Original · Devanagari
अथ अर्थ-पंचक है तहँ हेतु कबहुँ नहिं रंचक । बदहिं आन मानौं तेहिं बंचक ॥ कोटिन कला विकल्प बिहावै । तौ भी नहिं निश्चय जा आवै ॥ लीला ललित देखावन काजा । प्रगटते नित्य अवधपुर राजा ॥ ताको मरम न कोई जानै । सब जन हरि अवतार बखानै ॥ तहाँ लखै जे परम उपासक । माया मूल विनाशक लासक ॥ कृपासाध्य गति गोप विचारी । याते भिन्न भाव मति धारी ॥ अब प्रसंग चहुँविधि मधि सुनो । थिर चित होइ हिय निज गुनो ॥ शक्ति-विभव बुद्धादिक सब शक्ति निहारो । ईश शक्ति अवतार विचारो ॥ आवेश-विभव द्वै प्रकार आवेश सोहावै । शुद्धाशुद्ध जीव युत छावै ॥ शुद्ध जीव में ईश प्रवेशा । सोइ शुद्ध शुभ आवेशा ॥ व्यासादिक शुभ शुद्ध विराजै । इतर परशुरामादिक भ्राजै ॥ सात्विक राजस तामस पाई । ईशावेश विचित्र बताई ॥ गौण-विभव श्रीशंकर बिरंचि कपिलादिक । यह अवतार गौण प्रतिपादिक ॥ चार प्रकार विभव भल गाये । जानै जन यश बुद्धि सुहाये ॥ अंतर्यामी अंतर्यामी वपुष विहीना । व्यापक अगजग मांझ प्रवीना ॥ ज्ञानानंद इंद बिन नितही । अगम अगोचर सब जन सतही ॥ सत्ता निर्वाहक सब माहीं । ब्रह्म आदि सब नाम सोहाहीं ॥
Fresh English translation
There is never even the slightest external necessity for that manifestation; those who claim another cause deceive themselves. Millions of powers and alternatives pass away, yet certainty does not arise in them. The eternal King of Ayodhyā appears only to display his graceful play. No one knows its secret; everyone merely calls him an avatāra of Hari. Only the supreme worshipper sees there the beautiful destroyer of māyā at its root. Considering that hidden destiny attainable by grace, keep your understanding distinct from lesser devotional attitudes. Now, in this context, hear the four kinds of descent; steady the heart and reflect inwardly. Regard Buddha and the others as manifestations of power; consider them descents of the Lord’s power. Invested descent is of two kinds and rests upon pure or impure souls. The Lord’s entry into a pure soul is pure and auspicious empowerment: Vyāsa and others shine in this way, while Paraśurāma and others display the remaining kind. Empowerment is variously described as sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic. Śaṅkara, Brahmā, Kapila, and others are taught as secondary descents. Thus the four divisions of descent have been well sung; one who knows them gains a pleasing and discerning intelligence. The Inner Ruler has no embodied form and pervades all that moves and does not move. Ever full of knowledge and bliss and without limiting marks, he is inaccessible and imperceptible to ordinary beings. He sustains existence within all things, and names such as Brahman properly apply to him.