मूर्ति-उपासना
RELIGIOUS SERVICES TO THE IDOLS OF GOD
ईश्वर सर्वांठायीं व्यापला । तो पंथीं नाही विभागला । मग उणें-अधिक कोणाला । कां म्हणावें ? ॥१॥
God is one and only one, all pervasive and all occupant. He has not been divided into various different forms as believed, according to the different faiths & sects. Then how can his forms be considered as having less or more greatness? ||1||
ऐसें ऐकोनि निरूपण । एक श्रोता करी प्रश्न । देव विशाल व्यापक पूर्ण । मग कां समर्थन मूर्तीचें ? ॥२॥
Listening to the narration (stated in the previous chapter) one listener asked, "If God is so extremely vast, all pervasive and omnioccupant, so entirely perfect; why should its idol worship be given so much importance and why does it need any justification?" ||2||
असो कोणाहि धर्माची खूण । परि मूर्ति मानवांनी केली निर्माण । तिथे कोठलें देवपण ? तिचें पूजन कशाला ? ॥३॥
The idol of God may be a symbol of any faith or religion, finally, the creator of the idols of God is a man. How can the divinity and godliness dwell in these man made idols? why then should these idols be worshipped?" ||3||
देव कुणाची पूजा नेघे । त्यास नको हें वाउगें । स्वयें बोलला भक्तासंगें । ’ मज हवें शुध्द प्रेम ’ ॥४॥
God never appears in person and accepts the worship enacted by the devotees. Why should be then all this glittering pomp and show of worshipping the idols? It is heard that God himself had told his favourite devotee `I want only the pure and sincere love from my devotees'. ||4||
याचें ऐकावें उत्तर । प्रेम निर्मावें एका मूर्तीवर । तेंचि क्रमाने करावें विश्वाकार । हाच हेतु पूजनाचा ॥५॥
(Maharaj said) Here is my reply to your question. First try to create true and sincre love for God for worshipping his particular idol. Then gradually go on extending the circle of your love and devotion to the universal level and worship the whole universe as the omnioccupant God. This is the real and root purpose of idol worshipping. ||5||
देवाची स्मरणमूर्ति बघतां । त्याचें जीवनकार्य ध्यानीं आणतां । शक्ति येते मनासि तत्त्वता । मानसिक संयोगें ॥६॥
When you remember God at the sight of the idol you should think and mediate upon what particular enactments God had done in that particular form. When our minds associate with God, our psychological powers grow more. ||6||
मनासि लावावया चिंतन । लागावया मार्गाचें आकर्षण । नेमिलें असे प्रतिमापूजन । साधुसंतीं ॥७॥
The great holy saints, sages and rishis had purposefully laid down the practices of spiritual services and worshipping so that the common innocent human-beings will have a proper line of meditation. they will be attracted towards spiritual services through idol worship. ||7||
मनास पाहिजे कांही आधार । म्हणोनि आरंभीं मानिले साकार । देवें व्यापिलें चराचर । तेथे मूर्ति तद्रुपचि ॥८॥
In the beginning the devotees need some concrete form as the basic support for practicing meditation. So the novice devotees can concentrate their minds for meditation upon the God in the form of idol. In fact, God is all pervasive and exists in all living and non living beings & things in the whole universe. Naturally God is certainly existing in that idol also. ||8||
परि जो सिध्दान्ताचा पुरस्कर्ता झाला । त्यासहि जन देव बोलला । त्याचीहि प्रतिमा पूजूं लागला । भोळेपणाने ॥९॥
But one, who has been fully convinced and who has accepted the proposition of all pervasiveness of God, was also told that the public (human beings) itself is the real form of God. Then the innocent common people began to hold such great virtueous and ideal individual as God. They put that great spirit in the form of an idol and started worshipping his idol also. ||9||
जरी पूजिली व्यक्तिमूर्ति । तरी चुकलें मी न म्हणे चित्तीं । परि सिध्दांत वाउगे राखिती । हें तों आहे अज्ञानपण ॥१०॥
Though the innocent devotees started to worship some great person's idol, I don't think that they had done something wrong. But it is true that in doing so, they have neglected and set aside the basic proposition and it is through their ignorance. ||10||
सुखासाठी आखिली दिशा । रेखिला घराचा नकाशा । परि लाभली शेवटीं निराशा । नकाशाचि राखतां ॥११॥
It is just like the following example. somebody made a plan to build his own house for the happiness of himself and his family. He first got the map of his would be house as he desired for. But further, he went on cherishing only the map of the house. (He did not try to bring the house in the concrete form) so, finally he got disappointed. ||11||
घर राहाया नाही मिळालें । नकाशे नकाशेच राहिले । तेणें समाधान भंगलें । जाणीव होतां पुढे पुढे ॥१२॥
But where was the house he dreamed for so long throughout his life? All the maps of his would be house remained as the maps on paper only. Further, when he began to be aware of his failure in erecting his house, his contentment for his house was totally shattered. ||12||
तैसेंचि झालें मूर्तिपूजेचें । जे जे पंथ दिसती आजचे । तेथील साधक मूर्तिपूजेपुढचें । कांहीच नेणे ॥१३॥
The same (as quoted in above example) has come true in case of the idol worship. Today, all those religions, faiths and sects, which uphold the idol worshipping, have produced the followers and devotees who blindly believe that idol worshipping is the only goal of their spiritual & religious services. They can't realise the further and ultimate aim which is underlying the enactment of worshipping the idol of God. ||13||
