47 - Exposition of the way to realize the soul 

Sanandana said: 

1. On hearing these words of Keshidhvaja that consisted of an estimate of spiritual topics and that was like nector, Khandikya spoke again, urging him.

Khåndikya said: ¹

1. VV, 2 ff of this Purana are the same as in the VP. VI. 7 26 ff.

2. O highly blessed one, O the most excellent one among the knowers of Yoga, recount details of Yoga. In this dynasty of Nimi, you alone are the person who have understood the topics in the Yogashastra.

Keshidhvaja said:

3. O Khandikya, even as I recount, may the nature of the Yoga be heard. A sage who is established in Yoga, does not fall off after attaining merger into the Brahman.

4. Mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation of men. When addicted to the sensual objects, it is the cause of bondage. When it is devoid of objects, it is the cause of liberation. 

5. A wise man possessing discriminative knowledge, should withdraw the mind from the sense-objects and through it for the sake of salvation meditate on the Brahman, the greatest Ishvara.

6. By means of the power of the Atman he should make the mind that is prone to aberration,² meditate on the Brahman by infusing it with the nature of Atman, even as a magnet does it to a piece of iron.

2. For 6a of the NP: atmabhavam nayet tena tad brahmadhyapanam manah, VP (ibid) 30a reads .. nayatyenam tad brahma dhyatum munim and changes the meaning completely. For that Brahman attracts to itself the sage who meditates upon it and who is of the same nature, as the magnet attracts the iron.

7. The special movement of the mind that depends on the efforts of sell is to conjoin to the Brahman and such union with the Brahman is called Yoga.

8. This includes the holy rites with special and peculiar characteristics. He who possesses Yoga is Yogin. He is called a Mumukshu (one desirous of liberation).

9. At the outset, the Yogin who practises Yoga is called Yuñjamāna. He who is called Vinishpannasamadhi (of accomplished meditation) is one, who has attained the greatest Brahman.

10. If due to defects and obstacles his mind is not³ defiled, the former one attains salvation, thanks to the repeated practice in the course of many other births.

3. NP 10a reads dushyate nashya manasam instead of chasya manasam in VP (ibid) 34a. But this na in the NP. makes the verse self-contradictory. Why should a yogi whose mind is not defined due to obstacles require many more births? The reading chasya for näsya in the VP means: “Should the yogin's mind be vitiated by defects” etc.

11. The latter one who is called Vinishpannasamadhi (i.e., the knower of Brahman.) attains salvation in the very same birth. The Yogin attains everything ere long after burning the Karmans through the fire of Yoga.

12-14. A Yogin shall practise five Yamas (restraints) and live Niyamas (observances): Celibacy, non-violence, truthful ness, non-stealing and non-acceptance of monetary gifts (these are the Yamas). Svädhyāya (self-study of the Vedas), Shaucha (purificatory rites), Santosha (contentment) Tapas (penance) and concentration of the mind on the great Atman. He must keep his mind devoid of lusts. Thus, the five Yamas and the five Niyamas have been recounted. If people practise these with specific desires, they yield special benefits; if people practise These without desires they yield salvation.

15. Thus the ascetic should practise the good postures. (like Bhadrâsana). He must be endowed with good qualities. He must perform the Yoga with what are called Yamas and Niyamas.

16. If what are called Pranas (vital airs) are restrained by practice, it should be known as Pranayama. It has two subdivisions: the Sabija (with seed) and the Abija (without seed).

17. When the two vital Airs-Prana and Apāna, over-power each other (are merged together), by regulating them both by proper means, that is the third (variety of breath-control, viz., Kumbhaka).

18. O lord of the enemies, its form is as gross⁴ as its Alambana (support the support of the Ananta (endless one) is obtained by the Yogin as he practises.

4. For ålambanavat sthulam of the NP 18a, VP (ibid) 42a reads alambanavatah sthulam (while the Yogi practises) his support (alambana) is the gross form (Hiranagarbha) of the Lord.

19. The knower of the Yogas shall curb the sense organs drawn towards their objects such as sound, etc. Being devoted to and insistent on Pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind from sense-objects), he should make the senses (withdrawn from sense objects but) merging in the mind.

20. If the sense-organs become steady, they become extremely submissive. If they are non-submissive, the Yogin cannot achieve Yoga.

21. After keeping the vital airs under control by means of Pranayama and the sense-organs by means of Pratyahara, the practitioner of Yoga shall make the mind stabilised in an auspicious support.

