Chapter- 40 THE STUDY OF BOOKS (Granthaadhyayana)
Chapter- 40
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THE STUDY OF BOOKS
(Granthaadhyayana) ||Salutations to Shree Gurudeva|| |
| Consistancy between The Graamageeta and the scriptures of the Saints : The objective of the means like books etc. |
Shrotaa aanande karee prashna | Aapana saangitale aadarsha jeevana |
In a great delightful mood, the listener said, "Sir, you have rightly narrated how an ideal life can be. But in other books and scriptures they have told stories, tales and about spiritual knowledge to know one's own self." ||1|| |
Gaavo gaavee grantha laavitee | Tyaahooni aapalee vegaleech pothee |
"In villages, people arrange persuals of some holy scriptures or manuscripts in a particular auspicious period. We find that your manuscript is some what different from those books and scriptures. Now, please tell us,which particular book we should choose for our betterment and upliftment". ||2|| |
Gaava whaavayaa vaikunthapur | kaaya kaamee na yetee grantha itara?
"Do you think that the other books and scriptures can't be much useful and effective to make our village as sacred and ideal as the `Vaikunthapura'? What will be the perfect and surest remedy to create fixed and firm good impressions upon our village?" ||3|| |
Yaache uttara aikaa aataa| vegalee nohe Graamageetaa |
Now listen to my reply to this doubt. This Graamageetaa is not at all different from all other holy books and scriptures. There is no contradiction bewteen the precept of other books and the Graamageetaa. ||4|| |
Sarva upanishadaadi gaayee | dohooni kelee Geetaamayee |
The Bhagwadgeetaa had been narrated by milking the cows in the form of the upanishadas. (i.e. The Geetaa contains the essence of all upanishadaas). Alike the Geeta, This Graamageeta contains the essance of all books and scriptures produced by the great holy saints and sages. ||5|| |
Sarvaa bhootee bhagawad bhaava | haa sant shreshthaanchaa anubhava |
The most excellent saints had an experience that all the living beings are the forms of the supreme divine spirit, (i.e. God). The same divine Truth has been elaborately discussed in this Graamageeta. ||6|| |
Geeteche vishwaroopa darshana | vedaanche viraat purusha varnana |
With the practical study and creative follow up of this Graamgeeta, you can seek the manifestation of the univarsal appearance of God as described in the Geeta. you can experience the manifestation of the most extensive and formidable super-human (viratpurusha) as described in the vedas and you can have an indication of the most supreme and all pervasive spirit of the universe as cherished by the holy saints. ||7|| |
Anek granthaateela varnane | aneka teerthaateela darshane |
This is the intention behind the description and elaboration presented in the holy books. This is the objecive in the visits and pilgrimages of the holy places and this is the aim of the examples and illustrations given in the stories, tales, and the keertanas. ||8|| |
Lok bhulale sahakaarya dene | zaale swaarthaandha vikrut jine |
Today, people have forgotten to extend mutual co-operation to eachother. They have become blind with selfishness and now all are living a life full of passions and disorderly perversities. to fulfil their own selfish purposes, they put others to shame and disgrace. ||9|| |
Hey konyaa reetee nighoni jaaye | Yaachaach shodha aani upaaya |
The saints and the excellent spirits started to find out how and in what manner all this (as described above) can be prevented. So all such saints and holy spirits had themselves acquired the experiences and found out an effective remedy and way upon this. ||10|| |
Waat chaalataa tyaanchya paaoolee | Bol bolataa tyaanchyaa bolee |
If we follow their path stepping upon their steps and if we imitate their practical life, we can surely have total fulfilment of our present birth in all respects. ||11|| |
Yaa saathee grantah-pothee waachaavee | janata sagalee jaagrut karaavee |
With this intention only, any book or scripture of the saints and sages should be read and studied. Through the public reading and study of such books, we should awaken people. By way of mutual co-operation we should spread up good and firm ideal impressions in each and every village. ||12|| |
Maanavatechi jaagavaayaa shikawana | Gaavee asaave kathaa keertana |
The programmes like narrating holy stories, keertanaas etc. should be arranged in the village to teach and learn the lessons of humanity. For this teaching and learning, the perusals and public reading of the holy books and puranas (mythological scriptures) should also be arranged. ||13|| |
Naanaa drushtaanta, kathaa anant | sangonee maanavaa karane unnata |
I have also sung the odes in this Graamageeta by giving several befitting examples and narrating infinite stories & tales so that the upliftment of the human beings can be achieved. ||14|| |
Nako ugeecha awadambara | Aapule jeevan karaave sundara |
The obstentious display of glittering pomp and show has nothing to do with our upliftment and real prosperity. It is the duty of every humanbeing that he should grow, develop and flourish the sprouts of happiness in the life of the village. ||15|| |
Manushya nirogee saatwik banaavaa | Tyaasa vyasanaancha upadrava nasaavaa |
Every man must be healthy. He should become virtueous and pious (satwika). He must not have any harmful habits and addictions. He practical behaviour should never become troublesome to any other beings. ||16|| |
Hechi shikane asate pothitooni | Bhajanaatooni, keertanaatooni |
This is, what one has to learn through bhajan, keertanas, from perusals and reading of the holy books and scriptures etc. For this very purpose, all the saints and sages had devised these various means and ways. ||17|| |
Saadhanaat saadhana samaaj rachanaa | Mukhya drushti raashtriya jaanaa |