तो मूर्ति धरोनीच बसला । मूर्खचि समजतो पुढचियाला । म्हणतो भ्रष्टाचार झाला । मूर्तिपूजेवांचोनि ॥१४॥
These ignorant idol worshippers rigidly stick up to that idol only on the contrary they consider those spiritual seekers as foolish, who have successfully attained the highest aim beyond the gains of idol worship. Moreover they ignorantly plead that spiritual practices without performing idol worship means a deviation from the path of shastras of devotion. ||14||
त्यासि कळला नाही धर्म । मूर्तिपूजेचें काय वर्म । उगीच वाढवूनि घेतला भ्रम । बिचार्‍याने अंतरीं ॥१५॥
These blind and ignorant idol worshippers have not understood the true dharma, nor they have understood the secret truth underlying the concept of the idol worship. They have got some delusion unnecessarily developed about idol worshipping and they have got confused about it. ||15||
घरीं देवाचा कट्टर पुजारी । असत्य करीत असे बाजारीं । व्यवहार करितां झाला वैरी । ज्याचा त्याचा ॥१६॥
At home, such idol worshipper appears to be the intense worshipper of the idol of his favourite god. But when he goes in the outward world, he goes on cheating and enacting unfair and dishonest dealings in his deceptive business. By such crafty behavour he has become a rival and enemy of everybody around him. ||16||
देवळामाजीं कान घरी । नाक धरोनि प्राणायाम करी । बाहेर येतां शिवी दे, कावरी । ज्यासि त्यासि ॥१७॥
When he goes in the temple, he holds his ears and supressing his nose he enacts PRANAYAMA. (The activities show that he is confessing his sins and misdeeds and requesting God to forgive him. Pranayam is a yogic practice enacted by holding breath.) But when he comes out of the temple, he goes on abusing everybody he sees before him. ||17||
देवाद्वारीं हवन करी । बाहेर भिकार्‍यासि मारी । पोटा न दे चूनभाकरी । उपाशीयाच्या कधीहि ॥१८॥
He performs Hom (offering in secred fire) and Hawana (oblation by fire to a deity) before the idol of God at the temple. but when he comes out, he starts beating the beggar at the entrance of the temple. He never gives a piece of jwaar cake and coarse preparation of gram pulse (choon bhaakaree) to the hungry poor individual. ||18||
आमचा देव सत्यचि बोले । परि आम्हीं पाहिजे खोटें केलें । ऐसें असोनि भक्त झाले । म्हणती आम्ही ॥१९॥
Then there are some devotees. They say "Our God always speaks the truth and keeps his word under any circumstances. But they may enact following untruth. still they claim that they are the true devotees of God. ||19||
स्वयें म्हणवी रामभक्त । नाही एकपत्नीव्रत । नित्य पूजितो हनुमंत । व्यसनें झाला प्रेताऐसा ॥२०॥
Some individual calls himself to be the sincere devotee of Lord Ram. Yet he does not keep the vow of monogamy. He regularly worship Hanumant. But he has become such a habitual addict that he appears like a lifeless dead. ||20||
देव दुर्जनासि संहारी । कष्ट करितो भक्तांघरीं । भक्त बघा हा व्यभिचारी । आळसे घरीं झोपतसे ॥२१॥
God destroys the wicked and evil doers. God puts himself to hard work at his sincere and true devotees house. But this individual who claims to be the sincere devotee commits corruptions and enacts adultery. Becoming an idler, he wastes the days in idle sleeping. ||21||
देव म्हणे ’ मी सर्वत्र । दीनरंक माझे पुत्र ’ । उपासक त्यांसि दिवसरात्र । पिळोनि चैन भोगितसे ॥२२॥
God says, "I am omnipresent and the poor and miserables are my dear sons." But the worshipper of Goid squeezes the poor and miserables round the day and night and he himself enjoys comfort and luxurious pleasures. ||22||
’ प्रभु आमुचा पतितपावन ’ । म्हणोनि कंठरवें करी गायन । मानवासि अस्पृश्य हीन । मानून डौल मिरवितो ॥२३॥
He sings sweetly in admiration of God, "Our God is the redemptor of the fallen and downtrodden human beings". But in his practical behaviour he goes on swaggering and caressing his self ego. He struts with pride and treats other human beings as untouchables and lowbred. ||23||
देवाचिया मूर्तीसाठी । सोने हिरे बैसवी मुकुटीं । न दे श्रमिकासि लंगोटी । मंदिर बांधतां मेला तरी ॥२४॥
He provides gold and diamonds for making a decorative crown for God's idol. But if any labourer dies on spot while doing the work of the temple, he never provides even a strip or a loincloth to that poor labourer. ||24||
कसलें हें देवपूजन ? मूर्तिपूजेचें विडंबन । केवढें शिरलें आहे अज्ञान । आपणांमाजीं ! ॥२५॥
Is this befitting to call it as worshipping God? It is a great mockery or perversion of the idol worship. What a great ignorance has been stuffed in such devotees! ||25||
देवळामाजीं करी भजन । बाहेर येतां खोटें भाषण । ऐशा पुजार्‍या पुसेल कोण ? सांगा तरी ॥२६॥
The priest of the temple God sings hymns and prayers inside the temple but as soon as he steps out of the temple, he always speaks a lie; who then would believe in such a priest? ||26||
म्हणोनि हें वाईट विसरावें । पूजेने पूज्यासि ओळखीत जावें । अभ्यासाने पाऊल टाकावें । पुढे पुढे ॥२७॥
