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, taught by scripture—because of concordance and because seeing is attributed; he is possessed of complete bliss, the one within, like space. (1)

प्रणेता ज्योतिरित्याद्यैः प्रसिद्धैरन्यवस्तुषु। उच्यते विष्णुरेवैकः सर्वैः सर्वगुणत्वतः ॥२॥

It is Viṣṇu, and Viṣṇu alone, who is denoted by all terms such as “director” and “light,” which are well established in usage with reference to other entities, because he possesses all attributes.(2)

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

He is indeed all-pervading, the eater and the controller, always devoid of visibility and the like, and endowed with all indicatory marks, such as being within the universe and living beings.(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 attributes in their fullness. Being imperishable, he abides in the lotus of the heart; he illuminates the sun and the rest, impels Prāṇa, and is to be known even by the deities, but not by Śūdras and the like through the Vedas. He is the causer of trembling and is distinct from the jīva; he is endowed with qualities such as lordship. Janārdana alone is primarily denoted by all words, including words denoting something other than him; the unmanifest One, of immeasurable nature, is also denoted by words expressive of action.(4-6)

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

He is denoted in the primary sense even by words restricted in application elsewhere, such as “intermediate cause,” “Prakṛti,” and “the very void.” Therefore, he possesses infinite attributes, because words have derivational signification.(7)

॥इति प्रथमोऽध्यायः॥

Thus ends the first chapter.