The main and only view of all these books and means is to establish an ideal social structure according to the aims and objects of the nationality. Therefore taking the spirit of humanity into considertion, we have to lead and guide common people on the good, noble and the virtueous way of life. ||18|| |
Tyaasaathee taatwikataa daavaavee | warakad upaange samajaawoni dyaavee |
To achieve this objective, the masses and the society should be clarified and convinced the real truth and they should be given knowledge and understanding of the outward and superficial enactments and practical behaviour. Therefore the real need is to start reading and studying the holy books and to employ various means in every village. ||19|| |
Grantha ovibaddhaachi asaave | hehee mhanane sodoni dyaave |
There should be no unnecessary insistance upon the books in poetic order and composed in particular metre like `ovi' etc. The books and scripts may be in prose or poetic order. If they are easily understood and rightly assimilated, any order will be excellent to serve our purpose. ||20|| |
Kaahee grantha aitihaasika | kaahee charitre, kaahee taatwika |
There are different books on different subjects. Some are the books on the history. Some are the biographies of great spirits and personages. Some deal with the spiritual knowledge and truths. Some provide ideal precept & advice. Such books should be used for perusals and public programmes. In our daily personal reading, books of abhangas, the puranas etc. should be used. ||21|| |
| Manuscripts growing superstitions : The public expounders of the puranas |
ugeech bharale chamatkaara | poojaa paateechaa dongara |
If the book contains only the unbelievable exagarrated descriptions of miracles or the undue importance is given to various rites & rituals for worship ; if it doesn't contain the knowledge of the truths behind them, what is the use of reading such books? such contents can give a little entertainment but can't be brought into practical behaviour. ||22|| |
prasaadaasaathee pothee laavilee | chamatkaar aikataa vela gelee |
The perusal or a public reading of some manuscript is arranged for seeking divine favour and blessings. But if all the time is wasted in listening to the unbelievable miracles and strange events, the purpose of such reading and perusals is lost. so, henceforth the reading and perusals of book, which bears no thought of practical behaviour with reasoning intellect, should not be arranged in our village. ||23|| |
Roopakaatmaka poorviche grantha | janasaadhaarana bhulale teth |
In our ancient books & manuscripts, various truths & principles had been presented in somewhat allegoric form. common people (not knowing and understanding the real meaning) set aside the truth or the principle behind them and interprete in some adverse way. So they fail to believe the books and their contents. ||24|| |
Padopadee aise udaaharana | Grantha waachooni bighade mana |
We find so many examples every where and have experienced that people's mind impaired and distorted by reading of such books. When the devotees fail to understand the real hidden meaning in these books, they get confused and doubtful about the contents of such books. ||25|| |
Mee Harivijaya grantha aikalaa | kathile Naarad Naaradee zaalaa |
Once I listened to the scripture `The Harivijaya'. In this book, it is said that the great Rishi Narada turned into a female Naradee. Becoming a woman, he gave birth to sixty sons in a night. ||26|| |
Grantha aikilaa paandava prataapa | Thora thoraanche kathile paapa |
Then, I listened to another scripturen`The Paandava prataapa' In this scripture, on page after page, the sins, evil enactments and excesses of the great and eminent personages are elaborately described. The reader can easily understand the measure of adultry from those descriptions. ||27|| |
Kunaachaa janama kaanaatoona | konee janmala tondaatoona |
In some scriptures I have listened that somebody was born through ear (e.g. Karana, the son of Kuntee), somebody was born through mouth. Another one was born in an earthern vessel (e.g. Agastya rishi.) ||28|| |
Shimpeetoon konee janmaas aalaa | konee jatetoonchi janmalaa |
(In some other books,it is said that) somebody was born from a shell, some other was born through the hair - matted. Somebody made water upon the `Shivalinga' (embodied essence of Lord Shiva) and sought salvation. ||29|| |
Konee prasaad takoni jaata | mhanoni naava bude paanyaata |
In one scripture, it is stated that some individual goes away leaving the `prasaad' (anything distributed after worshipping) and the boat of his dear one sinks under water. When that individual goes back and takes the prasaad, the boat emerges up from water as intact as it was before sinking. ||30|| (This is the example in the manuscript of God Satyanarayana's adoration.) |
Konee pruthwee ghewoni palaalaa | saagaraa itukee laghawee kunaalaa |
Somebody grabs this earth and runs away with it. The other one makes water as much as the water in the sea. A donkey grazed in somebody's nose while he was fast asleep. ||31|| |
Aise granthee chamatkaara | kaana dharoni saangaa apaara |
Though we go on telling such miracles and mysteries holding the ears of the listeners, they are hard to believe. What can we do for it? ||32|| |
Hey jari aisechi theviley | Tari artha saanganaare paahijeta bhale |
If we maintain all these miracles and mysteries to be true, we shall need some learned, wise and knowing philosophers to elucidate the logical meaning hidden behind them. But such learned philosophers have also made the heaven dance upon their fingers. ||33|| |
Mhanatee janaho! aisechi aahe | yethe sanshaya dharoochi naye |
They (the wise philosophers) say, "Folks! all these miracles and mysteries, described in the manuscripts, books and scriptures are true. You must believe in them. If you hold doubts about their reality, you will become sinners and as the conseuences, you all will go to hell." ||34|| |
