समस्तकल्याणगुणात्मको हि स्वशक्तिलेशादृतभूतसर्गः इच्छागृहीताभिमतोरुदेहः संसाधिताशेषजगद्धितो ऽसौ
He is the embodiment of all auspicious qualities; by a fraction of his own power, the creation of beings arises; his body is assumed according to his will and desire, and he accomplishes the welfare of all worlds.
तेजोबलैश्वर्यमहावरोधः स्ववीर्यशक्त्यादिगुणैकराशिः परः पराणां सकला न यत्र क्लेशादयः सन्ति परापरेशे
He is a mass of qualities such as energy, strength, lordship, and great restraint, the highest among the supreme; in whom there are no afflictions or the like, the Lord of both the higher and lower.
स ईश्वरो व्यष्टिसमष्टिरूपो ऽव्यक्तस्वरूपः प्रकटस्वरूपः सर्वेश्वरः सर्वदृक् सर्ववेत्ता समस्तशक्तिः परमेश्वराख्यः
He is the Lord, having both individual and collective forms, unmanifest and manifest; the Lord of all, all-seeing, all-knowing, possessing all powers, called the supreme Lord.
संज्ञायते येन तद् अस्तदोषं शुद्धं परं निर्मलम् एकरूपम् संदृश्यते वाप्य् अथ गम्यते वा तज् ज्ञानम् अज्ञानम् अतो ऽन्यद् उक्तम्
That by which he is known is pure, supreme, spotless, and without fault; it is of one form, and is either seen or attained; knowledge is declared to be distinct from ignorance.
इदानीं ब्रूहि योगं च दुःखसंयोगभेषजम् यं विदित्वाव्ययं तत्र युञ्जामः पुरुषोत्तमम्
Now, please tell us of yoga, the remedy for the union with suffering; knowing that imperishable state, let us practice union with the Supreme Person.
श्रुत्वा स वचनं तेषां कृष्णद्वैपायनस् तदा अब्रवीत् परमप्रीतो योगी योगविदां वरः
Hearing their words, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the best among yogis and knower of yoga, then spoke, greatly pleased.
योगं वक्ष्यामि भो विप्राः शृणुध्वं भवनाशनम् यम् अभ्यस्याप्नुयाद् योगी मोक्षं परमदुर्लभम्
O brāhmaṇas, I will explain yoga, the destroyer of worldly existence; listen—by practicing it, a yogi attains liberation, which is extremely difficult to obtain.
श्रुत्वादौ योगशास्त्राणि गुरुम् आराध्य भक्तितः इतिहासं पुराणं च वेदांश् चैव विचक्षणः
First, having listened to the treatises on yoga, having worshiped the teacher with devotion, and being skilled in the epics, Purāṇas, and Vedas,
आहारं योगदोषांश् च देशकालं च बुद्धिमान् ज्ञात्वा समभ्यसेद् योगं निर्द्वंद्वो निष्परिग्रहः
Knowing food, the faults of yoga, place and time, the wise one should practice yoga, free from dualities and without possessions.
भुञ्जन् सक्तुं यवागूं च तक्रमूलफलं पयः यावकं कणपिण्याकम् आहारं योगसाधनम्
Eating saktu, barley gruel, buttermilk, roots, fruits, milk, yāvaka, and coarse flour—these are foods suitable for the practice of yoga.
न मनोविकले ध्माते न श्रान्ते क्षुधिते तथा न द्वंद्वे न च शीते च न चोष्णे नानिलात्मके
Not when the mind is disturbed, nor when one is breathless, tired, or hungry; not in duality, nor in cold, nor in heat, nor in a place of strong wind.
सशब्दे न जलाभ्यासे जीर्णगोष्ठे चतुष्पथे सरीसृपे श्मशाने च न नद्यन्ते ऽग्निसंनिधौ
Not where there is noise, nor near water, nor in a ruined cowshed, nor at a crossroads, nor among reptiles, nor in a cremation ground, nor on a riverbank, nor near fire.
न चैत्ये न च वल्मीके सभये कूपसंनिधौ न शुष्कपर्णनिचये योगं युञ्जीत कर्हिचित्
Not in a shrine, nor in an anthill, nor in a fearful place, nor near a well, nor on a heap of dry leaves should one ever practice yoga.
देशान् एतान् अनादृत्य मूढत्वाद् यो युनक्ति वै प्रवक्ष्ये तस्य ये दोषा जायन्ते विघ्नकारकाः
Disregarding these places out of ignorance, whoever practices yoga—let me tell you the faults that arise for him, which become obstacles.
