Agni Purana

एवं मुहूर्त्तमर्धं वा ध्यायेद् यः श्रद्ध्या हरिं । सोपि यां गतिमाप्नोति न तां सर्वैर्महामखैः ।। ३७४.

Thus, whoever meditates on Hari for even half a moment with faith attains a state that cannot be reached by all the great sacrifices.

ध्याता ध्यानं तथा ध्येयं यच्च ध्यानप्रयोजनं । एतच्चतुष्टयं ज्ञात्वा योगं युञ्जीत तत्त्ववित् ।। ३७४.

Having understood the fourfold: the meditator, meditation, the object of meditation, and the purpose of meditation, one who knows the truth should practice yoga.

योगाभ्यासाद्‌भवेन्मुक्तिरैश्वर्य्यञ्चाष्टधा महत् । ज्ञानवैराग्यसम्पन्नः श्रद्दधानः क्षमान्वितः ।। ३७४.

Through the practice of yoga, liberation arises, and also the eightfold great powers; endowed with knowledge and detachment, with faith and patience.

विष्णुभक्तः सदोत्साही ध्यातेत्थं पुरुषः स्मृतः । मूर्तामूर्त्तं परम्ब्रह्म हरेर्ध्यानं हि चिन्तनम् ।। ३७४.

A devotee of Vishnu, always enthusiastic, is remembered as one who meditates thus; meditation on Hari is contemplation of the embodied and unembodied Supreme Brahman.

सकलो निष्कलो ज्ञेयः सर्वज्ञः परमो हरिः । अणिमादिगुणैश्वर्य्यं मुक्तिर्ध्यानप्रयोजनम् ।। ३७४.

Hari, the Supreme, is to be known as both with form and without form, all-knowing; the purpose of meditation is liberation and the powers beginning with aṇimā.

फलेन योजको विष्णुरतो ध्यायेत् परेश्वरं । गच्छंस्तिष्ठन् स्वपन् जाग्रदुन्मिषन्निमिषन्नपि ।। ३७४.

Vishnu is the one who connects with the fruit; therefore, one should meditate on the Supreme Lord, whether walking, standing, sleeping, awake, with eyes open or closed.

शुचिर्वाप्यशुचिर्वापि ध्यायेत् सततमीश्वरम् । स्वदेहायतनस्यान्ते मनसि स्थाप्य केशवम् ।। ३७४.

Whether pure or impure, one should always meditate on the Lord, placing Keshava within the mind at the end of one's own bodily abode.

हृत्पद्मपीठिकामध्ये ध्यानयोगेन पूजयेत् । ध्यानयज्ञः परः शुद्धः सर्वदोषक्विर्ज्जितः ।। ३७४.

In the center of the lotus-seat of the heart, one should worship through the yoga of meditation; the meditation-sacrifice is supreme, pure, and free from all faults.

तेनेष्ट्वा मुक्तिमाप्नोति वाह्यशुद्धैश्च नाध्वरैः । हिंसादोषविमुक्तित्वाद्विशुद्धिश्चित्तसाधनः ।। ३७४.

By offering this, one attains liberation, not through external pure sacrifices; because it is free from the fault of violence, purification is accomplished by the discipline of the mind.

ध्यानयज्ञः परस्तस्मादपवर्गफलप्रदः । तस्मादशुद्धं सन्त्यज्य ह्यनित्यं वाह्यसाधनं ।। ३७४.

Therefore, the meditation-sacrifice is supreme and grants the fruit of final liberation; thus, abandoning impure and impermanent external means.

यज्ञाद्यं कर्म्म सन्त्यज्य योगमत्यर्थमभ्यसेत् । विकारमुक्तमव्यक्तं भोग्यभोगसमन्वितं ।। ३७४.

Abandoning ritual actions such as sacrifice, one should practice yoga intensely; free from change, unmanifest, accompanied by both enjoyment and the objects of enjoyment.

चिन्तयेद्धृदये पूर्वं क्रमादादौ गुणत्रयं । तमः प्रच्छाद्य रजसा सत्त्वेन च्छादयेद्रजः ।। ३७४.

First, one should contemplate in the heart, step by step, the three qualities; covering darkness with passion, and then covering passion with goodness.

ध्यायेत्त्रिमण्डलं पूर्वं कृष्णां रक्तं सितं क्रमात् । सत्त्वोपाधिगुणातीतः पुरुषः पञ्चविंशकः ।। ३७४.

One should first meditate on the three circles: black, red, and white in order; the twenty-fifth person, transcending the qualities, with the attribute of goodness.

ध्येयमेतदशुद्धञ्च त्यक्त्वा शुद्धं विचिन्तयेत् । ऐश्वर्य्यं पङ्कजं दिव्यं पुरुषोपरि संस्थितं ।। ३७४.

Having abandoned this impure object of meditation, one should contemplate the pure; the divine lotus of power, situated above the person.