Maanava karaavayaa aadarsha | haachi kaadhilaa paramarsha |
They have arrived at the conclusion like this (as stated above) for seeking the upliftment and betterment of the humanbeings. they decidedly held up the opinion that the book or the manuscript is the most superior(the king of the books) which contains the essence of all such miracles and mysteries. ||35|| |
Jo aikel bhawanaa dharoni | Tayaasa swarga, mukti laabhe khshanee |
All these wise men and story-tellers had fixed a notion in innocent and ignorant male, female and the society of mankind by hammering this conclusion upon them that if they listen to those books & manuscripts with full faith in the strange contents, they will seek the heaven or salvation just in a moment. But in doing so, those expounders, wisemen and story-tellers have made the whole human society lame, weak and helpless. ||36|| |
Vichaarey sanshayaasi jaagaa waadhalee | samaadhaan vrutti bhangalee |
If the listeners go on thinking reasonably & logically, they grow more and more doubts about the reality of those strange miracles. So they can't have a real satisfaction from such books. These books narrate their subjects in an allegorical language and in a thrilling and scorching version. Therefore, neither the listeners can understand the hidden real sense & meaning nor the expounders and narrators explain them precisely to remove the doubts. ||37|| |
Puraanika mhanatee "ugechi aikaave | hoya mhanooni namra whaave |
But (without explaining precisely & logically) all the expounders and the narrators advise the listeners, "Listen to this holy scripture mutely and undoubtedly. Get fully absorbed with the contents (without trying to find solutions of your doubts.) such listening with full faith can only help you to seek salvation. Otherwise, if you hold any doubts, you will have your downfall." ||38|| |
| THE DISCRETIONARY BOOKS OF THE SAINTS AND THE VISION OF THE READERS TO READ THEM |
Hey saadhu santaannee jaanile | mhanoni vivek grantha nirmaana kele |
Some wise saints and sages noticed and understood the wrong concepts formed by the multitudes about the ancient books, scripturs and manuscripts. So, they themselves produced such discretionary books imparting the true knowledge and providing a clear and doubtless vision. (All these books of such saints & sages are written in a very plain, lucid and easy public vernacular. These books were successful in clearing and removing all doubts of the most ordinary and average common multitudes. ||39|| |
Bhavik janaansi laavaavaya valana | Aakalaavayaa sakala jnyaana |
Really, these saints and the mahantaas have obliged us and the society by producing such books & scriptures. Their literature will surely give a good, right and ideal turn to the devotees by providing true knowledge in all aspects. the whole human society will always remain under their divine obligations. ||40|| |
Sanskrutaatooni kaadhooni saara | sulabha kele prakruta grantha bhaandaara |
All these wise saints have brought the essence of the ancient holy scripts, volumes and manuscripts, which were written in Sanskrit language, by producing their books and scriptures in the simple marathi-public language. In doing so, they had enriched the store of Marathi literature on one hand and on the otherhand, they have helped the average common multitudes to find a very straight and clear way towards their spiritual upliftment. ||41|| |
Puraatana sanskrut rushi-bolee| Tyaatooni bahuwidha bhaashaa janmalee |
Sanskrit was the classical language of the ancient sages and rishis. From that sanskrit language, so many and different languages were born (by the association of the different characterestices of lands, cultures, customs and traditions of different human societies) Marathi is also one of such regional languages. The great talented saint-poets had very extensively enriched Marathi language by producing books and scriptures on a very large scale and had brought the most excellent spiritual kowledge from the ancient sanskrit mountains of literature into their mothertongue-Marathi ||42||Taiseecha maraatheehi waadhawilee | sant-kaviraaje ||42|| |
Sant Dnyaanadeva, Mukundraaj | chakradhara, Naathaadi, Hansaraaj |
From among those talented saint-poets, Shree Sant Dnyaaneshwar, Mukundraj, Chakradhara, Ekanaath & Hansaraaj etc are some saints who had brought the divine spiritual knowledge into very plain and easy, lucid, prakrut-i.e. Marathi-language by producing excellent books and scriptures. ||43|| |
Samartha Ramdaasaadi zaale | Mukteshwar, Moropantadi bhale |
Then came a very long rank and file of such talented poet-saints like Ramdas, Mukteshwar and the most excellent masters in Marathi literature like Moropant etc. All these great poets & saint poets had extended very vastly the store of books, volumes, scriptures in Marathi literature by writing crores of abhangas, odes, verses and unmetrical compositions. ||44|| |
Maharashtree Sant-kavi-paramparaa | Tasaachi charitra-granthaanchaa pasaaraa |
As the unbroken order of the succession (parampara) of the saint-poets had been continueously proceeding from centuries centuries and from generations to generations, the number of the biographies of all such saint-poets also increased more and more. All of these successors of the earlier saint-poets continued to write and produce their own books and spiritual literature to lead the multitudes, on all levels, on their right path. ||45|| |
Swaamee vivekanandaadi santee | junyaa-navyaanchee waaraayaa bhranti |
Modern great and the most talented saints like Swami Vivekananda had produced a great number of books in different languages and had enlightened the divine lamps of the excellent knowledge very logically and reasoningly. all of them had removed and clarified the doubts, delusions, misunderstandings and wrong concepts of the common ordinary multitudes about the old orthodox thoughts and the modern trend of thoughts & reasoning. ||46|| |
