Agni Purana

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.

शिरो धीरञ्च कारञ्च कण्ठं चाधोमुखे स्मरेत् । ध्यायेदच्छिन्नचित्तात्मा भूयो भूतेन चात्मना ।। ३७५.

He should remember the head, the intellect, and the throat, all facing downward; he should meditate with an undivided mind and self, again and again with the elemental self.

स्फुरच्छीकरसंस्पर्शप्रभूते हिमगामिभिः । धाराभिरखिलं विश्वमापूर्य्य भुवि चिन्तयेत् ।। ३७५.

He should contemplate the entire universe being filled on earth by streams abundant with the touch of cold, sparkling water.

ब्रह्मरन्ध्राच्च संक्षोभाद्यावदाधारमण्डलम् । सुषुम्नान्तर्गतो बूत्वा संपूर्णेन्दुकृतालयं ।। ३७५.

From the Brahmarandhra, by agitation, down to the region of the base, entering within the Sushumna, he should fill the abode made by the full moon.

संप्लाव्य हिमसंस्पर्श तोयेनामृतमूर्त्तिना । क्षुत् पिपासाक्रमप्रायसन्तापपरिपीड़ितः ।। ३७५.

Flooding with water touched by cold, with the form of nectar, he, afflicted by hunger, thirst, and intense suffering, should endure.

धारयेद्वारुणीं मन्त्री तुष्ट्यर्थं चाप्यतन्त्रितः । वारुणी धारणा प्रोक्ता ऐशानीधारणां श्रृषु ।। ३७५.

He should hold the Varuni (nectar) by mantra, for the sake of satisfaction and without distraction; the Varuni retention is taught—listen to the Ishani retention.

व्योग्नि ब्रह्ममये पद्मे प्राणापणे क्षयङ्गते । प्रसादं चिन्तयेद् विष्णोर्यावच्चिन्ता क्षयं गता ।। ३७५.

In the lotus made of Brahman, when the prana and apana have subsided, he should contemplate the grace of Vishnu until all thought has ceased.

महाभावञ्चपेत् सर्व्वं ततो व्यापक ईश्वरः । अर्द्धेन्दुं परमं शान्तं निराभासन्निरञ्जनं ।। ३७५.

He should realize the great state, then the all-pervading Lord, the half-moon, the supreme peace, without appearance, stainless.

असत्यं सत्यमाभाति तावत्सर्वं चराचरं । यावत् स्वस्यन्दरूपन्तु न दृष्टं गुरुवक्त्रतः ।। ३७५.

Falsehood appears as truth so long as all moving and unmoving things are not seen in their own essential form from the mouth of the teacher.

दृष्टे तस्मिन् परे तत्त्वे आब्रह्म सचराचरं । प्रमातृमानमेयञ्च ध्यानहृत्पद्मकल्पनं ।। ३७५.

When that supreme reality is seen, from Brahma down to all moving and unmoving things, the knower, the measure, and the object, as well as the lotus of meditation in the heart, are imagined.

मातृमोदकवत्सर्वं जपहोमार्चनादिकं । विष्णुमन्त्रेण वा कुर्य्यादमृतां धारणां वदे ।। ३७५.

All actions like recitation, sacrifice, worship, and so forth, like a mother giving sweets, should be performed with the Vishnu mantra; I declare the retention of nectar.