Khandikya said:

22. O highly blessed one, may it be mentioned to me, the auspicious support of the mind, by having which the mind dispels the outcome of defects entirely.

Keshidhvaja said:

23. O wise one, the support of the mind is twofold, that too based on the form. The form may be embodied or unembodied; it may be Para (greater) or Apara (smaller).

24. There are three types of Bhavanas (conceptions). The form and the universe is said to be threefold: The first is called Brahma bhävana, the other is known as Karma-bhavana and the third is of the nature of both Karma and Brahma.

25. One Bhävana is of the nature of Karman, the other one is of the nature of the Brahman, and the third one is of the nature of both. Thus, there are three types of Bhavabhavana (conception).

26. O wise one, Sanaka and others are always endowed with the Brahmabhāvanā, while the others, Devas etc. the mobile and immobile beings -- all these are endowed with Karmabhavana.

27. In Hiranyagarbha and others, the Bhävana is of the combined nature of the Brahman and Karman. In those invested with authority and with enlightenment, there is the Bhāvabhavana.

28. O king, in the eyes of those who differentiate regarding that this is the Universe, that other is something different, when all the particularised Karmans and knowledge are not diminished completely.

29. That knowledge is termed Brahman, the knowledge where the differences have completely vanished which is Existence alone, which is beyond the scope of words and which is self-produced.

30 That is the great form of Vishnu who is formless and unborn. The characteristics of the great Atman are contrary to the diversity of the form of the entire Universe.

31. O king, since that (i.e., the greatest form of Vishnu) cannot be meditated upon by one who practises Yoga, the gross form of Hari that could be seen by means of the eyes should be meditated upon.

32-35. All these constitute the universe, viz.-Lord Hiranyagarbha, Vasava (i.e., Indra), Prajapati, Maruts, Vasus, Rudras, Bhaskaras (i.e., Adityas), constellations, planets, Gandharvas, Yakşhas, Daityas, Deva-ronis (all kinds of divine and semi-divine beings), human beings, animals, mountains, oceans, rivers, trees, in fact. O king, all living beings, all those causes of the Bhutas namely those beginning with the Pradhana and ending with the visheshas, those who are sentient and non-sentient, the single-footed, the bipeds, the multi-footed, and the footless-all these are the embodied forms of Hari. They are of the nature of Bhavanas of the three types.

36. All this universe, consisting of the mobile and im-mobile beings, is endowed with the potency of Vishnu of the form of the Supreme Brahman.

37. The greatest Shakti is said to be Vishnu Shakti; the other Shakti is called Kshetrajna and the third Shakti is called Avidyākarman.

38-39. O king, the Shakti that is called Kshetrajna is produced through Karmans. O highly intelligent one, in this worthless worldly existence, it is of the active nature. It attains the distresses of worldly existence. The individual soul is enveloped and concealed by this Shakti. Hence it is called Kshetrajna Shakti.

40. O king, this is seen in all living beings in varying degrees. In lifeless ones, it is very little and in the immobile beings it exists a little more than that.

41. In the reptiles, it is more than in the immobile beings. It is very powerful in birds. The deer are more powerful than the birds and the beasts are superior to the deer in their strength.

42. Human beings are more powerful than beasts and men wield more power (among human beings). O king, superior to them are the Nagas, Gandharvas, Yakshas and other gods.

43-44. Indra is the most powerful among Devas and superior to him is Prajapati. Hiranyagarbha is more powerful than he. O king, all these are his forms, since they are invested with his potency as though with the Ether.

45. O highly intelligent one, the second unembodied form of the Brahman called Vishnu is termed sat by the learned men. It is worthy of being meditated upon by the Yogins.

46. O king, it is there that all these potencies are founded. These are not the real forms of Hari. It is another and very great.

47. O lord of men, he assumes the forms of all potencies (Shaktis) having the activities of Devas, animals and human beings in his own sports.

48. His activities based on the Karmans (of other beings) are for helping the worlds. The activities of the incomprehensible Being are pervasive and very benevolent. *

*The reading should be atihitatmika and not avihitatmika as in the printed text.

49. O king, that form of the deity, the embodiment of the Universe must be meditated upon for the purification of the soul. It is destructive of all sins.

50. Just as the fire with shooting flames in collaboration with the wind burns down heaps of dry grass and wood, so also Vishnu, abiding in the minds of Yogins destroys all sins.

51. (Defective) Hence, this potency is the first and fore-most of all potencies. The devotee shall keep it in the mind. If it is duly stabilised it should be known as one with pure characteristics (?)