Tyaa sarvaantooni shodhooni ghyaave | je taatwik bodha-grantha swabhaave |
Now, you have to choose the right books, scriptures and volumes from all these heaps of literature which can provide you with real spiritual precept and philosphical knowledge very easily. While choosing such books, don't get captivated by rigid, empty and arid pedentry of any books or scriptures. ||47|| |
Aapalee paatrataa olakhona | samajaachi patalee lakhshoona |
While choosing any such book or scripture you must give a due consideration to your personal standard and level of talent and understanding as well as the level of the particular group or society of the multitudes, to whom, you are going to read and narrate it, so that they can have very lucidly and easily the knowledge of the ideals. ||48|| |
Grantha waachataahi taaratamya thewaave | konatyaa granthaatooni kaaya ghyaave |
While reading the proper book, that you have chosen, always keep a discretional consciousness of what thoughts and precepts in that book are worthy of bringing into your practical life and what contents are to be ignored and to be set aside so that you can have a proper guidance for your upliftment and welfare. ||49|| |
Bolake dnyaana saangaanyaasaathee | Grantha waachale uthaa uthee |
If you go after the arid lecturing and oratory as a learned pedant, and, read and study books after books containing different views, you will never have least satisfaction and peace of mind. The harmful developement of such reading is like committing suicide. ||50|| |
Sakhola adhyaatmaache grantha | Tyaasaathee buddheehi paahije samartha |
Some books and scriptures deal with very profound and very subtle spiritual knowledge. So one must be equally and exceptionally talented to grasp and comprehend that most superior knoledge. Moreover, the main object of reading and studying the books is to understand the right path of our duty as Arjuna had sought from the Geeta. So, the book you choose to read & study must be helpful to you to achieve the right path of your duty. ||51|| |
| INSANITY AND DISCRETION |
Eravhee hajaaro grantha waachale | Tyaateel marmachi naahee kalale |
Otherwise, thousand of such books are read, but, if you can't realise the core essence and secret of the contents of those books, your labour of reading becomes insane, fruitless and in vain. ||52|| |
Vedaa bolooni phaara gelaa | pari tyaachaa arthachi naahee umagalaa |
The insane person speaks too much. But neither he nor the listeners understand what he is speaking about. Therefore he is considered as the insane one. ||53|| |
Bolela je kaahee waachene | Taartamya thewoni vivekaane |
When an individual acts from his heart and soul according to his speech but with full consciousness of discretion about right & wrong, we consider him to be a real human being. ||54|| |
Jo phaar bolooni jaato | pari ekaavari na nishchit raahato |
And the individual who speaks too much but never remains firm and steady, while enacting upon even one sentence, then we consider him to be an insane one. ||55|| |
Lokee haachi ghusalaa vedepanaa | Tyaane dharmaachaa kelaa dhingaanaa |
This insanity has penitrated into our common human beings. It has created a boisterous romping and great commotion in the religions. Though the person appears outwordly to be trusting wise and pious, he is really an insane one. ||56|| |
Maja bhetalaa aisaa ek sajjana | mhane, "Aikaal kaaya maaze kathana? |
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Mee tayaashi vinod kelaa | mhanalo, "kaise paavaal paramaarthaala? |
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Tyaa gruhasthaane gharee jaaoona | Grantha phadale danaadana |
Strangely enough, that good fellow went home, collected all the books and scriptures, pounded them into a mortar and powdered them. It is the example of one's superficial talent. ||62|| |
Sakaalee yewoni vichaaree | kitee diwasa pyaave taree? |
The next morning, this fellow came to me and asked, " How many days shall I consume this powder? Howlong shall I shuffle and shake it with milk? Please tell me about this." ||63|| |
Mee mhanaalo, "waa re buddhi! Andhaanukaranaa dhaave aadhee |
I said, "what a wonderful intellect you have!" This is the example of following and imitating anybody's enactments without understanding and reasoning. If such reader doesn't have a sense of judgement and discretion, how can he seek any desired experience?" ||64|| |
Arey! tuja heyhi naahee kalale | grantha phaadoni choorna kele |
I said, "Brother! Didn't you understand such a simple thing? you followed my words (without thinking) literally and destroyed the excellent holy books by pounding & powdering them. How can you seek any experience by enacting so madly & ignorantly?" ||65|| |
To mhanaalaa, "Aamhaasi kaaya? konee saangel taisaa karaavaa upaaya |
The fellow said very innocently, "What else can people like myself do then? I have always followed and enacted as others had advised and guided. In this way, I have formed a habit of reading daily and so far performed perusals of those books regularly for many times." ||66|| |
Kalale naahee Brahmasootra | upanishad, pancheekarana, vichaarasaagara |
"I read the Brahmasootras, the upanishadaas, the panchikarana, the vichaarasaagar again and again. But I frankly tell you, I could not understand the meaning and the spiritual propositions, the spiritual knowledge and the precept contained in those scriptures. So, I obtained the explanatory and elaborating annotations written by great pedants & scholars and read them out hurriedly and greedily. ||67|| |
Aata kuthawari paatha karaave? maney dharile aapanaasa vichaaraave |
(He continued) "Howlong should I go on reading so many books again and again? So I thought it better to see you and seek your good and proper guidance. With a great faith in you, I have come to you and expressed my doubts & problems." ||68|| |
