Original · Devanagari
ईश्वर-विवेचन रूप अनूप सहित नित बासा । निज भक्तन हिय करहिं बिलासा ॥ केवल साखी रूप बिराजै । स्वाद मोद नहिं देत कदाजै ॥ जो अंगुष्ठमात्र वपु बरनै । सो साकार रूप हिय हरनै ॥ निराकार सब में बसत, भक्तन हिय साकार ॥ युगल अनन्य विचार बिनु, भटकहिं अंध गंवार ॥ निराकार में सुख नहीं, केवल व्यापक रूप । सरस रहस साकार मधि, श्री श्रुति शेष निरूप ॥ अर्चावतार सब विधि अतिकमनीय उदारा । अब सुनिये अर्चा अवतारा ॥ चार प्रकार भेद इन माहीं । तीरथ देश पुण्य सरसाहीं ॥ निज बल्लभवर भक्तभवन में । दारु आदि वपु मध्य अवनि में ॥ कृपा अहेतुक जनपर राखी । नित्यहि निकट रहहिं श्रुति साखी ॥ प्रीति मानि पूजा बहु भांति । अंगीकार करत तजि जाति ॥ परम स्वतंत्र भक्त आधीना । सत सर्वज्ञ अज्ञता लीना ॥ सदा अचिंत्य शक्ति श्रमहारी । रहत तहँ असमर्थ खरारी ॥ पूरण काम सदा सुखरासी । पै कामी सम रहस बिलासी ॥ चेतन सहज भांति जड़ समता । रक्षक परम रक्ष्य इव रमता ॥ संतत रहत अगोचर जोई । अति दृग दृश्य अग्रो प्रभु सोई ॥ दुर्लभ विधि आदिक जो स्वामी । भयो सो सुलभ भक्त अनुगामी ॥ अर्चा के भेद स्वयंव्यक्त तिमि दिव्य विराज । सैद्ध सुभग मानुष छवि छाजै ॥ यहि प्रकार विचारि चार बर । अब सुनिये लक्षण मन बस कर ॥
Fresh English translation
The Inner Ruler ever dwells with incomparable form and sports within the hearts of his own devotees. Yet when he abides only as witness, he never grants the relish of delight. The thumb-sized body described in scripture is the heart-stealing embodied form. The formless dwells in all, while the formed Lord dwells in devotees’ hearts; without Yugalānanya’s discrimination, blind and ignorant people wander. There is no tasted joy in the formless, only all-pervading being; the rasa-filled secret lies within the embodied form, as sacred revelation and Śeṣa declare. Now hear of the exceedingly lovely and generous worshipful manifestation. It has four divisions and beautifies holy pilgrimage places. In the homes of the Lord’s beloved devotees it assumes bodies of wood and other materials upon earth. Keeping causeless grace toward his people, the Lord remains continually near, with revelation as witness. Accepting their love, he receives worship in many forms without regard to caste. Supremely independent, he becomes dependent upon devotees; eternally omniscient, he enters apparent unknowing. The slayer of Khara, possessed always of inconceivable power, appears there as though powerless. Ever fulfilled and an ocean of bliss, he nevertheless sports in secret like one who desires. Naturally conscious, he assumes the likeness of inert matter; the supreme Protector plays as though he were the protected. He who remains forever beyond the senses becomes directly visible to the eyes. The Lord difficult even for Brahmā and the gods to attain becomes easily accessible and follows his devotees. The worshipful image has four excellent kinds: self-manifest, divine, perfected, and humanly established. Having distinguished them in this way, now hear their characteristics and hold them in mind.