The Nature of God

अंतरींची घेतो गोडी । पाहे जोडी भावाची ॥१॥

He savors the sweetness within and seeks the companionship of devotion. God is kinsman, God is kinsman, God is kinsman o…

विष्णुमय जग वैष्णवांचा धर्म । भेदाभेदभ्रम अमंगळ ॥१॥

The world is Vishnu-constituted. This is the dharma of Vaishnavas. The delusion of difference and non-difference is inau…

आहे तें सकळ कृष्णा चि अर्पण । न कळतां मन दुजें भावी ॥१॥

All that exists is already offered to Krishna alone. Not knowing this, the mind takes it to be its own. Therefore the fi…

माया तें चि ब्रम्ह ब्रम्ह तेंचि माया । अंग आणि छाया तया परी ॥१॥

Maya is Brahman, Brahman is Maya, as the body and its shadow. You cannot cut it, cannot push it aside; it vanishes benea…

घेऊनियां चक्र गदा । हा चि धंदा करी तो ॥१॥

Wielding discus and mace, this alone is His hustle. He keeps His devotees close to His feet; the wicked He annihilates. …

हरिहरां भेद । नाहीं करूं नये वाद ॥१॥

Between Hari and Hara there is no difference; do not quarrel over this. Each dwells in the heart of the other, like swee…

हरि तूं निष्ठ‍ निर्गुण । नाहीं माया बहु कठिण । नव्हे तें करिसी आन । कवणें नाहीं …

O Hari, you are truly without attributes, and yet your Maya is exceedingly harsh. You do what has never been done, what …

बैसवुनि फेरी । गडियां मध्यभागीं हरी । अवघियांचें करी । समाधान सारिखें ॥१॥

Seating them in a circle, Hari at the centre, He satisfies every one of them equally. Whoever looks sees Him directly b…

धाकुटयाचे मुखीं घांस घाली माता । वरी करी सत्ता शाहाणियां ॥१॥

A mother places food in the mouth of the younger child while she exercises authority over the older, wiser ones. Throug…

अवघें ब्रम्हरूप रिता नाहीं ठाव । प्रतिमा तो देव कैसा नव्हे ॥१॥

Everything is the form of Brahman; there is no empty place. How then can an image not be God? Those without faith canno…

ध्यानी योगीराज बैसले कपाटीं । लागे पाठोवाटीं तयांचिया ॥१॥

Great yogis sit in meditation behind closed doors, and God follows them even there. He tends to their hunger and thirst …

घडी मोडी हेळामात्रें पापपुण्यसंचिता । भवदुःख कोण वारी तुजवांचुनि चिंता ॥१॥

In mere sport you build and demolish the accumulated store of merit and sin. Who but you can remove the sorrow of existe…

अल्ला करे सो होय बाबा करतारका सिरताज । गाउ बछरे तिस चलावे यारी बाघो न सात ॥१॥

Whatever Allah wills, that alone happens; the Creator wears the crown. He drives the cow and calf as he pleases; the tig…

अल्ला देवे अल्ला दिलावे अल्ला दारु अल्ला खलावे । अल्ला बगर नही कोये अल्ला करे सो…

Allah gives, Allah causes to give, Allah is the medicine, Allah causes it to be taken. There is no one besides Allah; wh…

पव्हे घातली सर्वत्र । पंथीं अवघे पंथ मात्र । इच्छाभोजनाचें आर्त पुरवावया ॥१॥

Rest-houses are set along every road, and all paths are merely paths, to fulfill the longing of the heart's desire is sp…

पुरविली आळी । जे जे केली ते ते काळीं ॥१॥

Every wish I ever made, he fulfilled at the right time. Tell me, is there any mother like this, O compassionate Panduran…

उभारिला हात । जगीं जाणविली मात ॥१॥

He raised his hand and declared his word to the world. God is seated upon the throne; whoever comes as a supplicant, he …

कृपाळु भक्तांचा । ऐसा पति गोपिकांचा ॥१॥

So gracious is this Lord to the devoted, the very husband of the milkmaids. He stands at the door without being called a…

सिणलेती सेवकां देउनि इच्छादान । केला अभिमान अंगीकारा ॥१॥

Having granted each weary servant the gift of his heart's desire, you embraced them with the honor of your acceptance. O…

