Agni Purana

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.

संपूर्णेन्दुनिभं ध्यायेत् कमलं तन्त्रिमुष्टिगं । शिरःस्थं चिन्तयेत् यत्नाच्छशाङ्गायुतवर्चसं ।। ३७५.

He should meditate on a lotus resembling the full moon, held in the hand with the fingers; he should carefully contemplate it at the crown of the head, radiant with the light of the moon.

सम्पूर्णमण्डलं व्योम्नि शिवकल्लोलपूर्णितं । तथा हृत्‌कमले ध्यायेत्तन्मध्ये स्वतनुं स्मरेत् ३७५.

He should meditate on the full circle in the sky, filled with the waves of Shiva; likewise, in the heart-lotus, he should remember his own form in its center.

अग्निरुवाच यदात्ममात्रं निर्भासं स्तिमितोदधिवत् स्थितं । चैतन्यरूपवद्ध्यानं तत् समाधिरिहोच्यते ।। ३७६.

Agni said: When the self alone shines, remaining like a still ocean, meditation in the form of consciousness—that is called samadhi here.

ध्यायन्मनः सन्निवेश्य यस्तिष्ठेदचलस्थिरः । निर्वातानलवद्योगी समाधिस्थः प्रकीर्त्तितः ।। ३७६.

He who, having placed his mind in meditation, remains unmoving and steady, like a windless fire, is called a yogi established in samadhi.

न श्रृणोति न चाघ्राति न पश्यति न वम्यति । न च सपर्शं विजानाति न सङ्कल्पयते मनः ।। ३७६.

He neither hears nor smells, nor sees nor speaks; nor does he perceive touch, nor does his mind form thoughts.

न चाभिमन्यते किञ्चिन्न च बुध्यति काष्ठवत् । एवमीश्वरसंलीनः समाधिस्थः स गीयते ।। ३७६.

He does not claim anything, nor does he awaken, like a log of wood; thus, merged in the Lord, he is said to be established in samadhi.

यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता । ध्यायतो विष्णुमात्मानं समाधिस्तस्य योगिनः ।। ३७६.

Just as a lamp placed in a windless spot does not flicker, so is the state of meditation remembered; the yogi who contemplates Viṣṇu as his own self attains such steadiness.

उपसर्गाः प्रवर्त्तन्ते दिव्याः सिद्धिप्रसूचकाः । पातितः श्रावणो धातुर्दशनस्बाङ्गवेदनाः ।। ३७६.

Divine omens, indicating the onset of supernatural powers, begin to occur: a ringing sound in the ears, trembling of the body, and sensations in the teeth and limbs.

प्रार्थयन्ति च तं देवा भोगैर्दिव्यैश्च योगिनं । नृपाश्च पृथिवीदानैर्धनैस्च सुधनाधिपाः ।। ३७६.

The gods themselves seek out that yogi with celestial enjoyments, and kings, lords of great wealth, approach him with gifts of land and riches.

वेदादिसर्व्वशास्त्रञ्च स्वयमेव प्रवर्तते । अभीष्टछन्दोविषयं काव्यञ्चास्य प्रवर्त्तते ।। ३७६.

All the Vedas and other scriptures arise spontaneously within him; poetry and whatever he desires to express also manifest of their own accord.