52. It is the auspicious support of the Atman that is present everywhere and is accompanied by the mind. It is beyond the three Bhavabhavanas (emotional conceptions). O king, it is conducive to the salvation of the Yogins.

53. O tiger among men, all other supports of the mind, Devas and others with Karmans as their source of origin, are impure.

54. (Defective) One who has no desire for any of these supports shall meditate on the embodied form of the Lord. This is to be known as Dharana since the mind is concentrated there.

55. O ruler of men, may it be heard of what nature should Hari's form be, for being meditated upon. There cannot be a Dharana (retention) without a support.

56-60. The form shall be-one with beautiful and delighted face; with the eyes large like the petals of a lotus; fine checks with a wide and brilliant forehead; its earrings placed equally between ears and shoulders; the neck resembling a conch shell, with the chest marked with Shrivatsa; the three folds in the skin in the curved umbilical region and the belly appearing beautiful; Vishnu may be conceived as having eight long arms or four arms, his thighs large and symmetrical, firm lotus-like hands and feet clad in pure yellow robes; bedecked in coronet, beautiful bracelets, armlets, etc. He is surrounded by a halo and is wielding the Sharnga bow, a Shankha, a mace and a sword. He is to be meditated thus as the Brahman also.

61. The Yogin shall identify himself with the deity, after concentrating his mind and meditate upon Vishnu, O king, until the Dharana becomes firmly fixed therein.

62. Whether the devotee is talking something or standing by or is engaged in some voluntary activity, the retention (Dharana) does not vanish from the mind. In that case he should consider that (i.e., Dharana) as achieved.

63. Thereafter, the sensible man shall meditate upon the Lord's form without Shankha, Gada, Cakra, Sharnga (bow), etc., but it is tranquil with the rosary in the hands.

64. When this Dharana is more or less stabilised, one shall meditate upon the Lord's form without such ornaments as coronet, bracelets, etc.

65. Then the sensible man should mentally dwell on that single limb; and subsequently he shall become engrossed in the one (Lord) that has the limbs.

66. At the perception of that form (there shall be) one obeisance and absence of desire for other objects. O king, his meditation is fulfilled by the first six Angas (of meditation).

67. When his perception of the form of the deity without any fanciful conception becomes the outcome of mental meditation, it is called Samadhi.

68. O king, in regard to the thing to be achieved i.e., the great Brahman, that which makes the achievement possible is Vijñāna (perfect knowledge). That which is to be attained to is the Atman whose Bhavanas have been dispelled.

69. It is the perfect knowledge of the Kshetrajna and the sense-organs therefore. After facilitating the achievement of the task of liberation, it has its purpose achieved and it recedes.

70. Then the devotee shall achieve the emotional identity with the great Atman, he shall become non-different from him. The difference is caused by the ignorance about him.

71. When Ajnana, the cause of differentiation, is utterly dispelled who will agree to this that the Atman is different from the Brahman?

72. O Khandikya, thus partly in detail and partly in brief, the Yoga has been recounted to you, since you have been asking me about it. What more can I do for you?

Khandikya said:

73. The excellent nature of the Yoga has been expounded by you. Everything has been done for me. Thanks to your instructions, the impurity in my mind has been entirely annihilated.

74. What has been called by me as “Mine' is incorrect and not otherwise. Even by those who know what should be known, O king, it cannot be mentioned otherwise.

75. The feelings 'I' and 'My’ are the outcome of Avidya so also their utterance. The truth which is inexpressible is beyond the scope of words.

76. O Keśhidhvaja, go, for the attainment of further welfare. Everything has been done for me by you since the unchanging Yoga devoted to salvation has been explained to me.

Sanandana said:

77. Thereafter, having been worshipped duly by Khåndikya, king Keshidhvaja returned to his capital duly worshipped by Khandikya, O Brahmana.

78. Khåndikya made his son the king. With his mind, dedicated to Krişhņa, he went to Vishala for the achievement of mastery over Yoga.

79. He was endowed with the qualities of Yama, etc. He was solely engrossed in deep meditation. The king attained dissolution by merging himself into the pure Brahman called Vishnu.

80. For the sake of liberation and eager to dispel his Karmans, he enjoyed the sensual pleasures and performed holy rites without any desire in view.

81. Osage, by means of auspicious enjoyment of pleasures, he wiped off all sins and became free from impurities. He attained Siddhi that utterly quelled the three kinds of Tapa (misery).

82. Thus everything that you had asked me has been recounted to you. What else shall I narrate to you for dispelling the three types of distress?