Therefore forgetting all these crude and wrong methods of worshipping idol and enacting wrong and evil practices; one should try to recognise the true form of God through (good and noble enactments) idol worshipping. Gradually for growing the exercise in spiritual practices, step by step, the order of spiritual development should be acquired. ||27||
जैसी ज्याची भावना । त्याने तैसीच मानावी देवता मनां । परि न चुकावी उपासना । सत्कर्मांची ॥२८॥
Everybody, who has a sincere belief and faith in a particular deity, should always consider that deity as his only God. But he should never forget and miss enacting the good, noble and virtuous deads. ||28||
मूर्तिपूजेचा अर्थ एक । आपण मूर्तीच व्हावें सम्यक । म्हणजे करावी तैसी वागणूक । अभ्यासाने ॥२९॥
The real meaning of the idol worshipping is that the true and sincere devotee should make his life and lifework as sacred and pious as his idol of worshipping through regular practice and exercise ||29||
जयाची मूर्ति उपासावी । तयाची चरित्रकथा वाचावी । पुढे कामेंहि करीत जावीं । आपणहि तैसीं ॥३०॥
Read and study the stories and biographies of the great divine spirit whose idol, you worship with true sincerity. Try to enact as that form of God had enacted. ||30||
काय केलें माझिया देवें । मजसी मुळीच नाही ठावें । फक्त मूर्तीच धरोनि बसावें । हें वेडेपणाचें ॥३१॥
If any devotee sits clasping the idol of his God but says, "I don't know what my God had enacted," then it is a sheer insanity of that devotee. ||31||
ऐसी असावी उपासना । उपासनीं वाढवावें कर्तव्यगुणा । कर्तव्यपूर्तीने मोठेपणा । अंगीं घ्यावा मिळवोनि ॥३२॥
The spiritual practices and service to God should be enacted in such a manner that through them, the worshipper devotee should imbibe the virtue of dutifulness and should honestly fulfill his duties. He should acquire greatness by fulfilling his duties. ||32||
संकटें येतां कार्यामाझारीं । चिंतनीं घ्यावें चारित्र्य अंतरीं । अभ्यासाचें तेज वृत्तीवरि । वाढवावें सर्वकाळ ॥३३॥
While extracting the duties and enacting some good deeds, if the devotee comes across some hardships or calamities, he should meditate upon the divine virtues and divine life work of God. Practicing constantly in such a manner he should grow the brilliance in his tendency. ||33||
चुकलिया संतां विचारावें । पुढे कार्य करावयासि धजावें । आपुल्या परीने सुख देत जावें । जीवांलागीं ॥३४॥
If some mistakes have been committed in enacting, some experienced saintly persons should be consulted. their proper guidance to remove those mistakes and to carry on the further enactments should be acquired. Again the worshipper devotee should couragerously restart his activities. He should always try to make the living beings happy by utilizing his energies as much as he can. ||34||
यासाठीच मूर्तिस्थापना । ठायींठायीं केली जाणा । आठवण राहावी साधकांना । म्हणोनिया ॥३५॥
The saints, holymen and the wisemen had established the idols of Gods from place to place with a purpose that such spiritual services (as described above) will be enacted by the true and sincere devotees. The aim behind it was to make the devotee and spiritual seeker remember his spiritual duties. ||35||
पदोपदीं हो पवित्र वृत्ति । म्हणोनि स्थळोस्थळीं स्थापिली मूर्ति । वृक्षपशुपक्षी ठरविल्या विभूति । सदभावासाठी ॥३६॥
Our saints and sages in the past wanted the devotees and seekers to have retained their sacred tendencies on every step so they had set up the idols of God from place to place. moreover they created belief in people by deciding that manifestion of grandeur that exists in the trees, animals and birds etc. Their purpose in determining these living beings as divine as God was to create a good and respectful feel for others. ||36||
मनोभावें मूर्तीसि पुजावें । श्रवण, कथन, स्मरणादि करावें । मूर्तीप्रमाणे सत्कर्म घडावें । आपुलिया अंगें ॥३७॥
Therefore the worshipper or the devotee should worship the idol of God with due sincere devotion and whole heartedly. He should maintain the practice of listening, reading and telling the stories of God, worshipping, remembering etc. Further, he should try to enact by himself the virtuous excellent deeds as the God had enacted. ||37||
सर्व सोडोनि भिन्न भावना । हृदयीं धरावी उपसना । जेणें प्रसन्नता येई मना । तेंचि उत्तम समजावें ॥३८॥
Giving up all other senses and feelings of differences, attempt to perform the spiritual practices and religious services with good motives and sincerely from your mind and soul. Always think that the way or the method of spiritual practice which gives your mind a divine pleasure is the true and proper way and method for you to enact your spiritual practices. ||38||
मन जेथे समाधान पावे । तेथूनि शक्तीचें तेज घ्यावें । मग कार्यासि लागावें । सदगुणी ऐशा ॥३९॥
You should try to grow the brilliance of your self divine power from whereever you have experienced full mental satisfaction. Then start performing such noble and excellent deeds that can grow excellent virtues in yourself. ||39||
सदभावें करावें पूजन । विनम्र करोनिया देहमन । निर्मळ असावें वातावरण । ध्यान धराया देवाचें ॥४०॥
Be polite physically and mentally and holding complete humility and excellent motives, start worshipping the idol. Before meditation of God, always make the surroundings and the atmosphere clean and dirtless. ||40||
येथे मानसिक पूजेचेंच महत्त्व । विचारसामर्थ्य हें मूलतत्त्व । तेणेंचि पावे ईश्वरत्व । जीवालागी प्रयत्नें ॥४१॥
