Skandapurana 7.18.89_223

7.18.89_223

956
sanatkumāra uvāca
dvividhaṃ brahma nirdiṣṭaṃ kṣaramakṣarameva1 ca .
viditvobhayametaddhi mucyate sarvabandhanaiḥ . . 1 . .
pañcaviṃśatimaṃ tattvaṃ kṣaraṃ2 tat prakṛteḥ param .
akṣaraṃ ca3 paraṃ brahma ṣaḍviṃśakamiti4 smṛtam . .2 ..
mana ekagataṃ kṛtvā dhāraṇābhiḥ punaḥ punaḥ .
vāyunigrahaṇaṃ kuryāt pratyāhārapurassaram .. 3 . .
muhūrtārdhaṃ kṣaṇaṃ vāpi pratyāhāraṃ samācaret .
talāt triṃśacchataṃ cordhvaṃ prāṇāyāmanibandhanam . .4..
abhyastamāsanaṃ5 yat syāt svastikādi prakīrttitam .
tad baddhvā vijane deśe dhyānābhyāsaṃ samācaret ..5..
kṣudhārtto vātibhukto vā rujā duḥkhānvitopi vā .
na dhyāyīta punarvidvān ya icched dhyānamātmanaḥ . .6 . .
yogahastaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā vāmasyopari dakṣiṇam .
adhomukho bhavet kiñcit paśyannāsāgramātmanaḥ . .7..
aspṛśan daśanairdantānoṅkāraṃ brahma saṃsmaran .
dhyāyīta nirmamo6 vidvāna prāṇāyāmapuraḥsaram . .8..
ātmānamātmanā yojya sarvāṅgāni tu saṃharet .
nirīhaḥ pihitākṣaśca7 nikṣipya hṛdi dhāraṇām . .9. .
pāṣāṇa iva niṣpando munirdhyānaṃ samācaret .
ekatrāspandasandhānaṃ manaso8 dhāraṇā smṛtā .. 8.178.10 ..
evaṃ pratidinaṃ tasya dhyāyato yogino mune .
vikārā guṇajāḥ sarve naśyante vighnahetavaḥ . . 11 .

Sanatkumāra said: / Brahman is indicated to be twofold: the perishable and the imperishable. / For by knowing both of these, one is freed from all bonds. / The twenty-fifth principle is the perishable; that is beyond primordial nature (prakṛti). / And the imperishable supreme Brahman is remembered as the twenty-sixth. / Having focused the mind on one point again and again through concentrations (dhāraṇās), / one should hold the breath preceded by sensory withdrawal (pratyāhāra). / One should perform sensory withdrawal for half a muhūrta or even a moment; / the restraint of breath (prāṇāyāma) extends from the base upward for one hundred and thirty [measures]. / Fastening whatever seat has been practiced, such as svastika and the like, / one should practice meditation in a solitary place. / Neither afflicted by hunger, nor overfed, nor endowed with pain from illness, / the wise person who desires meditation of the self should not meditate [under such conditions]. / Then, having made the yoga hand-posture, placing the right hand upon the left, / one should turn slightly downwards, looking at the tip of one's nose. / Not touching teeth with teeth, remembering Brahman as the syllable Oṃ, / free from possessiveness, the wise person should meditate preceded by prāṇāyāma. / Joining the self with the Self, he should draw in all limbs; / devoid of craving and with eyes closed, placing concentration in the heart, / motionless as a stone, the sage should practice meditation. / Concentration (dhāraṇā) is remembered as the steady fixation of the mind in one place. / Thus, for that yogin meditating day after day, O sage, / all modifications born of the guṇas, which are causes of obstacles, are destroyed.