paim āghavēm — ghēīm chandrabimba solāvēm — na lagē jevīm (THUS VIŚVA IS ENTIRELY ME — NO NEED TO PEEL OFF THE MOON-DISC). The iconic foundational declaration.
  • 14.378 — GHRTA-THIJALĒṂPAṆA + KĀṄKAṆA-SONĀ — artisanal-inseparability-similes.
  • 14.379 — PAṬA-TANTU + GHAṬA-MRTTIKĀ — na ukalitām paṭu — tantuchi asē spaṣṭu — na viravitām ghaṭu — mrttikā jevīm (CLOTH IS THREAD WITHOUT UNRAVELING + POT IS CLAY WITHOUT DISSOLVING). The iconic Chāndogya-mrttikā-echo.
  • 14.380 — SAKAṬA-CHA-MĪ — mhaṇauni viśvapaṇa jāvēm — maga taim mātēm ghēyāvēm — taisā navhē āghavēm — sakaṭachi mī (NOT AFTER WORLDNESS LEAVES DO I COME — NO — I AM ALL TOGETHER WITH EVERYTHING). The iconic SAKAṬA-CHA-MĪ doctrinal-summit.

(iii) 14.381-14.382 — The AVYABHICĀRA-DEFINITION Block (2 ovis)

  • 14.381 — aiseni mātēm jāṇije — tē avyabhicārī bhakti mhaṇije — yetha bhēdu kāmhīm dekhije — tarī vyabhicāru to (KNOWING ME THUS IS AVYABHICĀRA-BHAKTI — ANY BHĒDA PERCEIVED IS VYABHICĀRA). The iconic positive-and-negative definition.
  • 14.382 — yākāraṇēm bhēdātēm — sāṇḍūni abhēdēm chittēm — āpaṇa sakaṭa mātēm — jāṇāvēm gā (DISCARD-BHĒDA WITH ABHĒDA-CHITTA — KNOW-ME-AS-SAKAṬA WITH YOURSELF INCLUDED). The iconic IMPERATIVE.

(iv) 14.383-14.386 — The NON-DIFFERENCE-SIMILES Block (4 ovis)

  • 14.383 — SONĀ-ṬĪKĀ-ON-SONĀ — gold-mark on gold; do not OTHER yourself.
  • 14.384 — TĒJA-RAY-IN-TĒJA — ray emerges from tejas yet remains tejas-connected.
  • 14.385 — PARAMĀṆU-BHŪTAḶA + HIMAKAṆU-HIMĀCHAḶA — paramāṇu bhūtaḷīm — himakaṇu himāchaḷīm — majamājīm nyāhāḷīm — aham taisēm (PARAMĀṆU IN EARTH + HIMAKAṆU IN HIMĀCHALA — LOOK AT AHAṀ INSIDE ME LIKE THIS). The iconic PART-IN-WHOLE simile.
  • 14.386 — TARAṄGA-SINDHU — tarangu lahānu — parī sindhūsī nāhīm bhinnu — taisā īśvarīm mī ānu — nohēchi gā (WAVE IS SMALL BUT NOT-SEPARATE FROM SEA — IN THE LORD I AM NOT-OTHER). The iconic wave-sea closing.

(v) 14.387-14.388 — The SAMARASA-DRṢṬI Block (2 ovis)

  • 14.387 — SAMARASA-DRṢṬI = BHAKTI — aiseni bā samarasēm — drṣṭi je ulhāsē — tē bhakti paim aisē — āmhī mhaṇom (SUCH SAMARASA-DRṢṬI WHICH EXPANDS — WE CALL BHAKTI). The iconic Jñāneśvarī redefinition.
  • 14.388 — BHAKTI-JÑĀNA-YOGA-CONVERGENCE — jñānāchēm chāngāvēm — iyechi drṣṭi nāmve — yogāchēmhī āghavēm — sarvasva hēm (THIS DRṢṬI IS JÑĀNA-EXCELLENCE AND YOGA-TOTALITY). The iconic three-path-convergence.

(vi) 14.389-14.391 — The MERGING-SIMILES + SO'HAṀ-VRTTI Block (3 ovis)

  • 14.389 — SINDHU-JAḶADHARA-AKHAṆḌA-DHĀRĀ — unbroken-stream between sea-and-cloud.
  • 14.390 — KUHĀ-ĀKĀŚA-EKAVAṬĒ — no gap between hole and sky-at-opening.
  • 14.391 — PRATIBIṀBA-BIṀBA-PRABHĀ + SO'HAṀ-VRTTI — pratibimbauni bimbavarī — prabhēchī jaisī ujarī — tē so'hamvrttī avadhārīm — taisī hoy (FROM REFLECTION TO BIṀBA — LIKE LIGHT'S RADIANCE — SUCH IS THE SO'HAṀ-VRTTI). The iconic SO'HAṀ-VRTTI introduction.