In all the spiritual practices and devotional enactments, a great importance has been given to worshipping by extremely concentrating all faculties of mind. (In such maanas pooja, no physical enactments of routine rites of worshipping are to be done. All rites are to be done only by mindful thinking.) The basic truth of worshipping God's idols is to acquire powerful reasoning. The being can reach to the most excellent state of Shiva (Divine Brahma) by attempting such spiritual practices with all efforts. ||41||
जीवासि मूळतत्त्व कळावें । सर्वांभूतीं आत्मरूप समजावें । ऐसेचि पूजनाचे गोडवे । वर्णिले संतीं ॥४२॥
All the saints had amired and enumerated such a way of worshipping through which the being in a man will be able to realise its original real form (i.e. the Brahma vastu) and will be able to develop a faith and experience that he himself has pervaded in all the living beings. It will recognise its own self form. ||42||
संतीं बोलिलें हरिनांम घ्यावें । हेंहि वाटे साधन बरवें । परि अर्थ समजोनि जपावें । तरीच सार्थक जीवाचें ॥४३॥
All saints had always insisted firmly upon repeating `HARI-NAAM' and held it the most excellent spiritual practice. Superficially this means of spiritual practice appears to be the easiest. But it is the most essential that such repeatation of God's name should be enacted understanding the true & full meaning. Then this spiritual practice will certainly help to achieve the divine welfare of the being. ||43||
नाम ईश्वराची शब्दमूर्ति । ’ मुखीं नाम हातीं मोक्ष ’ म्हणती । यज्ञाहूनि थोर जपावी महती । ठाऊक हें सर्वां ॥४४॥
NAAM (The name of God) is God's image in the form of a word. The importance of the repeatation of God's name has been described as `when the Naam is repeated by mouth, the emancipation is in your hand'. Naam japa is considered more excellent and greater than enacting sacrifice (yagna)-(sacrificing oblation into the sacred fire.) All spiritual seekers know this. ||44||
परि कासयासि जपावें नाम । साधावयाचें तें कोण काम । या ध्येज्ञानावांचोनि सर्व कर्म । निरर्थक ॥४५॥
(Many people enact this naam japa) But the seeker must know why the name of God is to be repeated; what he is going to seek through the naam japa. Unless having such a consciousness in enacting the repeatation, his naamjapa will be meaningless. All the spiritual enactments can't serve the spiritual seeker's purpose unless he has this aim and the way to achieve that aim is well realised. all enactments of the seeker will go fruitless. ||45||
कितीतरी जन नाम घेती । माळा-मणी ओढीत राहती । परि क्षणहि त्यांची मति । रामीं न रंगे ॥४६॥
Many seekers enact naamjapa. They go on continueously pulling the beads of rosary and repeat the name of God (either loudly or in mind.) But it appears that they can't get fully absorbed in the repeatation and meditation for even a moment. ||46||
मुखें नाम उच्चारिती । व्यवहार अधोगामी करिती । पापें करोनि शपथ घेती । देवधर्मांची ॥४७॥
Orally, they go on repeating the name god but in practical behaviour they enact very meanly in their dealings. They do wrongs and commit sins but take vows and pledges in the name of God and religion. ||47||
कसलें हें नाम जपणें ? स्वार्थें विश्वासघात करणें । आशातृष्णा न सोडणें । इंद्रियविषायांची ॥४८॥
They enect treacherous acts and seek their selfish motives. Thjey don't give up desires, greed and lust for the subjects of sensual organs. And yet they go on enacting naam-japa. Is it a true spiritual practice of repeatation God's name? ||48||
येथे तारतम्यचि पाहिजे । नामजपीं व्रतस्थ होइजे । तरी जीवास सुखाचें साजे । स्थान जीवनीं ॥४९॥
Here the discrimating discretion is vital. Repeatation of god's name as a spiritual practice is a kind of vow (vrata) and its chestitny must be carefully maintained. then only the divine happiness can have a room in the life of the seeker. ||49||
मुखीं नामाचें चिंतन । हातीं सेवाकर्य पूर्ण । करील चारित्र्य संपादन । तोचि भक्त ॥५०॥
The individual, who constantly repeats the name of God by mouth, who enacts noble deeds with hands and who builds up an excellent and brilliant noble character putting his physical abilities in some virtueous enactments, is the true devotee of God in the true sense of the term. ||50||
नामें शक्ति येते अंगीं । संकटें निवारण्याची प्रसंगीं । परि पुरुषार्थ असावा जंगी । तरीच फळे ॥५१॥
The practice of the repeation of God's name creates divine energy in the body to ward off the impending calamities yet, one must possess prowess also. Then only the practice of naam-japa can be fruitful. ||51||
दुराचार सज्जन-विरोध । ऐसे दोष आणिती बाध । काया-वाचा-मनें टाळिले अपराध । तरीच फळे ॥५२॥
There are vices like doing evil enactments, commiting sinful activities, opposing to and conflicting with the virtuous good noble men etc. These vices are harmful to the naam-japa and the spiritual seeker. You can acquire the good divine benefits of naam-japa only when you intentionally avoid these vices and keep away from them by your body, speech and mind. ||52||
मग तें नाम मंदिरीं जपावें । अथवा शेतीमाजीं घ्यावें । चालतां बोलतांहि गावें । तरी तो यज्ञ ॥५३॥
