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,
अभक्तम् अटवीप्रायं दावदग्धमहीरुहम् पन्थानं तस्कराकीर्णं क्षेमेणाभिपतेत् तथा
Uninhabited, resembling a wilderness, with trees burned by forest fire, a path crowded with thieves—so too one may safely cross it.
योगमार्गं समासाद्य यः कश्चिद् व्रजते द्विजः क्षेमेणोपरमेन् मार्गाद् बहुदोषो ऽपि संमतः
Having attained the path of yoga, whichever twice-born proceeds upon it, though the path is considered full of faults, he safely reaches cessation.
आस्थेयं क्षुरधारासु निशितासु द्विजोत्तमाः धारणा सा तु योगस्य दुर्गेयम् अकृतात्मभिः
The path of yoga, O best of twice-born, is to be established on sharp razors; that concentration is difficult to attain for those whose minds are unprepared.
विषमा धारणा विप्रा यान्ति वै न शुभां गतिम् नेतृहीना यथा नावः पुरुषाणां तु वै द्विजाः
Concentration is difficult, O Brahmins; those who lack a guide do not reach a good destination, just as boats without a helmsman among men.
यस् तु तिष्ठति योगाधौ धारणासु यथाविधि मरणं जन्मदुःखित्वं सुखित्वं स विशिष्यते
But he who abides properly in the seat of yoga and in concentration excels over death, the pain of birth, and happiness.
नानाशास्त्रेषु नियतं नानामुनिनिषेवितम् परं योगस्य पन्थानं निश्चितं तं द्विजातिषु
Among the twice-born, that supreme path of yoga, practiced in various scriptures and by various sages, is established as certain.
परं हि तद् ब्रह्ममयं मुनीन्द्रा ब्रह्माणम् ईशं वरदं च विष्णुम् भवं च धर्मं च महानुभावं यद् ब्रह्मपुत्रान् सुमहानुभावान्
That supreme, truly, is of the nature of Brahman, O best of sages: Brahma, the lord, the bestower of boons, Vishnu, Shiva, Dharma, the great soul, and the sons of Brahma, of great might.
तमश् च कष्टं सुमहद् रजश् च सत्त्वं च शुद्धं प्रकृतिं परां च सिद्धिं च देवीं वरुणस्य पत्नीं तेजश् च कृत्स्नं सुमहच् च धैर्यम्
Darkness, the great, and rajas, and pure sattva, the supreme nature, and also Siddhi, the goddess, wife of Varuna, and all the great brilliance and great courage—
ताराधिपं खे विमलं सुतारं विश्वांश् च देवान् उरगान् पितॄंश् च शैलांश् च कृत्स्नान् उदधींश् च वाचलान् नदीश् च सर्वाः सनगांश् च नागान्
The lord of stars, pure and shining in the sky, all the gods, serpents, ancestors, all the mountains, oceans, all the rivers, and all the Nagas with their mountains—
साध्यांस् तथा यक्षगणान् दिशश् च गन्धर्वसिद्धान् पुरुषान् स्त्रियश् च परस्परं प्राप्य महान् महात्मा विशेत योगी नचिराद् विमुक्तः
The Sadhyas, the hosts of Yakshas, the directions, Gandharvas, Siddhas, men and women—all these, having attained one another, the great yogi, soon liberated, enters the Supreme.