Agni Purana

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.

अग्निरुवाच वारणा मनसो ध्येये संस्थितिर्ध्यानवद् द्विधा । मूर्त्तामूर्तहरिध्यानमनोधारणतो हरिः ।। ३७५.

Agni said: The restraint of the mind for meditation is twofold, like meditation itself; meditation on Hari as form and formless is through concentration of the mind.

यद्वाह्यावस्थितं लक्षअयं तस्मान्न चलते मनः । तावत् कालं प्रदेशेषु धारणा मनसि स्थितिः ।। ३७५.

When the mind does not move from the chosen mark, remaining in the designated place for that duration, that is called concentration, the abiding of the mind.

कालावधि परिच्छिन्नं देहे संस्थापितं मनः । न प्रच्यवति यल्लक्ष्याद्धारणा साऽभिधीयते ।। ३७५.

When the mind, confined for a fixed time, is established in the body and does not stray from the mark, that is called concentration.

धारणा द्वादशायामा ध्यानं द्वादशधारणाः । ध्यानं द्वादशकं यावत्समाधिरभिधीयते ।। ३७५.

Concentration is of twelve measures; meditation is twelve concentrations; meditation up to twelvefold is called samādhi.

धारणाभ्यासयुक्तात्मा यदि प्राणैर्विमुच्यते । कुलैकविंशमुत्तार्य्य स्वर्य्याति परमं पदं ।। ३७५.

If one whose self is engaged in the practice of concentration departs with the life-breaths, he crosses the family line and attains the supreme abode.

यस्मिन् यस्मिन् भवेदङ्गे योगिनां व्याधिसम्भवः । तत्तदङ्गं धिया व्याप्य दारयेत्तत्त्वधारणं ।। ३७५.

Whenever disease arises in any limb among yogis, by pervading that limb with the mind, one should hold it—this is called elemental concentration.

आग्नेयी वारुणी चैव ऐशानी चामृतात्मिका । साग्निः शिखा फडन्ता च विष्णोः कार्य्या द्विजोत्तम ।। ३७५.

The fiery, watery, Īśāna, and immortal forms, along with the fiery crest and the syllable phaṭ—these should be applied to Viṣṇu, O best of twice-born.

नाड़ीभिर्विकटं दिव्यं शूलाग्रं वेधयेच्छुभम् । पादाङ्गुष्ठात् कपालान्तं रश्मिमण्डलमावृतं ।। ३७५.

With divine, formidable, female forms, one should pierce the auspicious tip of the trident, from the big toe to the crown of the head, enveloped in a circle of rays.

तिर्य्यक्‌चाधोद्‌र्ध्वभागेभ्यः प्रयान्त्योऽतीव तेजसा । चिन्तयेत् साध्केन्द्रस्तं यावत्सर्वं महामुने ।। ३७५.

He should contemplate the streams moving sideways, downward, and upward, exceedingly radiant, until all is considered, O great sage.

भस्मीभूतं शरीरं स्वन्ततश्चैवोपसंहरेत् । शीतश्लेष्मादयः पापं विनश्यन्ति द्विजातयः ।। ३७५.

He should gather the body, now reduced to ashes, within himself; cold, phlegm, and other impurities are destroyed for the twice-born.