Aapana saangitale choorna karaa | Taisechi kele jaawooni gharaa |
"You told me to pound and make powder of those books. I went home and powdered all books & volumes. Now I have come to you again to have your guidance about the further procedure for using it." ||69|| |
Kuneekade tond karaave pinyaat? saangaal taise ghewoo satata |
"Now please tell me, In which direction shall I look while drinking this solution of the powder? I shall regularly have it as per your advice." Hearing all his account, I said to him, "What a great faithful person you are! How blind follower you people are!" ||70|| |
Baba! meecha kharaa chukalo | Tuzyaashee vinod karoni thakalo |
(I said to him), "Brother! I admit, I have committed a great mistake. I wanted to test the level of your intelligence and reasoning. So I tried to play joke upon you. (But finding all enactment done by you) I have put myself in a fix by advising you to do so." ||71|| |
Ewadhe grantharaaj waachon | kitee aale taaratamya dnyaana |
When you told me a very long list of books & scripts you had read, I wanted to know how much discretionary intelligence you have developed by reading them so voraciously. But now I have fully understood from all your ignorant and blind enactments what you have earned from your reading." ||72|| |
Karmatha, andhaanukaranee buddhi | Tyaasi brahmadnyaane nako aadhee |
"A man like you, who has deeply sunk into the rigid and orthodox rites and rituals without knowing them; who is so blind imitator lacking discretionary intelligence should not be given the most subtle knowledge of Brahma. first for people like you, it is better to seek purity and introvert insight. so you should exercise now to make your tendencies pure and introvert. Then you will not have to waste your time and energy in such laborious practices." ||73|| |
Mhanoni saangato khare, aika | Granthee waachaave chaaritrya samyaka |
So, Now I'll tell you the truth. (Leave all other books aside) choose and read only such books which can provide you the essential knowledge of ideal and good practical behaviour, proper enactments and pious, virtueous and noble character." ||74|| |
Kadhee uthaave, kadhee zopaave | kaise snaana, dnyaana karaave |
"Such book will guide you when to get up, when to go to bed, how to enact religious rites, how to bathe and perform `sandhyaa', and about the enactments and practices so that you can become a divine meritorious man." ||75|| |
Konatyaa bhaave udyoga karaava | konaachaa upadesha aikaavaa |
"Such books will guide you about the right and good objectives which you should have before you in practicing your professional enactments and dealings. They will create in you a sense of discretion about whose advice and precept you should seek, how much of it you should accept and bring into practice and what should you neglect and avoid. You will form your own power of reasoning by such books." ||76|| |
Heychi pathana aadhee karaave | maga kartavya tatpara whaave |
"So now start reading such books first. prepare yourself to enact accordingly. Be honestly & sincerely dutiful. Then only take the next step on the way of knowledge to seek & to experience it." ||77|| |
Aise anukrame grantha waachaave | Tareech dnyaana sampaadaave |
In this planned way, you should have an orderly reading of such lucid and easily comprehensive books. Then meditate upon the contents and digest the philosophical precept and prilimanary spiritual knowledge from them. Else, though you continueously go on performing perusals of books until your death, you will gain nothing good." ||78|| |
| THE EXPERIENCES SOUGHT FROM THE BOOKS AND FROM THE GRACEFUL FAVOUR OF SHREEGURU |
Shaastra pracheetee, Guru pracheetee | magachi hote aatma pracheetee |
It is forcefully stated by experience great spiritual seekers that one can experience the true meaning of what is said about Aatma pracheetee. After attaining the experience from shatraas (sciences) you have to obtain the experiences from the Sad Guru. (Gurupracheetee). Then only you can seek `Aatmapracheetee. This is the proper order of seeking aatmapracheetee. ||79|| |
Santee kathile shaastra pathana | Te sadgranthaansi uddeshooona |
The holy saints had advised to read the good books only. while addressing about the study of the shastraas they meant that the reader should reasonably consider his level and limits of digesting the most subtle knowledge and should choose only such books which he is worthy of studying. It will make his life really fruitful. ||80|| |
Erawhee grantha-bhaandaar bahuta | Naanaa vidwanaanche bahumata |
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Moorkha, padhat moorkha, vivekee, shuddha | Buddha, Mumukhshoo, Saadhak, Siddha |
In fact the human beings can be divided in different groups according to their different level of intellect, temperaments, tendencies, abilities, traits etc. Some of them are idiots. Some are educated fools. Some are discretional & considerate. Some are pure & pious in mind & behaviour. Some are accomplished (siddhaas) and some others are the seekers. Some extremety and earnestly pine for emancipation and practice the devotional enactments. and then there is a large number of people who are ignorant and miserable. (paamar). All these different people hold different levels & limits of their talents. The books guide everybody on particular way towards his upliftment from his particular level of the intellect & understanding. ||84|| |
Aapanaasi kona rog jadalaa | nishchit kalaavaa jyaala tyaala |
One must know well what disease he is suffering from. First of all, he should have a proper and effective remedial treatment upon that disease. ||85|| |
Pari jo aapanaasi olakhoo neney | Tyaasi sahaayya laage dene |