(vii) 14.392-14.394 — The SELF-DISSOLUTION Block (3 ovis)

  • 14.392 — SO'HAṀ-VRTTI-SELF-DISSOLVES — aiseni maga paraspare — tē so'hamvrtti jaim avatare — taim tiyēhi sakaṭa sare — apaisayā (WHEN SO'HAṀ-VRTTI DESCENDS MUTUALLY — IT ALSO TOGETHER PASSES OF ITSELF).
  • 14.393 — SAINDHAVA-RAVA-SINDHU — salt-grain melted in sea needs no further melting.
  • 14.394 — AGNI-TRṆA-SELF-EXTINGUISH — nātarī jāḷūni trṇa — vanhihī vijhē āpaṇa — taisēm bhēdu nāśūni jāṇa — jñānahī nurē (BURNING-GRASS FIRE EXTINGUISHES ITSELF — DESTROYING BHĒDA JÑĀNA ALSO REMAINS NO MORE).

(viii) 14.395-14.396 — The ANĀDI-AIKYA Block (2 ovis)

  • 14.395 — ANĀDI-AIKYA-EMERGES — mājhēm pailapaṇa jāye — bhakta hēm ailapaṇa ṭhāye — anādi aikya jēm āhe — tēmchi nivaḍē (MY THAT-NESS GOES — BHAKTA THIS-NESS STOPS — ANĀDI-AIKYA EMERGES).
  • 14.396 — EKAPAṆĀ-CLASP-CEASES — ātām guṇātēm to kirīṭī — jiṇē yā navhatī goṣṭī — je ekapaṇāhī miṭhī — paḍom saralī (NOW O KIRĪṬĪ TRANSCENDING-GUṆAS IS NOT EVEN A MATTER — EVEN THE CLASP OF EKAPAṆĀ HAS CEASED). The iconic trans-monistic payload.

(ix) 14.397-14.400 — The BRAHMATVA-DECLARATION Block (4 ovis)

  • 14.397 — BRAHMATVA-DECLARATION — kimbahunā aisī daśā — tēm brahmatva gā sudamśā — hē to pāvem jo aisā — mātēm bhajē (SUCH STATE IS BRAHMATVA O SUDAṀŚĀ — ATTAINED BY ONE WHO BHAJATES ME THUS).
  • 14.398 — BRAHMATĀ-IS-PATĪVRATĀ — for my bhakta in this world BRAHMATĀ is PATĪVRATĀ-faithful-wife.
  • 14.399 — GAṄGĀ-FLOWS-TO-SINDHU — water in Gangā has no destination other than sindhu-pada.
  • 14.400 — CHŪḌĀRATNA-IN-BRAHMATĀ-S-CROWN — taisā jñānāchiyā diṭhī — jo mātēm sevī kirīṭī — to hoy brahmatēchyā mukuṭīm — chūḍāratna (WITH JÑĀNA-VISION WHOEVER SERVES ME O KIRĪṬĪ — HE BECOMES THE CHŪḌĀRATNA IN BRAHMATĀ-S-CROWN).

(x) 14.401 — SĀYUJYA = FOURTH-PURUṢĀRTHA (1 ovi)

  • 14.401 — yayā brahmatvāsīchi pārthā — sāyujya aisī vyavasthā — yāchi nāmve chauthā — puruṣārtha gā (THIS BRAHMATVA IS CALLED SĀYUJYA — AND CHAUTHĀ-PURUṢĀRTHA). The iconic doctrinal-naming.

(xi) 14.402-14.403 — The DOUBT + FINAL-DECLARATION Block (2 ovis)

  • 14.402 — DOUBT-RAISED — parī mājhēm ārādhana — brahmatvīm hoy sopāna — etha mī hana sādhana — gamēn ho (BUT MY ĀRĀDHANA SEEMS LIKE A SOPĀNA-LADDER TO BRAHMATVA — DOES IT SEEM I AM MERE SĀDHANA HERE).
  • 14.403 — FINAL-DECLARATION — tarī jhaṇīm aisēm — tujhyā chittīm paisēm — paim brahma āna nasē — mī-vāñchūni (DO NOT LET THIS ENTER YOUR CHITTA — BRAHMA IS NOT OTHER THAN ME — WITHOUT-ME). The iconic foundational FINAL-DECLARATION setting up BG-14.27.

The cluster delivers BG-14.26's BHAKTI-YOGA-UPĀYA verse with the monumental 33-ovi pedagogical-architecture honoring the verse's three-part architecture (avyabhicāra-bhakti-yoga + samatītya-guṇān + brahma-bhūyāya-kalpate) + the iconic FINAL-DECLARATION brahma āna nasē mī-vāñchūni (BRAHMA IS NOT OTHER THAN ME) precisely setting up BG-14.27's BRAHMAṆAḤ-HI-PRATIṢṬHĀHAṀ chapter-coda.