God's name should be repeatedly uttered when you are in the temple, or working on your field. Repeatation of God's name while walking, talking or doing any enactments becomes a sacrifice. (It is called as the Japayagna). ||53||
मुख्य नामाचें अधिष्ठान । कर्तव्य करावें संपादन । हेंचि साधावया संतजन । नामजप सांगती ॥५४॥
Enacting the duties strictly and honestly is the main inhering of the naam. the holy saints want us to imbibe this strictness and honesty in fulfilling our duties and so they advise us to go on repeating the naam constantly. ||54||
जे पुरुषार्थ सोडोनि जपती नाम । त्यांसि कैसा पावेल आराम ? हें तों झालें आंधळें काम । देवाद्वारीं ॥५५॥
Those who connive at the prowess, i.e. those who avoid and shirk their duties and go on uttering the name of God, will never seek self -satisfaction. It will be your blindness at the doors of the temple of God if you give up your duties and practice the repeatation of God's name. ||55||
आमुचा राम कामें करी । आम्ही मागावी भाकरी । होवोनि फिरावें भिकारी । ही भक्ति कैची ? ॥५६॥
Our Lord Ram was strictly dutiful. If our God Ram renders his duties so strictly and we, his devotees go on begging from door to door for bread to feed our belly, can it be our true devotion for him? ||56||
रामें असुरांसि मर्दावें । आम्हीं पूजापात्र अवलंबावें । निर्बल होवोनि शरण जावें । ही भक्ति कैची ? ॥५७॥
Ram fought very brvely and destroyed the wicked and evil demons and we - the devotees of such brave God, are adopting an almpot and wandering to beg aims with feeble minds before Lord Ram. Is it our genuine devotion for Lord Ram in offering like helpless beggars to Ram? ||57||
भक्त म्हणजे विभक्त नव्हे । एकरूपचि होवोनि जावें । देवें लोकांचें दु:ख हरावें । आम्हीं का करावें देवदेव ? ॥५८॥
The devotee(Bhakta) means who is not seperate from God (vibhakta), as he becomes one with God. Then why should we sit idly repeating deva-deva while God himself is rushing to ward off the sorrows and sufferings of the miserables? ||58||
ऐसा जप जयाने केला । तो शेवटीं मूर्खचि राहिला । बोल देवोनिया देवाला । काय होतें ? ॥५९॥
In this way such (idler) repeater devotee finally remains the fool (Though he constantly utters God's name.) What is the use of blaming the God then? ||59||
पापक्षालनासि नाम घ्यावें । पुढती पाप करीतचि जावें । ऐसें कोण वदलें बरवें । सांगा मज ॥६०॥
Please tell me, has anybody advised us to repeat the name of God to wash away our earlier committed sins on one hand and on the other hand to commit sins again and again? ||60||
ऐसी आहे ज्यांची स्थिति । त्यांसि नामजपी म्हणती । मी म्हणेन कलंक लाविती । नामादिकासि ते ॥६१॥
If such person is called as `Naam-dharak' (constantly uttering God's name), he is tarnishing the sacred nme of God. ||61||
याहूनि न जपे तो पुरवला । उत्तम राहणी ठेवी जो भला । दु:ख न देईच कोणाला । कोण्या प्रसंगीं ॥६२॥
(In my opinion) the person, who never utters the name of God but maintains his conduct in the most excellent and noble way and who never hurts any body on any occasion, is far better than the hypocrite naam repeater. ||62|| (continued—)
व्यवहार करीतसे कष्टून । जोडोनिया उद्योगें धन । सदा राहतो प्रसन्न । खेळींमेळीं प्रेमभावें ॥६३॥
(—continued) This individual works hard and deals fairly & justly. He deligently attends to his profession and earns honestly. He behaves in a very amiable manner with others and seeks their love & affection. He is always cheerful and pleasant. ||63|| (continued—)
असेल तें गरजूंना देणें । कोणा उत्तम-वाईट न म्हणे । आपणा ऐसें सर्वांचें जाणे । सुखदु:ख सज्जन ॥६४॥
(—continued) He helps the needy by providing them what ever he possesses and can spare to give. He never calls anybody good or bad. Such a good noble man he is that he considers the happiness and sufferings of others from his own experiences of sufferings. ||64||
हेंचि शिकावयासाठी । नामजप सांगितला उठाउठी । सदा राहणी गोमटी । प्रेमळपणाची सर्वांशीं ॥६५॥
The naam jap has been advised to acquire these excellent virtues. (As a human) our behaviour should be pious virtuous and affectionate with all. ||65||
प्रथम नाम दुजें चिंतन । तिजें निश्चयीं लावावें मन । मग होवोनि सत्कार्यप्रवण । समाजसेवा साधावी ॥६६॥
One can seek social service with proper association of (i) constant naam japa (2) meditation upon the divine enactments of him whose name he utters (3) making a resolute mind to enact his duties honestly.||66||
ऐसें सत्कर्म जरी नाचरवें । सदगुण विसरोनि नामचि गावें । तरी तें पूर्णतेस न पावे । आत्मोन्नतीच्या ॥६७॥
If anybody goes on repeating God's name but never attempts to enact such virtueous deeds, never brings virtues in his practical behaviour, he can't attain the perfection in his own self upliftment. ||67||
म्हणोनि संतांचिया वचना । निरीक्षोनि ठेवावी धारणा । तरीच ग्रंथीं कथिल्या त्या खुणा । पावती रामनामाच्या ॥६८॥
Therefore it is necessry to put the sayings and quotations of the holy saints to test with due reasoning and considerations. You should hold your own retention according to it. Then only you can have a divine experience of `Ramnaam' which is described in the holy scriptures. ||68||
देव बोलला ’ कामें करा । निर्भय होवोनि देशीं विचरा ’ । सकळ देवाचाचि पसारा । सेवाभाव साधा ॥६९॥