But when one fails to know this, he should go to the proper knowing person and seek guidance to understand it. Here also, you have to seek the withess of the experiences of holy saints and good virtueous noble individuals. ||86|| |
Naaheetari granthee sarvachi vishaya | konee upaaya, konee apaaya |
Otherwise, the books contain all various subjects with different views and opinions. Bringing some of them into practice may prove remedical and favourable for some individuals while for some other folks they may prove harmful and adverse. This happens due to the difference in the level, state, abilities and talents of the different individuals. ||87|| |
Yaa saathee havee sat-sangati | jyaasi naahee sookhshma mati |
One, who does not possess the subtle intellect to make a proper decision by himself, should seek constant association of holy saints and noble virtuous good individuals. There can be some individuals who possess very sharp talent & excellent intelligence and so they can climb up step by step on their way to seek the self experience. ||88|| |
Konee sanskaarachi ghewoni aalaa | konee yethe shikoni rangalaa |
There are some born excellently talented individuals who have brought the excellent spiritual impressions of their earlier births and so they are on the highest level and worthy of subtle spiritual knowledge since their early childhood. Some acquire excellent impressions in their present life and can extend their limits and level to step up towards their spiritual goal. But there are a large number of common people who can't assimilate the precept and guiding advice of the holy spirits and saints though they are repeatedly told and explained. ||89||konaasa kaaheech na kaley bodha bhalaa | santaanubhawaachaa ||89|| |
Mhanoni grantha waachaave tyaane | mana laavoni artha samajane |
So such individual should read the books and scriptiture with attentive and concentrative mind. He should contemplate upon the contents he has read and try to understand and assimilate it. He should consult the proper authoritative and experienced wiseman and seek proper guidance to progress further. ||90|| |
Granthaanche bharale mahaa bhaandaara | Tyaatooni niwadatee niwadanaara |
The store of the books, scriptures, volumes and manuscripts is extensively tremendous. The saints, holy men and good virtueous individuals can rightly choose the core essance from those innumerable books and present effectively, the pure knowledge before the seekers. ||91|| |
Mulaata saarachi santaanchi waanee | Janaasi taaree maarga daawooni |
Basically the speech of the saints itself contains the essance of all the faculties of knowledge. So it is fully capable of guiding the common people and help them to seek their improvement and upliftment. Therefore, the books produced by such divine saints, which contain the most excellent knowledge are really the divine images of spiritual knowledge in the form of their words. ||92|| |
Pari tayaanchaa laavitaa artha | saamaanya buddhi pade bhramaata |
But common people, possessing an avarage intelligence get greatly confounded when they try to find out the coherent meaning of the divine speech of those saints because of their most ordinary intellect & power of understanding. The words in the books of those saints are the same as in the usage today. But when they are used in the changed circumatances and in different references & situations, their meaning also changes accordingly. If the ordinary reader doesn't have the sense of discretion about the different shades of the meaning, then those words either produce adverse and fateful meaning or become meaningless. ||93|| |
Yaasaathee desha kaalaanusaara | Granthaanche ukaloni daavaave antara |
Therefore it is very essential that the contents of the books and scriptures, produced by the ancient & earlier saints and sages in the long past must be explained and clarified with reference to the places and ages, where and when they are studied by the common ordinary people. The divine speech of those earlier saints and sages had emerged through their own spiritual experiences and so the contents of their books carry some secret & disguised subtle core knowledge. It is the right of only the modern equally authoritative saints & holy men to explain and unveil the secrecy of the knowledge of those books, because the holymen and saints, who are existing presently, have sought the same divine state and self experience which the earlier saints had and described in their books. ||94|| |
Saddhu sant anubhavaache saagara | Tyaannaa kalato pudheela vyawahaara |
The saints & sages are the vast oceans of the worldly & spiritual experiences. They can prethink and have a foresight to know fully well what enactments, duties and practices will become fruitful & favourable in the future age & world to come and what is to be enacted by the human beings to seek their welfare and both worldly & spiritual upliftment. ||95|| |
Konaasa kaaya saadhana dyaave | Hey tyaaseecha kale swabhaave |
Only Sadguru (the saints & holymen) knows what practice should be suggested and given to the particular individual.They are highly experienced and can easily examine the level and limits of worthiness of persons before them. So I have told you to seek the consent & witness of the experiences of the Sadguru. ||96|| |
| THE SERIAL ORDER OF BOOKS, MANIFESTATION OF ONE'S OWN-SELF; THE STATE OF NON-ESSENTIALITY OF BOOKS |
Konate grantha konee waachaave | santaanne kathiyale te barave |
The holy saintes have rightly advised the order of reading the books as to what books are to be read and who should read them. First of all, everybody must read the books which guide in developing moral, virtueous and good pious behaviour. He should read books which guide in maintaining the regular proper practices at the proper times. ||97|| |
Zopaave, uthaave tharalyaa velee | Aapulee kaame karaavee sagalee |
