Bhagavatapurana 3.28
English (machine translation) 3.28
- Language
- English
Contents
- 3.28.20 — 1 part
- 3.28.21 — 3 parts
- 3.28.22 — 3 parts
- 3.28.23 — 3 parts
- 3.28.24 — 3 parts
- 3.28.25 — 3 parts
- 3.28.26 — 3 parts
- 3.28.27 — 3 parts
- 3.28.28 — 3 parts
- 3.28.29 — 3 parts
- 3.28.30 — 3 parts
- 3.28.31 — 3 parts
- 3.28.32 — 3 parts
- 3.28.33 — 3 parts
- 3.28.34 — 3 parts
- 3.28.35 — 3 parts
- 3.28.36 — 3 parts
- 3.28.37 — 3 parts
- 3.28.38 — 1 part
3.28.1
The Lord said: / I shall declare the characteristics of yoga with seed, O daughter of the king, / by which very method the mind, having become serene, proceeds along the path of truth.
3.28.2
Practicing one's own duty according to one's capacity, refraining from what is contrary to duty, / contentment with what is obtained by destiny, and worshiping the feet of those who know the self—
3.28.3
Cessation from worldly affairs, delight in the dharma of liberation, / eating moderate and pure food, always dwelling in solitude and safety,
3.28.4
non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, accepting only what is necessary, / celibacy, austerity, purity, Vedic study, and the worship of the Supreme Person,
3.28.5
silence, mastery of a stable posture, steadiness, gradual control of the breath, / and withdrawal of the senses from their objects into the heart through the mind,
3.28.6
fixing the breath with the mind upon one of its seats, / contemplation of Vaikuṇṭha's divine play, and concentration of the mind:
3.28.7
by these and other paths, having conquered his breath and remaining unwearied, / one should gradually train with the intellect the wicked mind straying on the wrong path.
3.28.8
Having set up a seat in a clean place, having mastered his posture, / seated comfortably upon it, with his body upright, he should practice:
3.28.9
He should purify the pathway of the breath by inhalation, retention, and exhalation, / or by the reverse order, so that the mind becomes steady and motionless.
3.28.10
The mind of the yogin who has conquered his breath soon becomes free from impurity, / just as metal smelted by air and fire casts off its dross.
3.28.11
Through breath controls one should burn away faults; through concentrations, sins; / through sense-withdrawal, worldly attachments; and through meditation, ungodly qualities.
3.28.12
When one's mind has become pure and well-composed through yoga, / one should meditate on the form of the Lord, gazing at the tip of one's nose:
3.28.13
with a cheerful lotus-face, eyes reddish like the interior of a lotus, / dark as the petal of a blue lotus, bearing the conch, discus, and mace,
3.28.14
clad in yellow silk garments like the glowing filaments of a lotus, / bearing the Śrīvatsa on His chest, His neck adorned with the brilliant Kaustubha jewel,
3.28.15
encircled by a forest garland echoing with swarms of intoxicated bees, / adorned with a priceless necklace, bracelets, a crown, armlets, and anklets,
3.28.16
His hips shining with the strings of a girdle, seated on the lotus of the heart, / most lovely to behold, serene, gladdening to the mind and eyes,
3.28.17
wondrous to behold, constantly bowed to by all the worlds, / ever in the bloom of youth, eager to show grace to His servants,
3.28.18
whose sacred renown is worthy of praise, who glorifies those whose praise is purifying— / on this deity one should meditate with all His limbs, as long as the mind does not waver.
3.28.19
Standing, walking, sitting, or reclining, resting in the cave of the heart, / He whose deeds are marvelous to behold should be meditated on with a pure mind.
3.28.20
When the mind has gained a foothold therein, fixed upon all the limbs, / the sage, distinguishing [them], should concentrate on each single limb of the Lord:
3.28.20.p1
One should contemplate the lotus feet of the Lord, / richly marked with the thunderbolt, goad, banner, and lotus,
3.28.21
striking away the great darkness of the heart / by the moonlight of His prominent, reddish, gleaming circle of toenails.