काळें खादला हा अवघा आकार । उत्पित्तसंहारघडमोडी ॥१॥

Time has devoured every form through the cycle of creation and destruction. The seed, the sprout, is concealed in the be…

दीनानाथा तुझीं ब्रिदें चराचर । घेसील कैवार शरणागता ॥१॥

O Lord of the lowly, your fame as protector of all creation, who champions the cause of those who surrender, fills the m…

आम्हासाठीं अवतार । मत्स्यकूर्मादि सूकर ॥१॥

For our sake he took the forms of the Fish, the Tortoise, and the Boar. When we call the name of the Lord of Pandharpur,…

अवघे देव साध । परी या अवगुणांचा बाध ॥१॥

All are God's creation, yet the affliction of bad qualities persists. That is why no two things can truly be compared; e…

गोडीपणें जैसा गुळ । तैसा देव जाला सकळ ॥१॥

Just as jaggery is nothing but sweetness through and through, so God has become all that exists. How then shall I worshi…

पावे ऐसा नाश । अवघियां दिला त्रास ॥१॥

He gave trouble to everyone, bringing about their ruin, yet formed an unfading bond with Panduranga, who bears all thing…

देवा तूं कृपाकरुणासिंधु । होसी मायबाप आमचा बंधु। जीवनसििद्ध साधनसिंधु । तोडिसी भ…

O God, You are an ocean of grace and compassion, our mother, father, and brother. You are the ocean of fulfillment and t…

देवा तूं आमचा कृपाळ । भक्तीप्रतिपाळ दीनवत्सळ । माय तूं माउली स्नेहाळ । भार सकळ च…

O God, You are our compassionate protector of devotion, lover of the lowly, tender mother full of affection. You bear th…

दास्य करी दासांचें । उणें न साहे तयांचें । वाढिलें ठायींचें । भानें टाकोनियां धा…

He serves His own servants and cannot bear any lack in them. He leaves His own seat and runs to provide for them. Such …

चांगला तरी पूर्णकाम । गोड तरी याचें चि नाम । दयाळ तरी अवघा धर्म । भला तरी दासा श…

If one speaks of someone truly excellent, He is perfectly fulfilled. If one speaks of sweetness, His Name alone is sweet…

काय आह्मी भिH करणें कैसी । काय एक वाहावें तुह्मांसी । अवघा भरोनि उरलासी । वाणीं …

What devotion should we perform and how? What offering should we bring to You? You fill everything and overflow. You per…

कोण त्याचा पार पावला धुंडितां । पुढें विचारितां विश्वंभरा ॥1॥

Who has found His limits, even after the deepest searching? When one inquires further, O Sustainer of the Universe, ther…

स्तुति करूं तरी नव्हे चि या वेदा । तेथें माझा धंदा कोणीकडे ॥1॥

Even the Vedas cannot adequately praise You; where then does my feeble attempt stand? Yet my vaikhari, my articulated sp…

तुज वर्णी ऐसा तुज विण नाहीं । दुजा कोणी तीहीं त्रिभुवनीं ॥1॥

There is no one in the three worlds who can describe You except Yourself. The thousand-mouthed Shesha has grown weary, e…

लक्षूनियां योगी पाहाती आभास । तें दिसे आह्मांस दृष्टीपुढें ॥1॥

What the yogis strain to perceive through meditation appears before our eyes in plain sight. He stands with both hands o…

एकांचीं उत्तरें । गोड अमृत मधुरें ॥1॥

The words of some are sweet and nourishing like nectar. Such are God's different manifestations; each soul's destiny tak…

कृपावंत किती । दीनें बहु आवडती ॥1॥

How merciful He is. The humble and lowly are most dear to Him. He carries their burden upon His own head and takes care…

हाकेसरिसी उडी । घालूनियां स्तंभ फोडी ॥1॥

At the very first cry, He leaps forth and bursts open the pillar. Who is as compassionate as my Vitthai, my Mother? At t…

तुझे वणूप गुण ऐसी नाहीं मती । राहिल्या त्या श्रुती मौन्यपणें ॥1॥

I lack the intellect to describe Your virtues; even the Vedic hymns have fallen silent before them. Your form is such th…

