In the teachings of the sages, the observances of yoga are summarized, each one holding the power to bestow accomplishment upon the practitioner. Among these, ascetics declare that bodily austerity is the highest form of tapas, the discipline that purifies and strengthens. The study of sacred texts is described as the means by which purity of mind is attained, elevating men to greater clarity and virtue. Those who understand the Vedas speak of successive distinctions in these practices. Study itself is considered a vocal act, its essence also found in murmured recitation. This murmured recitation is specified as being a thousand times superior to vocal recitation, for it deepens concentration and inwardness. Mental repetition, meanwhile, is known as the contemplation of all words, drawing the mind into silent absorption. Contentment, whose nature is happiness, is declared by the sages to be steadfastness of mind, a foundation for all spiritual progress. External purity is remembered as being achieved through earth and water, while internal purity is the cleansing of the mind. Unwavering devotion to Shiva is recognized as the true worship of the Lord. The life-breath—the air born within one’s own body—is to be regulated, and this regulation is called restraint. This practice itself is of two kinds: with retention and without retention. The intermediate restraint of the breath is considered the highest, measured as thirty-six counts. Among the slow, intermediate, and chief types, the supreme form arises from bliss. This is declared to be the characteristic of breath-control for yogis. When a mantra is recited three times with the breath held, that is called true breath-control. This practice is proclaimed in all the scriptures by yogis who strive diligently. The state of balance thus established is celebrated as kumbhaka. Restraint is declared by the wise, and the best among them call it withdrawal of the senses. In such places, concentration is the binding of the mind, drawing it away from distractions. When concentration is not mingled with other mental activities, it is known as meditation by the sages. A cognition fixed solely on the object is considered the highest means of yoga. Meditation, when sustained up to twelve cycles, is called samadhi. Of all practices, this is the supreme means. Sitting firmly, the lotus posture is declared the highest seat for the self, offering stability and ease. The half-seated posture is also the supreme means for yoga practice. Sitting firmly, the svastika posture is likewise declared the highest. Whether practicing near fire, in water, or on a heap of dry leaves, the environment should be chosen with care. One should not practice in places with noise, fear, or where there are heaps of shrines or anthills, nor when afflicted by bodily discomfort, distress, or similar conditions. Suitable places include the bank of a river, a sacred region, or a temple of deities. There, the yogi, devoted to the Lord, should always unite himself in yoga. The well-concentrated yogi should unite himself with the guru and with the Lord. With gaze fixed at the tip of the nose, eyes slightly opened, he should contemplate the supreme Lord, established within his own self. He should contemplate the radiant stalk of knowledge, arising from the root of dharma. He should contemplate the supreme golden core within the lotus’s center. He should contemplate the unmanifest, expressed by Om, filled with a network of rays. In that light, he should place his own self, identifying with its non-difference. Then, having become all-pervading, he should not think of anything at all, resting in the fullness of realization.