Vishnupurana 6.7.p4

6.7.p4

"The Yogi, when he first gives himself up to the practice of contemplative devotion, is called the novice or practitioner; when he has attained spiritual union, he is called the adept or he whose meditations are accomplished. Should the thoughts of the former be unvitiated by any obstructing imperfection, he will obtain freedom after practising devotion through several lives. The latter speedily obtains liberation in that existence, all his acts being consumed by the fire of contemplative devotion. The sage, who would bring his mind into a proper state for the performance of devout contemplation, must be devoid of desire and observe invariably continence, compassion, truth, honesty, and disinterestedness; he must fix his mind upon the supreme Brahma, practising holy study, purification, contentment, penance and self-control. These virtues, respectively termed the five acts of restraint and five of obligation bestow excellent rewards when practised for the sake of reward and eternal liberation and when they are not prompted by the desire of transient benefits. Endowed with these merits, the sage, self-restrained, should sit in one of the modes termed Bhadrāsana and engage in contemplation. Bringing his vital airs called Prāna under subjection, by frequent repetition is thence called Prānāyāma which is, as it were, a seed with a seed. In this, the breath of expiration and that of inspiration are alternately obstructed constituting the act two-fold; and the suppression of both modes of breathing produces a third. The exercise, of yogi, whilst endeavouring to bring before his thoughts the gross form of the eternal, is denominated Alambana. He is then to perform Pratyāhāra, which consists in restraining his organs of sense from susceptibility to outward impressions, and directing them entirely to mental perceptions. By these means the entire subjugation of the unsteady senses is effected: and if they are not controlled the sage will not accomplish his devotions. When by the Prānāyāma the vital airs are restrained and the senses are subjugated by Pratyāhāra then the sage will be able to keep his mind steady in its perfect asylum".