जननी हे जाणे बाळकाचें वर्म । सुख दुःख धर्म जें जें कांहीं ॥1॥

A mother knows the secret nature of her child, every joy and sorrow, every dharma. The one who gave support to the blind…

राजा चाले तेथें वैभव सांगातें । हें काय लागतें सांगावें त्या ॥1॥

When the king travels, grandeur accompanies him naturally. Does anyone need to tell the king this? No one here values an…

देवाच्या संबंधें विश्व चि सोयरें । सूत्र ओढे दोरें एका एक ॥1॥

Through its connection with God, the whole world becomes family. One thread pulls all into relation with each other. Th…

लेकरा आइऩतें पित्याची जतन । दावी निजधन सर्व जोडी ॥1॥

A father guards and preserves his wealth for his child, showing the heir all that has been earned. In just that way, we …

भांडवी माउली कवतुकें बाळा । आपणा सकळां सािक्षत्वेसीं ॥1॥

A mother playfully sets her children quarreling, watching as a witness to them all. "Mine, mine," she says, making each …

तुह्मां ठावा होता देवा । माझें अंतरींचा हेवा ॥1॥

You knew all along, O God, the longing hidden within my heart. How could there have been any escape from that? O Lord of…

चिंतिलें तें मनिंचें जाणें । पुरवी खुणे अंतरींचें ॥1॥

He knows what is wished for in the mind, and fulfills the inner longing by its signs. Night or day, one cannot tell; th…

उधाराचा संदेह नाहीं । याचा कांहीं सेवकां ॥1॥

There is no doubt of being redeemed for His servants. Panduranga takes pride in them, the giver of jiva, tender as a ne…

माझ्या विठोबाचा कैसा प्रेमभाव । आपण चि देव होय गुरू ॥1॥

How wonderful is the love of my Vithoba. He Himself becomes both God and Guru. With fond, embodied care He fulfills eve…

अनाथांची तुह्मां दया । पंढरीराया येतसे ॥1॥

You have compassion for the helpless, O Lord of Pandhari. Hearing this fame of Yours, I have found great peace. You ru…

तुज ऐसा कोण उदाराची रासी । आपुलें चि देसी पद दासा ॥1॥

Who is as generous as You, who gives His own divine state to His servants? You do not look at whether one is pure or lo…

तरि कां नेणते होते मागें ॠषी । तींहीं या जनासी दुराविलें ॥1॥

Then why were the ancient sages unknowing? They distanced themselves from ordinary people. Those whom the eight superna…

एवढा प्रभु भावें । तेणें संपुष्टी राहावें ॥1॥

So great a Lord, yet He is content through devotion alone. He becomes whatever His devotee makes Him; He fulfills the w…

मागें शरणागत तारिले बहुत । ह्मणती दीनानाथ तुज देवा ॥1॥

In the past You saved many who came to You for refuge. They call You the Lord of the wretched, O God. You looked not at…

तरि कां पवाडे गर्जती पुराणें । असता नारायण शिHहीन ॥1॥

Then why do the Puranas resound with His great deeds, if Narayana were truly without power? Without glory, the Name wou…

देवासी अवतार भHांसी संसार । दोहींचा विचार एकपणें ॥1॥

God takes incarnation; for devotees, there is worldly life. Both are considered as one. The devotees experience joy thr…

समर्थासी नाहीं वर्णावर्णभेद । सामग्री ते सर्व सिद्ध घरीं ॥1॥

For the Capable One, there is no distinction of high or low birth. All provision stands ready in His home. Where there …

जो भHांचा विसावा । उभा पाचारितो धांवा ॥1॥

He who is the resting place of devotees stands calling out to them. In His hands He holds the toy of love, placing it t…

उदार कृपाळ अनाथांचा नाथ । ऐकसी मात शरणागतां ॥1॥

Generous, compassionate, Lord of the helpless, You hear the word of those who seek refuge. When called, You stand near …

जनीं जनादऩन ऐकतों हे मात । कैसा तो वृत्तांत न कळे आह्मां ॥1॥

I hear this teaching that God dwells in all beings. Yet how this can be so is not clear to me. Who endures birth, old a…

दासों पाछें दौरे राम । सोवे खडा आपें मुकाम ॥1॥

Rama runs after His servants. He stands guard while they sleep. He ties the rope of love around their neck and draws th…