3.28.21.p1
[…]
3.28.21.p2
By taking upon his head the holy water of the supreme river flowing from the washing of those feet, / Śiva became auspicious;
3.28.21.p3
by taking upon his head the holy water of the supreme river flowing from the washing of those feet, / Śiva became auspicious;
3.28.22
a thunderbolt hurled against the mountain of the meditator's mental impurities— / on those lotus feet of the Lord one should meditate for a long time.
3.28.22.p1
[…]
3.28.22.p2
Both His knees, placed upon the thighs / by Lakṣmī, the lotus-eyed mother of the Creator of all,
3.28.22.p3
who is revered by the gods— / placing them upon her thighs,
3.28.23
cherished by the radiance of her sprout-like hands, / one should place in one's heart those [knees] of the all-pervading, unborn Lord.
3.28.23.p1
[…]
3.28.23.p2
Both His thighs, shining above the shoulders of Suparṇa, / storehouses of vigor, glowing like flax blossoms,
3.28.23.p3
both His thighs, shining above the shoulders of Suparṇa, / storehouses of vigor, glowing like flax blossoms,
3.28.24
and the orb of His hips, embraced by the girdle / resting on His hanging, excellent yellow garment.
3.28.24.p1
[…]
3.28.24.p2
The lake of His navel situated in the cavern of His belly containing the egg of the universe, / wherein grew the lotus of all the worlds, the dwelling place of the self-born [Brahmā];
3.28.24.p3
the lake of His navel situated in the cavern of His belly containing the egg of the universe, / wherein grew the lotus of all the worlds, the dwelling place of the self-born [Brahmā];
3.28.25
and the broad pair of emerald-like, prominent nipples of His chest, / fair with the rays of His radiant necklace—on these one should meditate.
3.28.25.p1
[…]
3.28.25.p2
The chest, the dwelling of the supreme goddess of fortune, of the foremost [Lord], / bestowing bliss upon the minds and eyes of men,
3.28.25.p3
the chest, the dwelling of the supreme goddess of fortune, of the foremost [Lord], / bestowing bliss upon the minds and eyes of men,
3.28.26
and the neck, serving as an adornment for the Kaustubha gem, / of Him who is worshiped by all the worlds, one should hold in the mind.
3.28.26.p1
[…]
3.28.26.p2
And His arms, their armlets polished / by the churning of Mount Mandara, the protectors of the guardians of the worlds,
3.28.26.p3
and His arms, their armlets polished / by the churning of Mount Mandara, the protectors of the guardians of the worlds,
3.28.27
one should contemplate, as well as the thousand-spoked [discus] of irresistible brilliance, / and the conch, like a royal swan in His lotus hand.
3.28.27.p1
[…]
3.28.27.p2
One should remember the Lord's beloved mace, Kaumodakī, / smeared with the muddy blood of enemy warriors,
3.28.27.p3
one should remember the Lord's beloved mace, Kaumodakī, / smeared with the muddy blood of enemy warriors,
3.28.28
the garland resonant with the hum of swarms of bees, / and the pure gem upon His neck, the truth of the individual self.
3.28.28.p1
[…]
3.28.28.p2
One should contemplate the lotus face of the Lord, / who has assumed a form here out of compassion for His servants,
3.28.28.p3
one should contemplate the lotus face of the Lord, / who has assumed a form here out of compassion for His servants,
3.28.29
whose spotless cheeks are illuminated by the oscillation / of His glittering alligator-shaped earrings, and whose nose is prominent;
3.28.29.p1
[…]
3.28.29.p2
that abode of beauty, frequented by bees / through its own splendor, adorned with clusters of curly locks,
3.28.29.p3
that abode of beauty, frequented by bees / through its own splendor, adorned with clusters of curly locks,
3.28.30
putting to shame a pair of resting fish with His lotus eyes, / made of mind, with flashing eyebrows, one should meditate without weariness;
3.28.30.p1
[…]
3.28.30.p2
His glance cast from His eyes out of abundant mercy / to pacify the three terrible afflictions,
3.28.30.p3
His glance cast from His eyes out of abundant mercy / to pacify the three terrible afflictions,
3.28.31
accompanied by an affectionate smile, conveying immense grace— / on this one should meditate for a long time with intense contemplation in the cave [of the heart].