Read such books which properly guide about when one should sleep, when he should get up. How all should fulfil their own duties & enactments. They should be very careful that none other in the world should suffer any trouble, pain or sorrow due to their behaviour. ||98|| |
Aapule karma sampawoni sagale | Jo dusaryaachyaa sevesi wale |
One, who fulfils his own duties and routine enactments and then spares himself to exert in rendering his services to others, can only earn name, glories and prosperity on the strength of his honest & dutiful deeds. ||99|| |
Aise vichaara jayaa granthee | Techi prathama waachaavee pothee |
One should read such book or manuscript first in which the noble thoughts as stated above are impressively narrated. While reading it he should concentrate upon the core essence of the real meaning, which will help the reader's being(soul) and other beings to progress and proceed towards their highest and perfect upliftment. ||100|| |
Jayaasa vyawahaara samajalaa poorna | Sakriya kalale saadhaanaa dnyaana |
When one seeks thorough knowledge and understanding about his duties & moral practical behaviour and then has acquired the knowledge of spiritual practices through his enactments, then he should try to recognise by reading books (which discuss about `what is the Brahma and what is the `Aatma'.) ||101|| |
Samajoni ghyaave panchee karana | Atma-anaatma, Brahmavivarana |
The next step is, that the reader should then read books on pancheekarana and Aatma-anaatma. Through these books or seeking guidance from the authorities upon these subjects he should get full and doubtless knowledge of them. Then he should read the books dealing elaborately upon the `Brahmanirupana' etc. Once he gets fully convinced about all these aspects of the spiritual knowledge, his mind will never err and go astray towards the unreal and illusive worldly matters. ||102||kalalyaavari ne ghe mana | Mithyaa-bhraanti vishayee aashaa ||102|| |
Magachi khare shrawana manana | Nidihyaasa waadhel manaa paasoona |
Then only the spiritual practices like listening (shravana) meditation (manana) and contemplation (dhyaana) will develop. Then seeker will progress further and can practice deep contemplation with fully absorbed mind and concentration. Such regular spiritual practice will help him to experience the hint of his own-self internal manifestion in his own-self. ||103|| |
Saakhshaatkaar brahmajyoti | Hoyeel atmaanandaachee praapti |
He will then have the manifestation of the most brilliant divine flame of the supreme and Absolute Truth, (i.e. the Brahmajyotee), He will seek the divine delight of his self-spirit. Finally, his own self will get completely absorbed in the Absolute Truth-i.e. Brahma. ||104|| |
Jayaachee drushti-oordhwa zaalee | vishayaatooni unmaneeta gelee |
When the seeker's vision becomes introvert, his inclination turns away from the worldly objects and gets disinterested, then his mind (with all its five faculties-i.e. antakkarana panchak) will be absorbed into his self spiritual form. In its perfectual state, his spontaneous and the natural yogic trance (sahaj samadhi) will swing him in the cradle of the most excellent and divine delight. ||105|| |
Deva bhakta naahee duje | kalale anubhavaane sahaje |
With his own experience he will witness that God and the devotee are not at all two different entities (but the one & only one Truth appears into divided forms.) He will have the divine experience of becoming the occupant of the whole universe. ||106|| |
Grantha vaakyaane vrutti chadhalee | Gurubodhaane anubhavee valalee |
(The order of his gradual spritual progress is such) His reading and profound study of the books heighten his state of inclination. It will then turn towards self experience by the excellent precept of his Guru. When he seeks self-experience by the grace of Guru, his spiritual delight will make his inclination to become indivisible from that absolute truth and he will constantly enjoy the sweet Brahmarasa. ||107|| |
Maga kashaache grantha waachana? Je je kareel, techi samaadhaana |
Then why does he feel the need of reading any book? whatever he enacts will become a cause for his divine delight. Whatever he speaks will be the essence of all books. ||108|| |
Harsha naahee janma ghetaa | dukkha naahee mrutyu hotaa |
He will not be affected by the joy of birth or the sorrow for death. The state of `sthitapradnya' (steady and immovable state of inclination) which is the form of that absolute absorption into divine essence (kaivalyaroopa) will get imbibed by the seeker. ||109|| |
Yaachi poorna sukhaa saathee | Grantha waachane uthaauthee |
For achieving this total perfect happiness, one has to read the holy books. The ultimate aim of one's life lies only in this and here only lies the perfection of one's life. ||110|| |
Hee aatma pracheeti paavaavayaasi | Haachi maarga ahe saadhakaasi |
This is the only way to seek the self experience for any seeker. And It's beginning is to cling to the holy books. ||111|| |
Eravhee jo poorveecha umagalaa | Tyaasa nakochi haa galabalaa |
Otherwise, the exceptionally talented one, who has already recognised the good & virtueous way of self realisation through his earlier spiritual impressions, doesn't need any of these hard efforts from reading books to the final achievements. Straightway, and he can seek the self-experience by his own satisfaction. ||112|| |
| SELF-EXPERIENCE MEANS THE DIVINE VISION BUT UPLIFTMENT OF PRACTICAL BEHAVIOUR IS THE FOUNDATION |
Aatma pracheeti mhanaje divya drushti | jyaat vyashti, samashti aani parameshthi |
Self-experience means such a divine vision which encompasses `vyashti' (the individual), `samashti' (the human society) and `parameshti' (The whole universe). It is the experience in which we seek unduality (oneness) of all infinite forms in the universe in our own-self. ||113|| |
Aso deva, sant, maanava | paapee, punyawaana sarva |