मज पाहातां हें लटिकें सकळ । कोठें मायाजाळ दावीं देवा ॥1॥

To me, all this appears false. Where do You show me this net of illusion, O God? No one truly holds connection with any…

पंचभूतांचा गोंधळ । केला एकेठायीं मेळ । लाविला सबळ । अहंकार त्यापाठीं ॥1॥

The five elements have been gathered in tumult, thrown together in one place. Behind them, a powerful ahamkar has been s…

तूं पांढरा स्पटिक मणी । करिसी आणिकां त्याहुनि ॥1॥

You are a white crystal, and You make others even more so than Yourself. That is why those who do not come to Your door…

न लगे मायेसी बाळें निरवावें । आपुल्या स्वभावें ओढे त्यासी ॥1॥

A mother need not send her child an invitation; the child is drawn to her by its own nature. Why then should I make any…

तों च हीं क्षुल्लकें सखीं सहोदरें । नाहीं विश्वंभरें वोळखी तों ॥1॥

These petty friends and relatives hold sway only so long as the Lord of all has not been recognized. Narayana, the sust…

यYा भूतांच्या पाळणा । भेद कारीये कारणा । पावावया उपासना । ब्रह्मस्थानीं प्रस्थान…

For the nurturing of all beings, distinctions have been made, so that through worship one may set out toward the seat of…

वेदपुरुष तरि नेती कां वचन । निवडूनि भिन्न दाखविलें ॥1॥

If the Vedas are the Purusha, why did speech divide and distinguish things, setting them apart as different? You Yourse…

जग अवघें देव । मुख्य उपदेशाची ठेव ॥1॥

The whole world is God: this is the essence of the highest teaching. First annihilate the self, and it will prove true …

रूप नांवें माया बोलावया ठाव । भागा आले भाव तयावरि ॥1॥

Name and form are maya, a stage on which devotion plays its part. Boundaries and paths appear, yet the earth is never t…

कौतुकाची सृष्टी । कौतुकें चि केलें कष्टी ॥1॥

This creation was made for sport, and through that sport, suffering was also created. If the game breaks, so be it; whe…

भोवंडींसरिसें । अवघें भोंवत चि दिसे ॥1॥

When one is spinning, everything seems to whirl. But when one stands still, the immovable is seen as immovable. From o…

नटनाटए तुह्मी केलें याच साटीं । कवतुकें दृष्टी निववावी ॥1॥

You have staged this drama and pageant so that our eyes might be delighted by the spectacle. Otherwise, we already know…

पाहा रे हें दैवत कैसें । भिHपिसें भाविक ॥1॥

See what this deity is like: He is mad with love for His devotees. The moment you call, He comes running, just like tha…

आश्चर्य या वाटे नसत्या छंदाचें । कैसें दिलें साचें करोनियां ॥1॥

I am filled with wonder at this play and how You have made it so convincingly real. This devotion is unfathomable to an…

क्षर अक्षर हे तुमचे विभाग । कासयानें जग दुरी धरा ॥1॥

The kshara and the akshara, the perishable and the imperishable, are Your own divisions. Why, then, do You hold the worl…

मीं हें ऐसें काय जाती । अवघड किती पाहातां ॥1॥

What is this thing called "I"? How difficult does it seem when you examine it? No transgression actually occurs when th…

अमर आहां अमर आहां । खरें कीं पाहा खोटें हें ॥1॥

You are immortal, you are immortal. See whether this is true or false. Simply stop saying 'this body is mine,' and then…

कां जी धरिलें नाम । तुह्मी असोनि निष्काम ॥1॥

O God, why do You bear a Name when You are already desireless? Whom are You teaching this knowledge to? It all seems li…

एकाचिया घाटएा टोके । एक फिके उपचार ॥1॥

From one person He gladly eats the leftovers; another's offerings He finds tasteless. Such is the nature of this cowher…

ज्याणें ज्याणें जैसें ध्यावें । तैसें व्हावें कृपाळें ॥1॥

However one meditates upon Him, the Compassionate One becomes just that. He is the abode of both saguna and nirguna, Hi…

आचरती कर्में । तेथें काळें कर्मधर्में ॥1॥

Where people perform their rites, He plays His part in the customs of dharma. He plays with the cowherd boys, enduring …

