प्रथमं कर्मयज्ञेन बहिः सम्पूज्य मां प्रिये ज्ञानयोगरतो भूत्वा पश्चाद्योगं समभ्यसेत्
First, by the sacrifice of action, one should worship me outwardly, O beloved; then, being devoted to knowledge and yoga, one should practice yoga afterwards.
विदिते मम याथात्म्ये कर्मयज्ञेन देहिनः न यजंति हि मां युक्ताः समलोष्टाश्मकांचनाः
When my true nature is known, embodied beings do not worship me by the sacrifice of action—those who are equanimous toward clod, stone, and gold.
नित्ययुक्तो मुनिः श्रेष्ठो मद्भक्तश्च समाहितः ज्ञानयोगरतो योगी मम सायुज्यमाप्नुयात्
The ever-engaged, supreme sage, my devoted and concentrated yogi, absorbed in knowledge and yoga, attains union with me.
अथाविरक्तचित्ता ये वर्णिनो मदुपाश्रिताः ज्ञानचर्याक्रियास्वेव ते ऽधिकुर्युस्तदर्हकाः
But those among the twice-born who, though not dispassionate, have taken refuge in me, should engage only in knowledge, conduct, and action, as is appropriate for them.
द्विधा मत्पूजनं ज्ञेयं बाह्यमाभ्यंतरं तथा वाङ्मनःकायभेदाच्च त्रिधा मद्भजनं विदुः
Know that my worship is of two kinds: external and internal. Likewise, my devotion is understood as threefold—by speech, mind, and body.
तपः कर्म जपो ध्यानं ज्ञानं वेत्यनुपूर्वशः पञ्चधा कथ्यते सद्भिस्तदेव भजनं पुनः
Austerity, ritual action, recitation, meditation, and knowledge—these five are described in order by the wise as forms of devotion to me.
अन्यात्मविदितं बाह्यमस्मदभ्यर्चनादिकम् तदेव तु स्वसंवेद्यमाभ्यंतरमुदाहृतम्
That which is performed outwardly, such as my external worship and offerings, is known through others; but what is experienced within oneself is called internal.
मनोमत्प्रवणं चित्तं न मनोमात्रमुच्यते मन्नामनिरता वाणी वाङ्मता खलु नेतरा
A mind inclined toward me is not merely called mind; speech devoted to my name is truly speech, not otherwise.
लिंगैर्मच्छासनादिष्टैस्त्रिपुंड्रादिभिरंकितः ममोपचारनिरतः कायः कायो न चेतरः
The body marked with emblems prescribed by my teachings, such as the tripuṇḍra and others, and engaged in my service, is truly a body—none other.
मदर्चाकर्म विज्ञेयं बाह्ये यागादिनोच्यते मदर्थे देहसंशोषस्तपः कृच्छ्रादि नो मतम्
Know that external worship consists of rituals such as offerings. But mortifying the body for my sake, through austerities like severe penances, is not my teaching.
जपः पञ्चाक्षराभ्यासः प्रणवाभ्यास एव च रुद्राध्यायादिकाभ्यासो न वेदाध्ययनादिकम्
Recitation is the repeated practice of the five-syllable mantra and of the praṇava; the study of Rudra hymns and the like, but not the mere recitation of the Vedas and such.
ध्यानम्मद्रूपचिंताद्यं नात्माद्यर्थसमाधयः ममागमार्थविज्ञानं ज्ञानं नान्यार्थवेदनम्
Meditation is contemplation on my form and the like, not absorption in the self or other objects; knowledge is understanding the meaning of my scriptures, not knowledge of other things.
बाह्ये वाभ्यंतरे वाथ यत्र स्यान्मनसो रतिः प्राग्वासनावशाद्देवि तत्त्वनिष्ठां समाचरेत्
Whether externally or internally, wherever the mind finds delight, O Devi, one should steadfastly practice the truth, according to previous tendencies.
बाह्यादाभ्यंतरं श्रेष्ठं भवेच्छतगुणाधिकम् असंकरत्वाद्दोषाणां दृष्टानामप्यसम्भवात्
Internal worship is superior to external, being endowed with greater merit, for it is free from the faults that are seen in external acts and is not subject to their mixture.
