Chapter One (प्रथमोऽध्यायः)

नारायणं गुणैः सर्वैरुदीर्णं दोषवर्जितम्। ज्ञेयं गम्यं गुरूंश्चापि नत्वा सूत्रार्थ उच्यते ॥0॥

After paying homage to Nārāyaṇa, who is exalted in all qualities, free from defects, and to be known and attained, and also to the gurus, the meaning of the sūtras is stated. (0)

विष्णुरेव विजिज्ञास्यः सर्वकर्ताऽगमोदितः। समन्वयादीक्षतेश्च पूर्णानन्दोऽन्तरः खवत्‌ ॥१॥

Viṣṇu alone is to be inquired into — the maker of all, declared by scripture — because of the consistent purport of scripture and because scripture speaks of His conscious willing. He is complete bliss, the indwelling One, all-pervading like space. (1) (1)

प्रणेता ज्योतिरित्याद्यैः प्रसिद्धैरन्यवस्तुषु। उच्यते विष्णुरेवैकः सर्वैः सर्वगुणत्वतः ॥२॥

It is Viṣṇu, and Viṣṇu alone, who is denoted by all terms such as “director” (praṇetā) and “effulgence” (jyōtiḥ), though these terms are conventionally used with reference to other entities, because He possesses all attributes in their fullness. (2)

सर्वगोऽत्ता नियन्ता च दृश्यत्वाद्युज्झितः सदा। विश्वजीवान्तरत्वाद्यैर्लिङ्गैः सर्वैर्युतः स हि ॥३॥

He is all-pervading, the enjoyer and the controller, and is ever free from visibility and the like, i.e. not an object of ordinary sensory apprehension. Indeed, He possesses all the indicatory marks, such as being the indwelling presence within the universe and within all jīvas. (3)

सर्वाश्रयः पूर्णगुणः सोऽक्षरः सन्‌ हृदब्जगः। सूर्यादिभासकः प्राणप्रेरको दैवतैरपि ॥४॥

ज्ञेयो न वेदैः शूद्रादैः कम्पकोऽन्यश्च जीवतः। पतित्वादिगुणैर्युक्तः तदन्यत्र च वाचकैः ॥५॥

मुख्यतः सर्वशब्दैश्च वाच्य एको जनार्दनः। अव्यक्तः कर्मवाच्यैश्च वाच्य एकोऽमितात्मकः ॥६॥

He is the support of all and possesses every attribute in fullness. Being imperishable, He abides in the lotus of the heart; He causes the sun and the rest to shine and impels Prāṇa. He is to be known even by the deities, but cannot be known through the Vedas by Śūdras and others, i.e those with pridominantly tamasic qualities. He causes trembling, is distinct from the jīva, and is endowed with qualities such as lordship. Janārdana alone is primarily denoted by all words, including words conventionally applied elsewhere. The unmanifest One, whose nature is immeasurable, is also alone expressed by words denoting actions. (4–6)

अवान्तरं कारणं च प्रकृतिः शून्यमेव च। इत्याद्यन्यत्र नियतैरपि मुख्यतयोदितः। शब्दैरतोऽनन्तगुणो यच्छब्दा योगवृत्तयः ॥७॥

He is primarily denoted even by words which, elsewhere, are restricted to other referents, such as “intermediate cause,” “Prakṛti,” and “the void.” Therefore, He possesses infinite attributes, since words signify through their derivational meanings. (7)

॥इति प्रथमोऽध्यायः॥

Thus ends the first chapter.