Dattātreyayogaśāstra 44
नारायणवदो वापि जटिलो भस्मलेपनः |
नमःशिवायवाक्यो वा बाह्यार्चापूजको ऽपि वा ||44||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
[One may] say “Nārāyaṇa” (nārāyaṇa-vadaḥ | nom sg), wear matted hair (jaṭilaḥ | nom sg), and be smeared with ash (bhasma-lepanaḥ | nom sg); or have “Namaḥ Śivāya” as one’s utterance (namaḥ-śivāya-vākyaḥ | nom sg), or be a worshipper of external images (bāhya-arcā-pūjakaḥ | nom sg).
Sacred names, matted hair, ash on the skin, and external rituals are not enough either.
namaḥśivāyavākyo JM2024 ] namaḥśivāyavācī DYŚ
Dattātreyayogaśāstra 45
स्थानद्वादशपुण्ड्रो वा मालाभिर्बहुभूषितः |
क्रियाविहीनो वा क्रूरः कथं सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात् ||45||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
[One may] be marked with Puṇḍra signs at twelve places (sthāna-dvādaśa-puṇḍraḥ | nom sg) or richly adorned (bahu-bhūṣitaḥ | nom sg) with necklaces (mālābhiḥ | ins pl). If devoid of practice (kriyā-vihīnaḥ | nom sg) or cruel (krūraḥ | nom sg), how (katham) could one attain (avāpnuyāt | 3p sg act opt) accomplishment (siddhim | acc sg)?
Religious marks, necklaces, and outward display bring no success in yoga when genuine practice is absent or a person acts cruelly.
sthānadvādaśapuṇḍro vā mālābhir bahubhūṣitaḥ JM2024 ] sthānadvādaśapūjo vā bahuvatsalapūjitam DYŚ
Dattātreyayogaśāstra 46
न वेषधारणं सिद्धेः कारणं न च तत्कथा |
क्रियैव कारणं सिद्धेः सत्यमेव तु सांकृते ||46||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Neither (na) wearing religious garb (veṣa-dhāraṇam | nom sg) nor (na ca) talk about it (tat-kathā | nom sg) is the cause (kāraṇam | nom sg) of accomplishment (siddheḥ | gen sg). Practice (kriyā | nom sg) alone (eva) is the cause (kāraṇam | nom sg) of accomplishment. This is indeed (tu) true (satyam), O Sāṃkṛti (sāṃkṛte | voc sg).
Neither clothing nor talk leads to the goal. Only sustained practice brings accomplishment—that is the truth.
tatkathā JM2024 ] tat tathā DYŚ
Dattātreyayogaśāstra 47
शिश्नोदरार्थं योगस्य कथया वेषधारिणः |
अनुष्ठानविहीनास्तु वञ्चयन्ति जनान्किल ||47||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
In order to satisfy penis and belly (śiśnodarārtham), wearers of religious garb (veṣa-dhāriṇaḥ | nom pl) who are devoid of actual practice (anuṣṭhāna-vihīnāḥ | nom pl) deceive (vañcayanti | 3p pl act pres) people (janān | acc pl) by talking about yoga (yogasya kathayā).
People who wear religious garb but do not practise, serving only their sexual and material appetites, deceive others with their talk about yoga.
Dattātreyayogaśāstra 48
उच्चावचैर्विप्रलम्भैर्यतन्ते ऽकुशला नराः |
योगिनो वयमित्येवं मूढा भोगपरायणाः ||48||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Malevolent men (akuśalā narāḥ | nom pl) exert themselves through all manner of deceptions (uccāvacair vipralambhaiḥ | ins pl). “We are yogins” (yogino vayam iti), say these fools (mūḍhāḥ | nom pl), wholly devoted to enjoyment (bhoga-parāyaṇāḥ | nom pl).
Such malevolent people employ all kinds of deception. They call themselves yogins but remain fools wholly devoted to enjoyment.
vipralambhair yatante ’kuśalā JM2024 ] vipralambhaiḥ yatante kuśalāḥ DYŚ
Dattātreyayogaśāstra 49
शनैस्तथाविधान्ज्ञात्वा योगाभ्यासविवर्जितान् |
कृतार्थान्वचनैरेव वर्जयेद्वेषधारिणः ||49||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Having gradually (śanaiḥ) recognized (jñātvā | abs) that such people (tathā-vidhān | acc pl) lack yoga practice (yogābhyāsa-vivarjitān | acc pl) and have achieved their purpose by words alone (kṛtārthān vacanaiḥ eva | acc pl), one should avoid (varjayet | 3p sg act opt) these wearers of religious garb (veṣa-dhāriṇaḥ | acc pl).
Anyone who recognizes that a person merely talks and does not practise should keep away from such sham yogins.
kṛtārthān vacanair JM2024 ] kṛtārthanvacanair DYŚ
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