शौचमाभ्यंतरं विद्यान्न बाह्यं शौचमुच्यते अंतः शौचविमुक्तात्मा शुचिरप्यशुचिर्यतः
Know that purity is internal; external purity is not truly called purity. One whose inner self is free from impurity is pure, even if outwardly impure.
बाह्यमाभ्यंर्तरं चैव भजनं भवपूर्वकम् न भावरहितं देवि विप्रलंभैककारणम्
Both external and internal devotion must be accompanied by feeling; O Devi, without feeling, it is only a cause of disappointment.
कृतकृत्यस्य पूतस्य मम किं क्रियते नरैः बहिर्वाभ्यंतरं वाथ मया भावो हि गृह्यते
What can people do for me, who am accomplished and pure, whether externally or internally? For I accept only the inner feeling.
भावैकात्मा क्रिया देवि मम धर्मस्सनातनः मनसा कर्मणा वाचा ह्यनपेक्ष्य फलं क्वचित्
O Devi, action whose essence is feeling is my eternal law—performed by mind, deed, or speech, without any expectation of result.
फलोद्देशेन देवेशि लघुर्मम समाश्रयः फलार्थी तदभावे मां परित्यक्तुं क्षमो यतः
O Lady of the gods, when done for the sake of reward, my shelter is slight; for one who seeks results can abandon me if the result is absent.
फलार्थिनो ऽपि यस्यैव मयि चित्तं प्रतिष्ठितम् भावानुरूपफलदस्तस्याप्यहमनिन्दिते
Yet, O blameless one, even for those who desire results, if their mind is fixed on me, I grant them results according to their devotion.
फलानपेक्षया येषां मनो मत्प्रवणं भवेत् प्रार्थयेयुः फलं पश्चाद्भक्तास्ते ऽपि मम प्रियाः
Those whose mind is inclined toward me without desire for results—even if they later seek results, such devotees are also dear to me.
प्राक् संस्कारवशादेव ये विचिंत्य फलाफले विवशा मां प्रपद्यंते मम प्रियतमा मताः
Those who, due to previous conditioning, think about results or their absence and helplessly take refuge in me—these are considered my dearest.
मल्लाभान्न परो लाभस्तेषामस्ति यथातथम् ममापि लाभस्तल्लाभान्नापरः परमेश्वरि
There is no greater gain for them than what they have obtained, just as for me also, O Supreme Lady, there is no gain higher than that gain.
मदनुग्रहतस्तेषां भावो मयि समर्पितः फलं परमनिर्वाणं प्रयच्छति बलादिव
By my favor, their devotion is offered to me; that devotion bestows the supreme liberation, just as strength does.
महात्मनामनन्यानां मयि संन्यस्तचेतसाम् अष्टधा लक्षणं प्राहुर्मम धर्माधिकारिणाम्
For the great souls who are wholly devoted to me, with their minds surrendered to me, eightfold are the marks declared of those entitled to my dharma.
मद्भक्तजनवात्सल्यं पूजायां चानुमोदनम् स्वयमभ्यर्चनं चैव मदर्थे चांगचेष्टितम्
Affection for my devotees, approval in worship, personally performing worship, and actions of the limbs for my sake—
मत्कथाश्रवणे भक्तिः स्वरनेत्रांगविक्रियाः ममानुस्मरणं नित्यं यश्च मामुपजीवति
Devotion in hearing my stories, transformations of voice, eyes, and body, constant remembrance of me, and one who lives depending on me—
एवमष्टविधं चिह्नं यस्मिन् म्लेच्छे ऽपि वर्तते स विप्रेन्द्रो मुनिः श्रीमान्स यतिस्स च पंडितः
Where these eightfold signs are found, even in a mleccha, he is foremost among Brahmins, a sage, glorious, an ascetic, and a learned one.
न मे प्रियश्चतुर्वेदी मद्भक्तो श्वपचो ऽपि यः तस्मै देयं ततो ग्राह्यं स च पूज्यो यथा ह्यहम्
One who is devoted to me, even if he is a dog-eater, is dearer to me than a knower of the four Vedas; to him should gifts be given and received, and he is to be worshipped just as I am.
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि स च मे न प्रणश्यति
Whoever offers me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water with devotion—I do not abandon him, nor does he abandon me.