आळवितां बाळें । मातेतें सुख आगळें ॥1॥

When a child cries out, the mother feels a joy beyond compare. She gives the child its favorite toys and watches with d…

मानी भHांचे उपकार । रुणीया ह्मणवी निरंतर । केला निर्गुणीं आकार । कीर्त मुखें वणि…

Hari honors the devotees' service and considers himself forever indebted to them. He took form out of the formless so th…

सत्यसंकल्पाचा दाता नारायण । सर्व करी पूर्ण मनोरथ ॥1॥

Narayana is the giver whose sankalpa is ever true. He fulfills every longing of the mind. Here all ornaments of devotio…

घटीं अलिप्त असे रवि । अिग्न काष्ठामाजी जेवी । तैसा नारायण जीवीं । जीवसाक्षीवर्तन…

As the sun remains untouched by the water in a pot, as fire dwells hidden within wood, so does Narayana dwell within the…

आपुलिया लाजा । धांवे भHांचिया काजा ॥1॥

For the sake of his own honor, he runs to serve the needs of his devotees. He bears the name Dinanath, Lord of the humb…

साधावया भिHकाज । नाहीं लाज हा धरीत ॥1॥

To fulfill the devotee's cause, he sets aside all shame. Such is the one to whom we should surrender, for he holds noth…

ह्मणे विठ्ठल ब्रह्म नव्हे । त्याचे बोल नाइकावे ॥1॥

Do not listen to one who says Vitthal is not Brahman. Let such a person be anyone at all, even Brahma or the other gods…

मुH होता परी बळें जाला बद्ध । घेउनियां छंद माझें माझें ॥1॥

Free it was, yet by the force of clinging to "mine, mine" it became bound. Sin and merit clung fast to the body; the pe…

धरियेलीं सोंगें । येणें अवघीं पांडुरंगें ॥1॥

Panduranga has assumed all these disguises. That very Brahman stands upon the brick on the bank of the Chandrabhaga. He…

ज्याचे गर्जतां पवाडे । किळकाळ पायां पडे ॥1॥

When his glory is proclaimed, even Death himself falls at his feet. He is the king of Pandhari; ask the four and the eig…

ज्याचे गर्जतां पवाडे । श्रुतिशास्त्रां मौन्य पडे ॥1॥

When his glories are sung, even the Vedas and scriptures fall silent. Shesha with his thousand mouths grew weary trying …

आलें देवाचिया मना । तेथें कोणाचें चालेना ॥1॥

When God has made up his mind, no one can change it. Harishchandra, king of kings, was made to carry water in the house …

निजल्यानें गातां उभा नारायण । बैसल्या कीर्तन करितां डोले ॥1॥

When a sleeping devotee sings, Narayana stands up to listen. When a seated devotee does kirtan, Govinda sways along. Wh…

मारगीं चालतां पाउलापाउलीं । चिंतावी माउली पांडुरंग ॥1॥

Walking along the road, at every step, Panduranga the mother thinks of his devotee. All happiness follows behind, pourin…

काय माता विसरे बाळा । कळवळा प्रीतीचा ॥1॥

Does a mother ever forget her child? She is stirred by a deep tenderness of love. She embraces the child around the neck…

जीवाचें जीवन अमृताची तनु । ब्रह्मांड भूषणु नारायण ॥1॥

Narayana is the life of all life, whose body is made of nectar, the ornament of the entire universe. He is the companion…

आवडीसारिखें संपादिलें सोंग । अनंत हें मग जालें नाम ॥1॥

He fashioned His appearance to suit the longing of His devotees, and thus His names became infinite. He laid out paths s…

आठवों नेंदी आवडी आणीक । भरूनियां लोक तिन्ही राहे ॥1॥

His love does not allow any other longing to arise; He fills all three worlds and remains present there. Wherever the mi…

उत्तम घालावें आमुचिये मुखीं । निवारावें दुःखी होऊनि तें ॥1॥

He places what is best into our mouths and removes suffering by absorbing it Himself. He does not sit idle, nor does He …

जिचें पीडे बाळ । प्राण तयेचा विकळ ॥1॥

When her child suffers, the mother's very life is shaken. Such is a mother's nature; her life is strung on the same thre…