3.28.31.p1
[…]
3.28.31.p2
[He should meditate upon] Hari's most generous laughter, which dries up the ocean of tears of acute sorrow for all surrendered worlds,
3.28.31.p3
[He should meditate upon] Hari's most generous laughter, which dries up the ocean of tears of acute sorrow for all surrendered worlds,
3.28.32
and upon the circle of his eyebrows, fashioned by his own creative power for the bewilderment of the god whose emblem is the makara, for the welfare of sages.
3.28.32.p1
[…]
3.28.32.p2
[One should meditate upon] his broad smile, the refuge of meditation, in which the line of small, jasmine-like teeth is reddened by the radiance of his fleshy lower lip.
3.28.32.p3
[One should meditate upon] his broad smile, the refuge of meditation, in which the line of small, jasmine-like teeth is reddened by the radiance of his fleshy lower lip.
3.28.33
With his mind fixed in moist devotion upon Viṣṇu residing in the cave of his own heart, he should not desire to see anything apart [from him].
3.28.33.p1
[…]
3.28.33.p2
Having thus attained devotional emotion toward the Lord Hari, his heart melting with devotion, his hair standing on end from delight,
3.28.33.p3
Having thus attained devotional emotion toward the Lord Hari, his heart melting with devotion, his hair standing on end from delight,
3.28.34
and repeatedly overcome by the flow of tears of longing, he gradually withdraws even that mind which served as a fishhook.
3.28.34.p1
[…]
3.28.34.p2
When the mind, free of any support, devoid of sensory objects, and dispassionate, suddenly reaches extinction like a flame,
3.28.34.p3
When the mind, free of any support, devoid of sensory objects, and dispassionate, suddenly reaches extinction like a flame,
3.28.35
then the person, the flow of whose guṇas has ceased, beholds here the self as one without any intervening screen.
3.28.35.p1
[…]
3.28.35.p2
Established in that glory beyond pleasure and pain through this final cessation of the mind,
3.28.35.p3
Established in that glory beyond pleasure and pain through this final cessation of the mind,
3.28.36
he who has attained the supreme limit of the self assigns even the causality of pleasure and pain, which belongs to the unreal agent, to its proper place [in the ego].
3.28.36.p1
[…]
3.28.36.p2
And the perfected sage does not see this body, the last one, whether remaining or risen up, since he has realized his true nature—
3.28.36.p3
And the perfected sage does not see this body, the last one, whether remaining or risen up, since he has realized his true nature—
3.28.37
just as one blinded by wine intoxication does not see the garment put around him, whether it has arrived by chance or departed by chance.
3.28.37.p1
[…]
3.28.37.p2
Subject to destiny, the body indeed awaits, along with the vital breath, only as long as the karma that initiated it lasts;
3.28.37.p3
Subject to destiny, the body indeed awaits, along with the vital breath, only as long as the karma that initiated it lasts;
3.28.38
having mounted the yoga of absorption and awoken to reality, he does not resort again to that [body] and its worldly manifestation, which are like a dream.
3.28.38.p1
[…]
3.28.39
Just as a mortal is understood to be distinct from a son and from wealth,
so too the person is distinct from the body and the rest, even though regarded as the self.
3.28.40
Just as fire, though regarded as identical, is distinct from the firebrand,
from the sparks, or from the smoke arising from itself,
3.28.41
so too the self, the seer, the Lord known as Brahman,
is distinct from the elements, the senses, the inner organ, and the primordial nature called the individual soul.
3.28.42
One should behold the self in all beings and all beings in the self,
with an undifferentiated vision, just as one sees elemental essence in the elements.
3.28.43
Just as a single light is perceived as varied in its various sources
due to the difference in the qualities of the sources, so the self resides in nature.
3.28.44
Therefore, overcoming this divine nature of his own, which consists of being and non-being
and is hard to fathom, he abides in his true form.
Translations (1)
- The Srimad Bhagavatam — S. Subba Rau 1928, English
Linked texts (1)
- Bhāgavatapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit