तदुपायं यथातत्त्वं ब्रूहि मे वदतां वर
Tell me, O best of speakers, the true means to that, just as it is.
यज्ज्ञानं भक्तिमूलं च भक्तिः कर्मवतां तथा
What is the knowledge whose root is devotion, and what is devotion for those who act?
येन जन्मसहस्रेषु तस्य भक्तिर्भवेद्धरौ
By which, over thousands of births, devotion to Hari arises in him.
श्रद्धया परया चैव सर्वं पापं प्रणश्यति
By supreme faith, indeed, all sin is destroyed.
सैव बुद्धिः समाख्याता ज्ञानशब्देन सूरिभिः
That very understanding is declared by the wise as knowledge.
योगस्तु द्विविधः प्रोक्तः कर्मज्ञानप्रभेदतः
Yoga is said to be of two kinds, distinguished as action and knowledge.
क्रियायोगरतस्तस्माच्छ्रद्धया हरिमर्चयेत्
Therefore, one devoted to the yoga of action should worship Hari with faith.
प्रतिमाः केशवस्यैता पूज्य एतासु भक्तितः
These images of Keśava are to be worshipped; in these, devotion is to be shown.
तस्मात्सर्वगतं विष्णुं पूजयेद्भक्तिसंयुतः
Therefore, one should worship Viṣṇu, who is present everywhere, with devotion.
अनीर्ष्या च दया चैव योगयोरूभयोः समाः
Freedom from envy and compassion are equal in both yogas.
इति निश्चित्य मनसा योगद्वितयमभ्यसेत्
Thus, having resolved in mind, one should practice both kinds of yoga.
ते जानन्ति परं भावं देवदेवस्य चक्रिणः
They know the supreme nature of the Lord of gods, the wielder of the discus.
न तस्य तुष्यते विष्णुर्यतो धर्मपतिः स्मृतः
But Viṣṇu is not pleased by him who is called the lord of righteousness.
दंभाचारः स विज्ञेयः सर्वपातकिभिः समः
He whose conduct is hypocritical should be known as equal to all sinners.
तत्तपः सा च पूजा च तद्ध्यानं हि निरर्थकम्
That austerity, that worship, and that meditation are indeed fruitless.
मुक्तयर्थमर्चयेत्सम्यक् क्रियायोगपरो नरः
A man devoted to the yoga of action should properly worship for the sake of liberation.
समर्चयति देवेशं क्रियायोगः स उच्यते
The practice of ritual worship of the Lord of gods is called the path of action.
स्तोत्राद्यैः स्तौति यो विष्णुं कर्मयोगी स उच्यते
He who praises Viṣṇu with hymns and the like is called a practitioner of karma-yoga.
पुष्पाद्यैश्चार्चनं विष्णोः क्रियायोग उदाहृतः
Worship of Viṣṇu with flowers and similar offerings is described as kriyā-yoga.
सर्वपापानि नश्यन्ति पूर्वजन्मार्जितानि वै
All sins, indeed even those accumulated in previous births, are destroyed.
ज्ञानं हि मोक्षदं ज्ञेयं तदुपायं वदामि ते
Knowledge truly grants liberation; I will tell you the means to attain it.
सम्यग् विचारयेद्धीमान्सद्भिः शास्त्रार्थकोविदैः
A wise person should carefully reflect, together with the learned who know the meaning of the scriptures.
अनित्यानि परित्यज्य नित्यमेव समाश्रयेत्
Abandoning what is impermanent, one should always take refuge in what is eternal.
अविरक्तो भवेद्यस्तु स संसारे प्रवर्तते
But one who is not detached continues to revolve in worldly existence.
तस्य संसारविच्छित्तिः कदाचिन्नैव जायते
For him, the severance from worldly existence never arises at any time.
शमादिगुणहीनस्य ज्ञानं नैव च सिध्यति
For one lacking the qualities of tranquility and the like, knowledge does not succeed.
हरिध्यानपरो नित्यं मुमुक्षुरभिधीयते
One who is always devoted to meditation on Hari is called a seeker of liberation.
सर्वगं भावयेद्विष्णुं सर्वभूतदयापरः
He should contemplate Viṣṇu as all-pervading and be devoted to compassion for all beings.
इति जानाति यो विप्रतज्ज्ञानं योगजं विदुः
He who knows thus, O brāhmaṇa, is understood to possess knowledge born of yoga.
योगो ज्ञानं विशुद्धं स्यात्तज्ज्ञानं मोक्षदं विदुः
Yoga is pure knowledge; that knowledge is known to grant liberation.