द्वादशाङ्गुलविस्तीर्णं शुद्धं विकशितं सितम् । नालमष्टङ्गुलं तस्य नाभिकन्दसमुद्भ्वं ।। ३७४.

Pure, expanded, and white, twelve fingers in breadth; its stalk is eight fingers, arising from the root of the navel.

पद्मपत्राष्टकं ज्ञेयमणिमादिगुणाष्टकम् । कर्णिकाकेशरं नालं ज्ञानवैराग्यभुत्तमम् ।। ३७४.

The eight lotus petals are to be known, and the eight powers beginning with aṇimā; the central part, filaments, and stalk are the highest knowledge and detachment.

विष्णुधर्म्मश्च तत्कन्दमिति पद्मं विचिन्तयेत् । तद्धर्मज्ञानवैराग्यं शिवैश्वर्य्यमयं परं ।। ३७४.

The root of that is Vishnu's dharma; thus, one should contemplate the lotus; its dharma is knowledge and detachment, the supreme composed of Shiva's powers.

ज्ञात्वा पद्मासनं सर्वं सर्वदुःखान्तमाप्नुयात् । तत्पद्मकर्णिकामध्ये शुद्धदीपशिखाकृति ।। ३७४.

Having understood the entire lotus-seat, one attains the end of all suffering; in the center of that lotus, is a pure flame-shaped form.

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रममलं ध्यायेदोङ्कारमीश्वरं । कदम्वगोलकाकारं तारं रूपमिव स्थितं ।। ३७४.

One should meditate on the immaculate Omkara, the Lord, the size of a thumb; shaped like a kadamba sphere, standing like the form of a tone.

ध्यायेद्वा रश्मिजालेन दीप्यमानं समन्ततः । प्रधानं पुरुषातीतं स्थितं पद्मस्थमीश्वरं ।। ३७४.

One should meditate on the Lord, shining all around with a network of rays, the Supreme Principle, transcending the person, established upon a lotus.

ध्यायेज्जपेच्च सततमोङ्कारं परमक्षरं । मनःस्थित्यर्थमिच्छन्ति स्थूलध्यानमनुक्रमात् ।। ३७४.

One should constantly meditate and recite the syllable Oṃ, the supreme imperishable; for the purpose of stabilizing the mind, they desire gross meditation in sequence.

तद्‌भूतं निश्चलीभूतं लभेत् सूक्ष्मेऽपि संस्थितं । नाभिकन्दे स्थितं नालं दशाङ्गुलसमायतं ।। ३७४.

That which is thus, made motionless, is attained even in subtle existence; established at the root of the navel, the stalk is ten fingers in length.

नालेनाष्टदलं पद्म द्वादशाङ्गुलविस्तृतं । सकर्णिके केसराले सूर्य्यसोमाग्निमण्डलं ।। ३७४.

From the stalk is an eight-petaled lotus, twelve fingers wide, with a pericarp and filaments, containing the orbs of sun, moon, and fire.

अग्निमण्डलमध्यस्थः शङ्खक्रगदाधरः । पद्मी चतुर्भुजो विष्णुरथवाष्टभुजो हरिः ।। ३७४.

In the center of the fire-orb, bearing conch, discus, and mace, is Viṣṇu, the lotus-seated, four-armed—or else Hari, eight-armed.

शार्ङ्गाक्षवलयधरः पाशाङ्कुशधरः परः । स्वर्णबर्णः श्वेतवर्णः सश्रीवत्सः सकौस्तुभः ।। ३७४.

He holds the bow Śārṅga, a discus, and a bracelet, and also a noose and goad, the Supreme One; golden-hued, white in color, adorned with the Śrīvatsa and the Kaustubha gem.

वनमाली स्वर्णहारी स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलः । रत्नोज्जवलकिरीटश्च पीताम्बरधरो महान् ।। ३७४.

Wearing a forest garland and a golden necklace, with shining makara earrings, a crown blazing with jewels, and clad in yellow garments, the Great One.

सर्व्वाभरणभूषाढ्यो वितस्तिर्वा यथेच्छया । अहं ब्रह्म ज्योतिरात्मा वासुदेवो विमुक्त ओं ।। ३७४.

Adorned with all ornaments, measuring a span or as desired; 'I am Brahman, the self of light, Vāsudeva, liberated, Oṃ.'

ध्यानाच्छ्रान्तो जपेन्मन्त्रं जपाच्छ्रान्तश्च चिन्तयेत् । जपध्यानादियुक्तस्य विष्णुः शीघ्रं प्रसीदति ।। ३७४.

When weary from meditation, one should recite the mantra; when weary from recitation, one should meditate; for one engaged in both recitation and meditation, Viṣṇu is quickly pleased.

जपयज्ञस्य वै यज्ञाः कलां नार्हन्ति षोड़शीं । जपिनं नोपसर्पन्ति व्याधयश्चाधयो ग्रहाः ३७४.

The sacrifices of japa-yajña do not equal even a sixteenth part of japa; diseases, afflictions, and planetary influences do not approach the reciter.