बाधिर्यं जडता लोपः स्मृतेर् मूकत्वम् अन्धता ज्वरश् च जायते सद्यस् तद्वद् अज्ञानसंभवः
Deafness, dullness, loss of memory, muteness, blindness, and fever arise immediately, as well as ignorance.
तस्मात् सर्वात्मना कार्या रक्षा योगविदा सदा धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां शरीरं साधनं यतः
Therefore, one who knows yoga should always protect the body in every way, for the body is the means for dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa.
आश्रमे विजने गुह्ये निःशब्दे निर्भये नगे शून्यागारे शुचौ रम्ये चैकान्ते देवतालये
In an āśrama, in a secluded, hidden, silent, and fearless place, on a mountain, in an empty house, in a pure and pleasant solitary spot, or in a temple.
रजन्याः पश्चिमे यामे पूर्वे च सुसमाहितः पूर्वाह्णे मध्यमे चाह्नि युक्ताहारो जितेन्द्रियः
In the last watch of the night, or at dawn, with mind well composed; in the morning or midday, with moderate food and controlled senses.
आसीनः प्राङ्मुखो रम्य आसने सुखनिश्चले नातिनीचे न चोच्छ्रिते निःस्पृहः सत्यवाक् शुचिः
Seated facing east, on a pleasant, comfortable, steady seat, not too low nor too high, free from desire, truthful in speech, and pure.
युक्तनिद्रो जितक्रोधः सर्वभूतहिते रतः सर्वद्वंद्वसहो धीरः समकायाङ्घ्रिमस्तकः
Moderate in sleep, with anger subdued, devoted to the welfare of all beings, enduring all dualities, steadfast, with body, feet, and head aligned.
नाभौ निधाय हस्तौ द्वौ शान्तः पद्मासने स्थितः संस्थाप्य दृष्टिं नासाग्रे प्राणान् आयम्य वाग्यतः
Placing both hands on the navel, calm, seated in the lotus posture, fixing the gaze on the tip of the nose, restraining the breath, and controlling speech.
समाहृत्येन्द्रियग्रामं मनसा हृदये मुनिः प्रणवं दीर्घम् उद्यम्य संवृतास्यः सुनिश्चलः
Having gathered the group of senses, with the mind in the heart, the sage, closing the mouth, motionless, utters the long syllable Om.
रजसा तमसो वृत्तिं सत्त्वेन रजसस् तथा संछाद्य निर्मले शान्ते स्थितः संवृतलोचनः
By means of rajas, one covers the function of tamas; by means of sattva, one covers that of rajas. Thus, remaining pure and peaceful, with senses withdrawn, one abides.
हृत्पद्मकोटरे लीनं सर्वव्यापि निरञ्जनम् युञ्जीत सततं योगी मुक्तिदं पुरुषोत्तमम्
The yogi should always unite his mind with the Supreme Person, the giver of liberation, who is all-pervading, stainless, and hidden in the innermost lotus of the heart.
करणेन्द्रियभूतानि क्षेत्रज्ञे प्रथमं न्यसेत् क्षेत्रज्ञश् च परे योज्यस् ततो युञ्जति योगवित्
First, let him place the senses and the elements into the knower of the field; then, let the knower of the field be joined to the Supreme; thus, the knower of yoga unites.
मनो यस्यान्तम् अभ्येति परमात्मनि चञ्चलम् संत्यज्य विषयांस् तस्य योगसिद्धिः प्रकाशिता
For one whose restless mind, having abandoned all objects, attains its end in the Supreme Self, the perfection of yoga is revealed.
यदा निर्विषयं चित्तं परे ब्रह्मणि लीयते समाधौ योगयुक्तस्य तदाभ्येति परं पदम्
When the mind, free from objects, dissolves into the Supreme Brahman, then, for the one established in yoga, the highest state is attained in samadhi.
असंसक्तं यदा चित्तं योगिनः सर्वकर्मसु भवत्य् आनन्दम् आसाद्य तदा निर्वाणम् ऋच्छति
When the yogi’s mind is unattached in all actions, having attained bliss, then he reaches liberation.
शुद्धं धामत्रयातीतं तुर्याख्यं पुरुषोत्तमम् प्राप्य योगबलाद् योगी मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Having attained, through the power of yoga, the pure, transcendent, fourth state called the Supreme Person, the yogi is liberated—of this there is no doubt.
निःस्पृहः सर्वकामेभ्यः सर्वत्र प्रियदर्शनः सर्वत्रानित्यबुद्धिस् तु योगी मुच्येत नान्यथा
Free from desire for all objects, seeing the good everywhere, and understanding the impermanence of all things, the yogi is liberated; otherwise, not.