The seeker experiences that God, saints, all human beings, the sinners, the divine meritorious and he himself are one as a whole in the original form of the most excellent, supreme absolute Truth. The entire universe appears to him as the manifestation of chaitanya (The divine spirit) ||114|| |
Aisaa anubhava jyaane ghetalaa | To vishwaachyaa upayogaa aalaa |
When the individual seeks this divine experience, he becomes the cause of the welfare of the whole world. All his enactments and practical behaviour becomes extensively comprehensive for all. ||115|| |
Yaachi bhaave janasaadhaaranaasi | Grantha dyaavet waachaavayaasi |
With this feel and consciousness, the avarage common innocent men should be provided with good books and they should read them with the object of achievement of aim of life. They will seek the manifestion of the universal form by following this way of ordered practice. ||116|| |
Parantu jyaasi vyawahaar paatrataa naahee | Tyaannee karaavee adhyaatma ghaayee |
But those, who do not know the simple ways and manners of good practical behaviour, should not make undue haste of profound reading of spiritual books and scriptures. If they do, their labour of reading will be fruitless and would not benefit them. ||117|| |
Shuddhaacharana maagaahooni waachale | pahile vedaant pathana kele |
If one reads the books on vedanta before reading the books essential for the guidance of pure practical behaviour, it will be absurd like the quotation of sant Eknaath `walanaache paanee Aadhyaavaree nele'. (This quotation means to try to do insane and impractical enactments like taking water(which always flows downwords) from bottom to the top of the roof). ||118|| |
Shabde mhanateel-`Sarva Brahma' | manaa aale te kariteela karma |
Such individuals (who prematurely achieve half hazaard imperfect knowledge by reading books) will constantly reiterate `Sarva Brahma' but in their practical behaviour, they will enact to the pleasure of their own mind and perform absurd deeds. If they speak on the spiritual and adhyatmik subjects with their empty pedantic oratory, they will create commotion and delusion more than any atheist can do. It will be harmful to the human society. ||119|| |
Gaavee dukkhaanchi petalee aaga | To mhanela `Sachchidaanand jaga' |
If the people in the village are burning in the fire of sorrows and this fellow preaches on `Sachchidanand world' people will feel that it is his feign pretention like the folk artist playing different roles in different multiforms. ||120|| |
Yaastava gaava hoyeel shuddha | prema, dnyaan, satya, aananda |
Therefore reading and perusals of such books of good thoughts should be arranged in the villages which will make the village pure and all villagers will be benefitted with love, knowledge, truth and delight. ||121|| |
Hoyeel jeevanaachee unnatee | Dnyaan-vidnyaanaachee pragati |
A good library of such god books, which help in seeking knowledge of life, knowledge of sciences and guidance to make a good progress of the village, should be maintained in each and every village. It will surely make the life of the village and the villagers prosperous and better. ||122|| |
Sarvaasa kalaave kartavya aapule | kaise hoyeel sarvaanche bhale?
By regular reading of good books, all will know and realise their own duties well. All should then try to understand where their own welfare and the upliftment of the village is lying and how this universe can bloom up by their minds, bodies and wealth. ||123|| |
Aamhee rahivaasee sarvachi mulache | vishwarachanaa hey naataka aamuche |
All the beings with us belong to one original divine place. All this structure of the universe is a divine play. We all have come here to enact our individual roles in this universal drama. All of us are expected to play our individual roles on the stage of this world as beautifully as we can. ||124|| |
Aise jaanoni swaroopaasi | varte to jinkee yaa khelaasi |
Realising the wanton pleasure of our own self-spiritual form, one, who will behave accordingly, will certainly gain a grand and victorious success in this game of the drama staged on the universal structure. With this intention, I have written this scripture of the Graamageetaa. I wish, everything quoted in it should come into reality in the concrete form of in ideal village. (Vandaniya maharaj says so.) ||125|| |
Iti Shreegraamageetaa grantha | Guru-shastra-swaanubhava sammata |
This Graamageeta scripture has been consented by the Guru, the shastras and self-experiences. This Fortieth Chapter in which the objectives of reading of the books has been elaborately narrated is hereby concluded. ||126|| |
||Sadgurunath maharaj ki jai||
|
| VOLITIONS |
| 1 The Bhagwadgeeta is the essence of the Upnishadas. Similarly, this GraamaGeeta contains the essence of all the philosophical and religious books and scriptures. The manifestation of the universal divne form, the huge and formidable description of the Vedas and the subjective indication of the God of the saints as the Universal Spirit can be sought through the active and constructive following of this Graama Geeta. So we shall read Graama Geeta in our Village. 2 The most excellent of all the means is the social structure keeping the national interest in view. Seeking the contrivance of the humanity, we shall start the reading of Graama Geeta to lead the people or the better and virtueous way. 3 The individuals should be able to comprehend the path of the duty. Therefore, we shall first perform our duty attentively. 4 If the person has orthodoxy, blind imitative mind there is no use of providing him the knowledge of Brahma. When he attains purity and introvertion, it takes no time to provide him this knowledge. Therefore, first we shall try to seek the pure and pious behaviour and the introvertion. 5 I shall spend from my pocket for canvassing this Graama Geeta. |
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