God says, "perform your duties honestly and roam in the world boldly and fearlessly." It is God's governing rule over the whole universe. Therefore one should seek the consciousness of rendering his services to the humanity. ||69||
जनता ज्याला देवरूप कळली । त्याचीच भक्ति देवा पावली । साक्षात्कारें वृत्ति वळली । विश्वात्मभावीं ॥७०॥
When you realise through your self experiences that the whole public is the form of God, then your service, rendered to the people, reaches God and He holds it as your true devotion with God's manifestion in the form of people, you can form a consciousness for universal form of God. ||70||
तें साधाया बोलिलें नाम । लाभावया जीवास आराम । तुटावया अज्ञानभ्रम । दु:खमूळ जो ॥७१॥
To seek this most excellent perfection, the being in you should seek the self - satisfaction and should uproot the ignorance and delusion, which are the only reason for all our sufferings. so the great holy saints had advised to repeat the naam ||71||
आपण तरूनि जग तारावें । शक्तियुक्तीने विश्व भरावें । नामें लोकांसि जागवावें । ऐसा आदेश संतांचा ॥७२॥
The grent saints had prociaimed that everybody should acquire his own redemption and should help the world to seek redemption. In this way, you should utilize your abilities and adroits to make a neat arrangement of the universe and awaken the people through the naam of God. ||72||
संतमुकुटमणि तुकाराम । त्यांनी अभंग कथिले अति सुगम । मार्ग केला व्यवहारक्षम । भोळयाभाळया जनांसाठी ॥७३॥
The highest chief (The most precious stone in the crown) of the holy saints sant Tukaram had composed many abhangas (hymns) which are so easy to understand (even by the illeterates.) Though his abhangas, he had suggested that while living in the household life, following the routine practical behaviour, and extracting one's duties to his family and to the surrounding world, one can practise the spiritual means very casually and comfortably. While living in the domestic routine, he can conviniently enact the spiritual practices to seek redemption He advised the simple innocent common people to go on the straight way to seek the highest spiritual truth. ||73||
अत्यंत साधी गर्जली वाणी । गेली वेदादिकांस भेदोनि । भ्रमचि निवारिला तत्क्षणीं । अज्ञानी जडजीवांचा ॥७४॥
The speech of saint Tukaram is lucid and simple but its roaring unravelled the subtle ripples of the scriptures like the vedas. In a very simple language, he had explained and shown the inner motive of the vedas and other scriptures. In a moment he had removed the ignorance and delusion of the common simple people. ||74||
हजारो मुखांतूनि गरजला । ’ वेदान्त आम्हांसीच कळला ’ । ’ ज्याने पंढरीराज वंदिला । सर्व पावला शास्त्रगुह्य ’ ॥७५॥
The High pitched roaring through thousand mouths emerged conveying "We have trully understood the vedaanta. When anybody goes surrendering his all self to Lord Pandurang, he can seek the core essence and the secrets of all sciences. ||74||
म्हणे ’ नको ब्रह्मज्ञानादि भाव । आत्मस्थितीचा गौरव । आम्ही भक्त तूं चहूकडे देव । ऐसें करी आम्हांसि ’ ॥७६॥
Though the abhangas the devotees tell God, "We don't want the merely arid literal knowledge about the most excellent and ultimate perpetual truth (Brahma). Similarly enumeration of the state of absolute self distinct from body etc. is not at all useful to us. We only earnestly desire to retain that insatiable sweetness of the feel that you are our all pervasive God and we are your devotees. Let us remain in this divine affection for ever. ||76||
’ कोठोनि आणावी विद्वत्ता ? सेवेंचें काम आमुच्या हातां । नाम गाऊं कष्ट करितां । पंढरीनाथा पावाया ’ ॥७७॥
(The devotees in the abhangas say) "Wherefrom can we acquire the wisdom and intellect? Apart from it rendering our true services (with body, speech and mind) is only in our hands. In favour of our honest services to the Lord Pandurang we shall put ourselves to hard labour and enjoy the sweetness of repeatation of his naam. This is the only means of spiritual practice for us. ||77||
प्रभूने ऐकिली त्यांची सेवा । संकटीं आला ऐकोनि धांवा । त्यांच्या शब्देंहि लोक तरावा । ऐसा केला चमत्कार ॥७८॥
When God listened to this practical service of the devotees He himself rushed towards them in the events of calamities upon them. God had enacted miracle of uplifting people to make the devotees words true. ||78||
ऐसे झाले संत अनेक । मूर्तिभक्त बहु नामधारक । जे सेव्यचि झाले असोनि सेवक । हनुमंतापरी ॥७९॥
Thus there had been several saints, many idol worshippers and many naam dharakas (practicing repeatation of God's name) who, like Hanumant, were the loyal and sincere servants of God. But (by their excellent devotional and practical service) though they had enacted as servants of God, they were adored and worshipped by people who held them respectfully and devotedly as the idol of God. (i.e. they themselves became God) ||79||
सर्वचि पंथांचे भक्तिप्रकार । तत्त्व साधतां असती सार । हा आचरोनि दाविला समन्वय सुंदर । रामकृष्ण परमहंसें ॥८०॥
Various kinds and manners of devotion are followed by different faiths and sects. Yet when the core essence of the objectives of devotion by all these means and manners is understood, we come to a pointed conclusion that it is one and the same. Bhagwan Ramkrishna paramhamsa displayed the co-ordination of all the means and manners in all faiths, sects & religions through his actual practical enactments. ||80||
