दुर्बलश् च यथा विप्राः स्रोतसा ह्रियते नरः बलहीनस् तथा योगी विषयैर् ह्रियते च सः
Just as a weak man is carried away by a current, so too a yogi lacking strength is carried away by sense objects.
तद् एव तु यथा स्रोतो विष्कम्भयति वारणः तद्वद् योगबलं लब्ध्वा न भवेद् विषयैर् हृतः
But just as an elephant blocks a stream, so too, having attained the power of yoga, one is not carried away by sense objects.
विशन्ति वा वशाद् वाथ योगाद् योगबलान्विताः प्रजापतीन् मनून् सर्वान् महाभूतानि चेश्वराः
Whether entering by their own will or through yoga, those endowed with yogic power enter the progenitors, all Manus, and the great elements, O rulers.
न यमो नान्तकः क्रुद्धो न मृत्युर् भीमविक्रमः विशन्ते तद् द्विजाः सर्वे योगस्यामिततेजसः
Neither Yama nor Death in wrath, nor mighty Death himself, can enter there, O twice-born; all are surpassed by the boundless radiance of yoga.
आत्मनां च सहस्राणि बहूनि द्विजसत्तमाः योगं कुर्याद् बलं प्राप्य तैश् च सर्वैर् महीं चरेत्
O best of twice-born, having attained strength, one should unite with many thousands of selves, and with all of them roam the earth.
प्राप्नुयाद् विषयान् कश्चित् पुनश् चोग्रं तपश् चरेत् संक्षिप्येच् च पुनर् विप्राः सूर्यस् तेजोगुणान् इव
Someone may attain sense objects, yet again undertake intense austerity; and, O Brahmins, he should again draw in his powers, like the sun does with its rays.
बलस्थस्य हि योगस्य बलार्थं मुनिसत्तमाः विमोक्षप्रभवं विष्णुम् उपपन्नम् असंशयम्
Indeed, O best of sages, the strength of yoga is for the sake of strength; and with that, one attains Vishnu, the source of liberation, without doubt.
बलानि योगप्रोक्तानि मयैतानि द्विजोत्तमाः निदर्शनार्थं सूक्ष्माणि वक्ष्यामि च पुनर् द्विजाः
O best of twice-born, I have described to you the strengths spoken of in yoga; now, for the sake of illustration, I will again speak of their subtle forms.
आत्मनश् च समाधाने धारणां प्रति वा द्विजाः निदर्शनानि सूक्ष्माणि शृणुध्वं मुनिसत्तमाः
O twice-born, listen, O best of sages, to the subtle illustrations concerning concentration of the self or regarding dhāraṇā.
अप्रमत्तो यथा धन्वी लक्ष्यं हन्ति समाहितः युक्तः सम्यक् तथा योगी मोक्षं प्राप्नोत्य् असंशयम्
Just as an archer, attentive and focused, strikes the target without error, so too does a yogi, properly engaged, undoubtedly attain liberation.
स्नेहपात्रे यथा पूर्णे मन आधाय निश्चलम् पुरुषो युक्त आरोहेत् सोपानं युक्तमानसः
Just as a person, placing his steady mind in a full vessel of oil, ascends a staircase with focused mind, so too does the yogi.
मुक्तस् तथायम् आत्मानं योगं तद्वत् सुनिश्चलम् करोत्य् अमलम् आत्मानं भास्करोपमदर्शने
In the same way, having become free, he steadies his self in yoga, making it pure and unmoving, seeing the self like the sun.
यथा च नावं विप्रेन्द्राः कर्णधारः समाहितः महार्णवगतां शीघ्रं नयेद् विप्रांस् तु पत्तनम्
And just as, O foremost Brahmins, a helmsman, attentive, quickly brings a boat across the great ocean to the harbor, so too—
तद्वद् आत्मसमाधानं युक्तो योगेन योगवित् दुर्गमं स्थानम् आप्नोति हित्वा देहम् इमं द्विजाः
So also, one who knows yoga, established in yoga, unites the self through concentration and attains a difficult place, O twice-born, after leaving this body.
सारथिश् च यथा युक्तः सदश्वान् सुसमाहितः देशम् इष्टं नयत्य् आशु धन्विनं पुरुषर्षभम्
Just as a charioteer, attentive, with well-trained horses, quickly brings the archer, the best of men, to the desired place—
तथैव च द्विजा योगी धारणासु समाहितः प्राप्नोत्य् आशु परं स्थानं लक्ष्यमुक्त इवाशुगः
So too, O twice-born, the yogi, focused in dhāraṇā, swiftly attains the supreme state, like an arrow released at its mark.
