Note: The first five stanzas of this sub-chapter outline the entire time-span of creation according to traditional vedic cosmology. In vedic cosmology the time-span of creation is divided into four epochs, or separate divisions of time, called "yugas."
1. The first yuga (Kruta Yuga), is comprised of 1,728,000 years. The second yuga (Treta yuga) is 1,296,000 years long. The third yuga (Dvapara Yuga) is 864,000 years long. Now, we are in the time of the fourth yuga, the Kali Yuga.
2. The fourth yuga is 432,000 years. The passing of 1,000 rounds of these four yugas constitutes 1 day of Brahma.
3. The passing of 1000 days of Brahma constitute 24 minutes of Vishnu. The passing of 1000 of these "24 minutes of Vishnu" make up a fraction of a minute (one pala, or 24 seconds) of the "Almighty God" (Ishwara).
4. When 1000 of these fractions of a minute of God passes, that makes up 12 seconds (half of a pala) of the primordial energy (Shakti). This is the calculation that is given in the ancient scriptures.
5. Like this, the primordial energy, Shakti, comes into existence and passes away an endless number of times. Even with the coming and going of all of this creation, the condition of the Absolute Reality, Parabrahman, remains continuously uninterrupted.
6. To speak about the condition of Parabrahman is just a manner of speech. The Vedas and Upanishads have already said, "Not this, Not this," with regard to saying anything about Parabrahman.
7. Four thousand and seven hundred years have elapsed in the Kali yuga. The information about the remaining years of the Kali yuga is as follows:
8. 427,240 years are remaining in the Kali Yuga. During this time, there will be many inter-caste marriages. (This calculation was done in the days of Ramdas, probably sometime in the mid to late 1600's, so there would be somewhere around 300 to 350 years less remaining of the current Kali Yuga at the time of the first printing of this English translation of Dasbodh in 2010AD.)
9. The animate and the inanimate creation is such that there is always one thing greater than another. When giving thought to it's extent, one cannot find an end to it.
10. Some say that Vishnu is the greatest, some say that Shiva is the greatest, and some say that the primordial energy, Shakti, is the greatest of all.
11. Everyone speaks according to one’s own understanding, but know that all will be destroyed with the ending of creation. It is said in the Vedas that whatever has an appearance will be destroyed.
12. Many people take pride their own teachings and understanding, but firm conviction cannot be gained without the help of sages.
13. Only the sages have the conviction that the Self permeates everywhere. Everything else that is animate and inanimate is of the nature of Illusion.
14. If a picture is drawn of an army, ask yourself who is great and who is small in that picture.
15. So many things are seen in a dream, and many things are imagined to be small and large in that dream. However, upon becoming awake, look and see what happens.
16. If one gives some thought to what is small and what is big after awakening, the entirety of what was seen is known to have only happened in the dream.
17. The entire thing is only illusory thought, how can there be any small or big? This understanding about small and big is understood by the Knowledgeable.
18. One who is born, dies, saying, "I am great." However, one should investigate into this and see the illusory nature of this appearance.
19. Those who have Self-Knowledge are the truly great beings. Throughout history and in the ancient scriptures they are called sages and saints.
20. The greatest of the great is the one Supreme God (Parameshwara) who is alone. It is in him that the other gods such as Vishnu and Shiva, come and go.
21. He is attributeless and formless, without creation or expansion. The thoughts of space and time are only recent concepts.
22. Name and form, and space and time are all only imagination. All of this will be resolved at the time of the final destruction of the universe.
23. Brahman is beyond all name and form and is indestructible. Brahman remains the same, as it is, regardless of time.
24. Understand that those who who know Brahman completely and give the explanation about Brahman, are the true Brahmins (Brahmanas), the "Knowers of Brahman."