नाम जपोनि मूर्ति पूजितां । देवचि झाले देवा भजतां । पूजूं लागले विश्वा समस्ता । स्त्रीपुरुष-भेद विसरोनि ॥८१॥
This great devotee (Ramkrishna paramhamsa) constantly went on repeating the God's name and worshipping the idol of KALI. Thus he was deeply and constantly absorbed in the devotion of god. He himself became as divine as God through his excellent devotion. He forgot the distinction between male and female and started to offer his services to all considering it as the worshipping of the universal form of God. ||81||
मूर्तिपूजा जपतप कांही । तत्त्व साधतां बाधक नाही । हें सिध्दचि केलें अनुभवें पाही । संतजनांनी ॥८२॥
The holy saints had proved through their experiences that after seeking the ultimate divine truth, the seeker or the devotee has no need to worship the idol of God or enact spiritual practices. However, if he enacts the idol worshipping, Naam-japa and other means, they do not harm his induality with God and to the sublimation of his own - self. ||82||
उत्तम भाकरी करितां यावी । म्हणोनि मुलीने मातीची करावी । तैसी अमूर्त देवाचा मार्ग दावी । मूर्तिपूजा ही ॥८३॥
A small girl, learning to make fine bread (bhakari) first practices by making the bread of soil. Similarly to seek the abstract and inarticulate original form of Brahma (the supreme Truth) the idol worshipping shows the proper way to the seeker. ||83||
देव आहे मूळचा अंतरीं । त्याची साधना करावी लागे बाहेरी । ओळख पटतां विचारें पुरी । भिन्नपणा राहीना ॥८४॥
Basically God exists in the interior of all the beings. But to recognise the invisible God inside us, the spiritual seeker has to enact the spiritual prctices and devotional services (like idol worshipping) outwardly. When the seeker seeks the total realisation of the God inside his own - self, through his earnest and importunate devotional experiences, then the duality between God and the seeker or devotee gets disappeared. ||84||
सत्कर्मांचें ज्ञान झालें । सत्कर्म करणें अंगीं आलें । मूर्तिपूजेचें साधन संपलें । साधकाचें ॥८५॥
When the devotee or the seeker seeks the total recognition of God inside him and understands non-duality between them, he obtains the knowledge of the divine virtuous enactments. When (through regular practice) he becomes inure with enacting virtuous deeds, then the need of idol worshipping as the means of spiritual practices and devotional service is finished for him. ||85||
राहिलें जीवनांत तैसे वागणें । देव भजतां देवचि होणें । देव होण्याचीं कारणें । अनुभवोनिया ॥८६॥
Then what remains for him in his life is to live his life to fulfil his duties and to experience by himself the ways of becoming god. Finally, adoring and worshipping God in his mind, he would become God himself. ||86||
माझा देव दयावंत । पुरवी हीनदीनांचे मनोगत । मजसी पाहिजे निष्ठावंत । तेंचि केलें ॥८७॥
`My God is merciful. He fulfils the desires and expectations of the fallen, poor and miserable innocent people. I am his loyal and true devotee. Therefore I must also enact in the same way with faith and loyalty'. ||87|| (contd——)
ऐसा जप जाले अंतरीं । हातीं व्यवस्थेची चाकरी । लागला रंग याचिपरीं । अहोरात्रीं देहाला ॥८८॥
(——contd) The loyai and true devotee goes on meditation and repeating in his mind as above and renders the selfless services to the human beings. He gets fully absorbed day & night in this and only this divine passion with all his body, speech and mind. ||88|| (contd———)
आता परोपकारचि उरला । देव अंतरी-बाहेरी भरला । पाहणेंचि नाही दुसर्‍या कोणाला । कोणे ठायीं ॥८९॥
(——contd) Now he has remained only to oblige others and do good to them. For him, all inside him and outside him, all pervasive God has occupied then how can he see anybody and anything as alien and separate from him? He is experiencing his oneness with the entire universe. ||89||
विसरोनि गेले व्यक्तिपण । झाले कार्यरूपचि आपण । ऐसें होतां देवपण । अंगीं आलें धांवोनि ॥९०॥
As he has become one with his enactments he has totally forgotten his `self-conceit'. When this feel of unduality becomes stable in him, atonce, the most excellent divinity manifests in his ownself. ||90||
नाना विरोधकांस तोंड दिलें । नाना कष्ट सहन केले । शेवटी सर्वांनी ठरविलें । हेंचि खरें म्हणोनि ॥९१॥
When he boldly face all his antagonists and endured innumerable hardships and severe troubles, all, who have witnessed this, finally came to the decision that he is the genuine form of god. ||91||
पूर्वी मूर्तीस शृंगार करी । तैसेंचि मानवांसि शृंगारी । ’ कष्ट नसो कोण तिळभरी । गांवीं माझ्या ’ म्हणोनि ॥९२॥
Formarly, I used to worhship the idol of God and adorned it with devotion. Now I have been adorning my mind and have decided that I'll now adorn the humanbeings and worship all in the same manner so that nobody in my village would suffer any hardship even as much as the tiny seasame seed (Tilbhara). ||92||
हीच खरी देवपूजा । याविण नाही मार्ग दुजा । संतदेव बोलिले माझ्या । हृदयामाजीं येवोनि ॥९३॥
The saints and God manifested in my mind and advised me that this is only the real worshipping of god. Except this there is no other way like ceaseless repeatation of the name of God. ||93||