आविश्यात्मनि चात्मानं यो ऽवतिष्ठति सो ऽचलः पाशं हत्वेव मीनानां पदम् आप्नोति सो ऽजरम्
He who abides, having entered the self within the self, becomes unmoving; having broken the bonds, like a fish, he attains the ageless state.
नाभ्यां शीर्षे च कुक्षौ च हृदि वक्षसि पार्श्वयोः दर्शने श्रवणे वापि घ्राणे चामितविक्रमः
In the navel, head, belly, heart, chest, and sides, in seeing, hearing, or even smelling, O one of immeasurable prowess—
स्थानेष्व् एतेषु यो योगी महाव्रतसमाहितः आत्मना सूक्ष्मम् आत्मानं युङ्क्ते सम्यग् द्विजोत्तमाः
O best of twice-born, the yogi, intent on great vows, who unites the subtle self with the self in these places, does so rightly.
सुशीघ्रम् अचलप्रख्यं कर्म दग्ध्वा शुभाशुभम् उत्तमं योगम् आस्थाय यदीच्छति विमुच्यते
Very swiftly, like something unmoving, having burned away both good and bad deeds, one who takes up the highest yoga is liberated, if he so desires.
आहारान् कीदृशान् कृत्वा कानि जित्वा च सत्तम योगी बलम् अवाप्नोति तद् भवान् वक्तुम् अर्हति
What kind of food should be taken, and what should be conquered, O best one, so that the yogi attains strength? You are worthy to speak of this.
कणानां भक्षणे युक्तः पिण्याकस्य च भो द्विजाः स्नेहानां वर्जने युक्तो योगी बलम् अवाप्नुयात्
O twice-born, the yogi who is moderate in eating grains and oil-cake, and who avoids oily foods, attains strength.
भुञ्जानो यावकं रूक्षं दीर्घकालं द्विजोत्तमाः एकाहारी विशुद्धात्मा योगी बलम् अवाप्नुयात्
By subsisting for a long time on coarse barley, eating only once a day, with a purified mind, the yogi attains strength, O best of twice-born.
पक्षान् मासान् ऋतूंश् चित्रान् संचरंश् च गुहास् तथा अपः पीत्वा पयोमिश्रा योगी बलम् अवाप्नुयात्
By moving through various fortnights, months, and seasons, and dwelling in caves, drinking water mixed with milk, the yogi attains strength.
अखण्डम् अपि वा मासं सततं मुनिसत्तमाः उपोष्य सम्यक् शुद्धात्मा योगी बलम् अवाप्नुयात्
Even by fasting continuously for an entire month, O eminent sages, with a purified mind, the yogi attains strength.
कामं जित्वा तथा क्रोधं शीतोष्णं वर्षम् एव च भयं शोकं तथा स्वापं पौरुषान् विषयांस् तथा
Having conquered desire and anger, cold and heat, rain, fear, sorrow, sleep, manliness, and sense-objects as well,
अरतिं दुर्जयां चैव घोरां दृष्ट्वा च भो द्विजाः स्पर्शं निद्रां तथा तन्द्रां दुर्जयां मुनिसत्तमाः
And also having faced discontent, which is hard to overcome and terrible, O twice-born, as well as touch, sleep, and torpor, which are difficult to conquer, O eminent sages,
दीपयन्ति महात्मानं सूक्ष्मम् आत्मानम् आत्मना वीतरागा महाप्राज्ञा ध्यानाध्ययनसंपदा
The great souls, free from passion and endowed with great wisdom, illuminate the subtle self by the accomplishment of meditation and study.
दुर्गस् त्व् एष मतः पन्था ब्राह्मणानां विपश्चिताम् यः कश्चिद् व्रजति क्षिप्रं क्षेमेण मुनिपुंगवाः
This path is considered difficult, O foremost of sages, for the wise Brahmins; yet whoever proceeds quickly upon it attains safety.
यथा कश्चिद् वनं घोरं बहुसर्पसरीसृपम् श्वभ्रवत् तोयहीनं च दुर्गमं बहुकण्टकम्
Just as someone enters a dreadful forest, full of many snakes and reptiles, with chasms, devoid of water, difficult to traverse, and full of many thorns,