देव जैसा जैसा आकळला । तैसा देह-अंहकार मावळला । लवणकण सागरीं मिळाला । सागर झाला एकत्वें ॥९४॥
When the nodule of salt gets desolved in the sea, it acquires the form of the sea. (It becomes the sea itself.) Similarly, when I began to understand and experience the all pervasive God in my ownself and the whole universe, my self-conceit consciousness of physical existence began to disappear. ||94||
यापरी पुढची आहे पायरी । जैसी वृत्ति धरोनि चढाल वरी । तैसा जीव ब्रह्म होवोनि अंतरीं । अनुभव घेई आपणचि ॥९५॥
Similar is the next step. The more you heighten your instinct, the more the being in you will experience the occupant Brahma in itself. (——contd) ||95||
म्हणे मीचि सर्व आता झालों । विश्वीं विश्वाकार होवोनि ठेलों । सर्वचि कार्ये करूं लागलों । आपणाचि साठी ॥९६॥
(contd——) Then such seeker says, "I myself have become the all pervasive in the universal form and whatever I enact, it is for myself. ||96|| (contd——)
माझ्याविरहित कोणी नुरला । अणुरेणूमाजीं मीचि संचला । ऐसा अनुभव येतां झाला । पूर्ण योगी ॥९७॥
(—contd) There is none and nothing other than myself in the entire universe. I have pervaded even the atoms and molecules with my ownself. When the seeker acquires this stage of experiencing his omnioccupant live spirit, he becomes the perfect ascetic (poorna yogi) ||97||
प्रथम पाहिली देवुळीं मूर्ति । पुढे पाहिलें जीवजनाप्रति । पूर्णता होतां सर्वत्र व्याप्ति । आपुल्याचि रूपाची ॥९८॥
(The order of my spiritual progress is such.) First I observed the image of God in the temple and started to worship it with devotion. Further I observed god in the form of public and in all living beings and started worshipping people by rendering my services to them. When I attained the state of perfection, I realised that the forms of my ownself are existing everywhere and only I myself have occupied the entire universe. ||98||
ऐसी लाभावया आनंद-ठेव । पूजावयासि मांडिला देव । द्रष्टा-दृश्य-दर्शनभाव । एकतत्त्वी दिसावया ॥९९॥
To obtain the treasure of this divine delight and bliss, to achieve the consciousness of oneness in the looker, the sight and the vision, the idol of God was set up. ||99||
हाचि धरोनि निर्धार । केलिया नवविध पूजाप्रकार । पावेल सर्वोत्तम सार । ईश्वरभक्तीचा ॥१००॥
If the devotee holds such firm determination while worshipping God with nine kinds of devotion he would attain the same most excellent essence of his honest and sincere worshipping and devotion. ||100||
एरव्ही कितीहि पूजिली मूर्ति । तरी वाढचि घेईल भ्रांति । न मिळेल कदाकाळीं शांति । जनामनासि ॥१०१॥
If the devotee doesn't enact in this manner and goes on worshipping the idol of god to any extent, the confusion and delusion will grow more and more. Neither the devotee nor the people can attain the divine satisfaction and peace for ever. ||101||
नसता वाढेल अहंकार । ’ आमची प्रतिमा अधिक थोर ’ । न मिटेल पंथद्वेष साचार । व्यापक ईश्वर जाणल्याविण ॥१०२॥
unless you recognise the all pervasive god and have the experience, you will develop a false pride for the idol of worshipping. You may then vainly boast that only your idol of god is the most excellent. the feel of jealousy and enmity for the different faiths and sects will never abate from the follower's mind. ||102||
म्हणोनि प्रतिमा धरोनीच न बसावें । पायरीने वाढत जावें । क्रियाशीलपणें विश्वीं पाहावें । विश्वंभरासि ॥१०३॥
Therefore, never sit holding the image of god. Gradually, try to increase the magnanimity (of the idol of God.) Be active and seek the manifestation of the `Vishwambhar.' form of the God in the idol occupying the entire universe. ||103||
सर्व लोकचि आमुचा ईश्वर । सर्व गांवचि आमुचें मंदिर । सेवा करणें निरंतर । पूजा आमुची ॥१०४॥
Always think that all human beings around us are our `Janaardana'. The village is our temple and our ceaseless service to them is our real and devotional worshipping. ||104||
प्रामाणिकतेने करणें काम । हेंचि आमुचें ईश्वरनाम । सर्व जीवमात्राशीं ऐक्यप्रेम । धर्म हा आमुचा ॥१०५॥
We must perform our duties and every enactment sincerely and honestly. This is our `Naam-smarana' (ceaseless repeating the name of God) We should behave with undivided love, with the sense of oneness; with all the living beings. This is our real duty and religion. ||105||
हाचि दृढ धरितां निर्धार । परमार्थ याहूनि नाही थोर । किंबहुना हाचि परमार्थ-सार । अनुभवियांचा ॥१०६॥
When you vow resolutely for this, none other is the most excellent truth and life's highest and noble objective. What more can be said? This is the essence of the highest spiritual experiences of all the most experienced great saints and seers. ||106||
अंगीकारोनि या तत्वांसि । एक करावें सर्व भक्तांसि । लावावें पूजाया ग्राममंदिरासि । तुकडया म्हणे ॥१०७॥
(Shrisant Tukadojee Maharaj says) We should acknowledge this vast and magnificant universal truth, should unite all devotees of god and make them worship the village in the form of temple. ||107||
इतिश्री ग्रामगीता ग्रंथ । गुरु-शास्त्र-स्वानुभव संमत । पूजनस्मरण-रहस्य कथित । सहविसावा अध्याय संपूर्ण ॥१०८॥
This Graamgeeta scripture is well consented by the Guru, shastraas and self experience. This twenty sixth chapter, narrating the secret of worshipping and remembering god is hereby concluded. ||108||
No comments:
Post a Comment